Cigars are like Wines or Beers, each has a different flavor, and there are literally hundreds of brands each producing lots of different "types" of Cigars. In addition cigars can change flavor by year of production, like Wine's.
1) Cigars are not cigarettes, you do not inhale cigars, ever, period. The nicotine gets into your bloodstream by drawing the smoke into your mouth, where all the little capillaries in your cheeks and mouth rush it off to your brain to make it feel good
2) Cigars need to be stored at a proper humidity level, which is something like 65 to 70%, which you measure using a hygrometer. Any lower for any length of time and the cigar will be dry, it will draw very easily and will be harsh and hot. Any higher and the cigar could get moldy, be difficult to draw, and make you sick. Cigars can effectively be stored for a very, very, very long time (decades) under good conditions. Cigars can also be revived if they are not TOO dried out by letting them sit in a humidor for a period of time with the proper humidity (let them sit a few weeks).
3) Cigars can be a nickel each, or they can be $1000+ each. Entirely based on how rare or particular the tobacco used is.
4) Cigars do not contain additives like tar and shit that Cigarettes do.....they still aren't good for you, but then again....what is? Remember, don't inhale. Draw....savor the flavor...release.
5) Cigars generally come in 3 types of wrappers (the outer leaves used to hold the inner tobacco blends)......Natural, Connecticut Shade, and Maduro....the maduro ones are the darker brown ones (to almost black).....the wrappers can be dry, oily, smooth, rough, veiny...on and on. each will provide a different flavor characteristic to the Cigar. The darker wrappers are usually 'stronger tasting'...but that can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Its all about what tastes good to you. I like a medium bodied cigar, natural wrappers. Most meduro wrapped cigars I try have a flavor characteristic that is a little too...hmmm...bitter or something for me. Not surprisingly, I like cream in my coffee and I like milk chocolate and not dark, so its not so surprising I prefer a medium cigar. I do not however like light bodied cigars, to me they are tasteless.
BRANDS:
Try an Arturo Fuente Hemmingway or a Gurkha Perfecto (or any Gurkha style with a natural wrapper) for a somewhat mild (but not flavor-less) cigar. If you want a really good FLAVORED cigar, spring for the Gurkha Grand Reserve. These come in glass tubes and are infused with Cogniac, not soaked with some shitty concentrate to make them taste like bubblegum or a margarita or whatever.
Expect to pay $6-10 bucks per stick for the Hemmingway, a little less for the Gurkha Perfecto's, or about $15 or so for the Gurkha Grand Reserve. Not cheap, but these are good cigars that wont overpower you.
But honestly......if you just want to try cigars......get a sampler, or even ask the local Cigar shop to assemble a sampler for you based on what your taste preferences are. The local cigar shop near me even has a relatively cheap "house brand" that isn't bad. Good Luck!
ing buy swisher sweets, ever.
