How and Where to Experience Cigars
Cigar smoking is an alluring activity – it’s hard to watch someone having a good smoke without feeling the urge to get up and try it out for yourself. Luckily, in this day and age, it’s quite an accessible pastime to get into!
To help all the beginners out there, we’ve put together this quick guide to where you can purchase the best cigars, what you should expect in terms of cigar prices, and who you should be speaking to if you need a little guidance when traversing the world of cigars!
Where can I get a cigar?
Online cigar stores
Buying cigars online is incredibly convenient. The more prominent cigar websites are also often cheaper to purchase from than physical stores. Additionally, the selection on offer on cigar websites is usually second-to-none, with a huge variety of cigars on offer.
Tobacconists & physical stores
The main advantage physical stores have over online stores is the atmosphere. Upon walking into a tobacconist’s you’re hit with the sight and smell of premium cigars, which is enough to make even beginners giddy. Another benefit is that you can immediately get personal attention and guidance from the workers.
A cigar bar
Cigar bars – or cigar lounges – are exactly what they sound like: they’re places where you can buy a cigar and enjoy it with cigar-loving friends and strangers, all while having a drink or sometimes even a meal. Cigar bars are the best place to meet other cigar lovers and chill out with a smoke.
The cost of cigars
Generally, the price of a cigar is directly related to things like the age of the cigar, the rarity of the tobacco used, as well as whether or not it was rolled by hand as opposed to being mass-produced and rolled by a machine. That doesn’t mean you can’t buy a good cigar on a budget though!
If you’re a beginner, you probably don’t want to be spending over $10 on a cigar since you’re only just developing your palate. Some of the best cigar deals feature popular brands on sale for less than that, and the closer your budget is to the $10 mark, the more brands you’ll be able to try without waiting for a sale.
Between $10 and $20 is where things start to get premium, with better flavor, scent, and construction than the cheaper kinds - this is necessary to justify the price! Anything over $20 is serious cigar veteran territory - exquisite cigars, but nothing a beginner should feel pressured into buying.
If you're looking for free cigars, the only place you'll find those is in the humidor of a very generous friend!
Who to ask about cigars
If you’re looking for guidance when it comes to cigars, the best people to speak to are like-minded individuals who share your interest and passion, but just have that extra knowledge and experience.
As we mentioned earlier, cigar bars and lounges are fantastic places to meet others who love cigars, and these establishments are often full of people who have been smoking them for years. More often than not, they’d be more than happy to chat about the cigars they’d recommend.
Tobacconists and cigar stores are also a great port of call for cigar guidance. In these stores, you’ll usually be able to get some one-to-one guidance and cigar selection – after all, their business depends on you finding something you like!
Finally, social media websites and online forums are other amazing resources for finding people to talk to about cigars and accessories. Even if there aren’t many people local to you who share your hobby, thanks to the internet, you’ll be able to find thousands of people who would love to engage in some conversation regarding cigars.
