A great cigar is a slow pleasure—30 minutes to two hours of flavour that rewards patience and good gear. Premium, hand-rolled cigars are built from three parts (wrapper, binder, and filler), and the combination determines everything from strength to taste: dark maduro wrappers lean rich and cocoa-sweet; sun-grown and Habano leaves bring pepper and spice; Connecticut and Cameroon lean toward cedar and cream.
Where to start with cigars
New to cigars? Our guide to the best cigars for beginners starts you on mild, forgiving sticks, and once you've caught the bug, the 10 best cigars covers the icons every smoker should know. You'll also need to keep them fresh—see our best humidors and best lighters guides—and if you enjoy a drink alongside, our cigar and bourbon pairing guide is a great place to begin.
How we cover cigars
We review cigars and gear on their own merits, with self-hosted photos and honest assessments—no stock images, no marketing spin. Store your cigars at around 68–70% humidity, toast the foot gently, and take your time. Our latest cigar reviews, gear roundups, and guides are below.
Best Cigars Roundups
7 articles
Best Cigar Lighters (2026): Torch Lighters Tested & Ranked
Butane torch, never fluid. The best cigar lighters for 2026 — from a $10 everyday pocket torch to a buy-it-for-life Xikar, chosen for flame quality and reliability.
Best Cigar Accessories (2026): Cutters, Lighters, Ashtrays & the Gear That Matters
A great cigar deserves the right tools. The cutters, torch lighters, ashtrays, and humidity gear we actually reach for — chosen for construction and value, not branding.
Best Cigar Samplers & Subscription Boxes (2026)
We subscribed to eight cigar clubs for three months each. Here are the ones that delivered value, discovery, and cigars we'd actually smoke again.
Best Humidors for Your Home Bar (2026)
Your bourbon deserves a good glass. Your cigars deserve a good humidor. Here are the ones worth buying — from $50 desktop models to serious cabinet setups.
Best Cigars to Pair with Bourbon: A Practical Guide
We tested 30+ cigar and bourbon combinations so you don't have to. Here are the 8 pairings that actually work — and why the flavor science behind them matters.
Top 10 Cigars for Beginners (That Actually Taste Good)
The 10 best cigars for first-timers — mild-to-medium sticks with great flavor, forgiving construction, and zero intimidation factor. From Connecticut Shade to Nicaraguan, every palate covered.
The 10 Best Cigars of 2026: The Humidor's Greatest Hits
From Nicaraguan powerhouses to refined Cuban classics, these ten cigars represent the pinnacle of the roller's art in 2026.
Cigars Reviews
48 articles
Montecristo White Series: Where Mild Ends and Elegant Begins
Romeo y Julieta 1875: 150 Years of Heritage at an Honest Price
Padron 2000 Natural: The $9 All-Nicaraguan Puro That Punches Out of Its Class
Macanudo Cafe: The Cigar That Gets Everyone's First One Right
Ashton Classic: Dominican Consistency Wrapped in Connecticut Gold
Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 Connecticut: Eight Years of Aging, Zero Rough Edges
Oliva Connecticut Reserve: Ecuadorian Creaminess, Nicaraguan Backbone
Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne: The Buttery Gateway to Premium Cigars
Romeo y Julieta 1875 Toro
Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva Churchill
Oliva Serie O Double Toro
Rocky Patel Sun Grown Robusto
Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970 Gran Consul
CAO Brazilia Amazon Toro
Perdomo Champagne Natural Robusto
Alec Bradley Black Market Robusto
Baccarat The Game Robusto
Padron 1000 Series Natural Robusto
Oliva Serie V Toro
My Father No. 1 Toro
Perdomo Reserve Champagne Anniversary Toro
Alec Bradley Prensado Torpedo
H. Upmann Half Corona
Davidoff Winston Churchill Robusto
Rocky Patel Decade Toro
Illusione Epernay Le Petit Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Aganorsa Leaf Supreme Leaf Toro Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro Toro Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Plasencia Alma Fuerte Nestor IV Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
