No matter if you are an experienced smoker or if you have just decided to enter the world of cigars, it is important to learn to recognize the characteristics that make a good cigar, so take into account the following tips and dare to experience beyond the usual Cuban cigars and try Padron Cigars.
Cigars are classified according to their size, thickness, origin, intensity, and whether they are made by machine or by hand. One of the largest is the “Churchill” size, the other most common measurements are: “Corona”, “Robusto” or “Panatela”, although there are many more classifications such as “Doble corona” “Torpedo” (named for its idem shape) or “Toro”. There are over 80 cigar classifications, so this is a good start.
The world of cigars is very similar to the world of wines, the good quality of the cigars depends a lot on the region in which they were grown, the care they take during their growth, the harvesting procedure, their selection, drying, and the rolling procedure of the cigar.
Regardless of the country of origin, all cigars are made with five leaves; three in the gut, one for wrapping the gut, and another for the wrapper. This last one gives tobacco its appearance, color, and aroma. It must be attractive, well grained and of uniform texture. The colors allow distinguishing flavor and aroma. In general, the lighter a wrapper is, the softer its flavor; the darker it is, the sweeter and stronger it is.
The fifth one is called “wrapper”, which is the one that lines the cigar and is the most important one you have to observe when choosing a cigar for the first time: it has to be soft to the touch, and above all, it has to not feel dry or “crunch”. This is what you will observe with the “freshness of a cigar”.
It is important to note that to notice this “state” of the cigar, or ideal is to place it between your thumb and index finger and rotate it a little close to your ear: if it cracks and breaks a little it means it is dry, so don’t choose it. Another thing you will notice there is its softness: if it is almost padded and soft: that means it is in its ideal state of moisture and freshness.
Because of its manufacture, there are two big groups: the handmade ones and the machine-made ones, which in turn can have short or long guts. In the handmade cigars, the legend “made entirely by hand” appears framed within an oval. The difference is that a short gut cigar usually costs half as much as a long gut cigar.
You must not forget that the conservation of the tobacco from the time it is rolled until the time it is smoked determines its quality. It is essential to know how to appreciate when a cigar has been handled in optimum conditions and when it has not. Good Padron Cigars, unlike those that have not been well handled, are usually velvety in their wrapper, soft to the touch and creamy, and when smoked, they have a full flavor. A bad tobacco tastes like what it is, a piece of a dry leaf. Humidifiers (tobacco storage boxes) are used to correctly preserve the cigar.
