Today is a great day to be a cigar smoker. You can easily buy cigars online and get the best cigars possible with the budget that you have. There are a lot more options that are available to you compared to 10 to 15 years ago. But, if you are a beginner, don’t be hasty. I know that it is easier to buy cigars nowadays, but there are some things that you should know first.

Know the size

Not all cigars are made equal. Some are longer or shorter than others, and yes, the length of the cigar could affect your experience. You can easily notice these different sizes if you want to buy cigars online in the UK. Typically, cigars are measured in length in inches, ring gauge, and diameter that is measured in units of 1/64th of an inch. When it comes to the shape, left, and ring sizes of your cigar, there is a term that you should remember: vitola.

By learning the name of each vitola, you can choose the right size without much problem. The reason for this is that cigars are often similar in length, ring gauge, and shape. So choosing the right cigar using numbers could be very confusing. Therefore, remembering the names will help you a lot. Some popular names that you should remember are Corona, Petit Corona, Robusto, Churchill, Lonsdale, Double Corona, Perfecto, and Pyramid.

Should you remove the band first before smoking the cigar?

This one is such a popular discussion among cigar smokers. Some people would tell you to remove it first, but some people disagree with that. If you didn’t know already, a cigar usually has this band that shows you the brand of the cigar or something else. Now, if you are a beginner, it is okay to be confused about it as the community is pretty much split in half.

There are two solutions, first is removing the band before you smoke the cigar. The main reason is that if you didn’t remove the band, and it begins to burn, your cigar would taste like burnt paper. This is a waste of a good cigar, so to prevent it from happening, you take the band off first.

That said, some bands are glued, so you can’t just remove them. These bands are usually affixed to the cigars with a small amount of gum adhesive. This way, if you take the band off, a small part of the paper might come off too. So the solution is to let the heat of the cigar melt the gum before you can remove the band.

Always buy from a reputable seller

Premium cigars are very popular, so naturally, there are plenty of counterfeit cigars on the market. Take Cuban smokes, for example, if you are not careful with your purchase, you might end up with some fake ones. Do your research first before you pull the trigger. No need to be hasty and be careful of fake testimonials as well.

Also, keep note that genuine Cuban cigars always have stamps and seals that ensure the product is original. There are some kinds of certifications too that you need to keep a lookout. This is why finding and sticking to a reputable seller could save you from a lot of headaches in the future.

Aging a cigar

Aging a cigar is a process that can do wonders for the flavor of your smoke. You should know some basic answers to questions such as do cigars age well or how to age them properly, whether is it important to do it right, etc. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re thinking about aging your cigars:

• Do your research. Not all cigars age well, so it’s important to know what kind of cigar you’re working with. Check with a knowledgeable tobacconist or do some online research to find out which cigars are best suited for aging.
• Start with a good quality cigar. The better the quality of the cigar, the better it will age. Cheaper cigars are more likely to dry out and develop an unpleasant flavor.
• Store your cigars properly. Cigars should be stored in a humidor at 65-70% humidity. If the humidity is too low, your cigars will dry out; if it’s too high, they may develop mold.

Lighting a cigar

Here comes the fun part. Believe it or not, lighting a cigar is more complex than lighting a cigarette. It takes more skill, which I am sure you can learn in no time. The first thing to do is to upgrade your cheaper disposable lighters to a butane lighter or even a torch lighter. Then do the following:

• Toast the foot of the cigar a bit away from the flame.
• Take a puff to see if it is burning evenly, the foot should look white.
• Now it’s time to fully ignite the filler by bringing the flame closer. Take a puff, too.
• Now, once the cigar is lit, wait a minute to allow the heat to burn evenly.

Finishing thought

There are a few things that you should learn first before buying cigars. The more you learn about cigars, the more you are going to get from them. Not to mention that you will remove the risks of wasting away good cigars.

Jane