AJ Fernandez New World Puro Especial Robusto Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Ashton VSG (Virgin Sun Grown) Torpedo Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Foundation Charter Oak Habano Toro Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Padron 60th Anniversary Perfecto Natural Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Drew Estate Undercrown Shade Gran Toro Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Tatuaje Black Label Petite Lancero Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Montecristo No. 2 (Cuban) Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Padron 1926 Serie No. 9 Maduro Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
My Father Flor de las Antillas Toro Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Cohiba Robusto (Cuban) Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Liga Privada No. 9 Robusto Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
My Father Le Bijou 1922 Torpedo Box Pressed Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Arturo Fuente Opus X Perfecxion No. 2 Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
Padron 1964 Anniversary Exclusivo Maduro Cigar Review — Score & Tasting Notes
CAO Consigliere Soldato
Diesel Whiskey Row Robusto
Perdomo 10th Anniversary Box-Pressed Toro
Cigars Guides & Articles
6 articles
FreshBox Starter Kit Review: The Smartest Way to Start Smoking Cigars
The FreshBox Starter Kit eliminates the two biggest beginner cigar problems: not knowing what to smoke and not having anywhere to store it. We tested it across multiple tasting profiles — here's what we found.
What Makes a Good Cigar? A Non-Pretentious Guide
You don't need a cigar vocabulary to enjoy a great smoke. But knowing what separates good from great? That's worth five minutes of your time.
Bourbon & Cigar Night: How to Host One That Doesn't Suck
Three bourbons, three cigars, zero pretension. Here's how to host a bourbon and cigar night that feels intentional without feeling stuffy.
How to Store Cigars at Home (Even Without a Humidor)
You just bought five great cigars. Now what? Here's how to keep them perfect — whether you have a humidor, a Tupperware container, or just a ziplock and a prayer.
Cigar Wrapper Types Explained: What Actually Matters for Flavor
Connecticut Shade, Habano, Maduro, Corojo, Cameroon — what the wrapper on your cigar actually means for flavor. A practical guide to the 8 wrappers you'll see most often.
How to Cut, Light, and Smoke a Cigar (Without Looking Like a Tourist)
Everything you need to know about smoking a cigar — from choosing the right cut to the toast-and-puff lighting technique to retrohaling. A no-BS guide from someone who learned the hard way.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you store cigars properly?
Cigars need to be kept at around 68-70% relative humidity, or they dry out and smoke harshly (too humid, and they burn poorly and risk mold). A humidor with a hygrometer and humidifier does this, but for a few cigars a resealable Boveda humidity bag is the cheapest, most foolproof option.
Do you inhale cigar smoke?
No. Unlike cigarettes, cigars are meant to be enjoyed by drawing the smoke into your mouth to taste the flavour, then exhaling—not inhaling into the lungs. Cigars are about savouring the aroma and taste, not the nicotine hit.
What is a good cigar for a beginner?
Start mild and forgiving. Cigars with pale Connecticut Shade wrappers—like the Ashton Classic, Macanudo Cafe, or Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story—are smooth, creamy, and won't overwhelm a new palate. Our best cigars for beginners guide walks through the top picks.
What does the cigar wrapper do?
The wrapper is the outer leaf, and it contributes a large share of a cigar's flavour and appearance. As a rough guide: dark maduro and broadleaf wrappers are rich, sweet, and cocoa-forward; sun-grown and Habano wrappers are spicier; and Connecticut and Cameroon wrappers are milder, leaning cedar and cream.
How long does it take to smoke a cigar?
It depends on the size. A short cigar like a Hemingway Short Story takes about 30-45 minutes, while a large toro or torpedo can run 60-90 minutes or more. Cigars are meant to be smoked slowly—rushing overheats them and ruins the flavour.