Choosing the Perfect Cigars: Two Key Factors

Like choosing a wine, choosing a cigar can be based on a combination of personal choices and practicality. The flavor is a very personal choice, but the choice of size can be a very practical consideration.

Cigars come in a variety of sizes, varying in both length and diameter. Diameter is measured in either millimeters or "ringsize," or 64ths of an inch: a cigar that is 42 rings, is 42/64 of an inch in diameter. The length is measured in millimeters or inches. So the "royal corona" may be 16.67 x 165 (millimeters), 42 x 6.5 (rings and inches), or 42 x 165 (rings and millimeters).

The larger the ringsize, the easier the draw and the more smoke you will receive with each draw. Also, the larger the ringsize, the fuller the taste. The largest ringsizes are the "robusto," the "churchill," and the "double corona" ranging from 47 to 52. A large ringsize suits some people, but not all.

"Sipping" may be your style. If so, you may find a slimmer ringsize (32 to 42) more suitable, since it will be easier to keep it lit. Cigars in this range include the various "coronas," the "demitasse," and the "panatella." The flavor will be the same as that of a larger ringsize, just less of it, so you may also choose the midrange ringsize if the taste of the larger ones is just too full.

The smallest cigars are the "cigarillos" with a ringsize of 20 to 22. Drawing too hard on a slim cigar in order to get more smoke may cause the cigar to burn too fast, giving a hot smoke and a harsh taste.

A long cigar allows the smoke to cool and be filtered, except the last few centimeters, which will have a really strong taste. But the main consideration with length is that (combined with thickness) it determines the time it will take to smoke. Lengths range from the "mini cigarillo" at 3 1/3 inches, which lasts 15 to 30 minutes, to the "double corona" at 9 1/4 inches, which can take up to two hours to completely enjoy. Save the Churchill or Double Corona for when you have a whole football game to watch or hours around the campfire.

Size Isn't Everything

Flavor can vary significantly among cigars and is the second main criteria in choosing your perfect cigar. Flavor can range from gentle to hearty and have a variety of overtones and aftertastes. The true connoisseur is likely to enjoy different flavors at different times and in different situations.

A gentle flavor would be suitable in the morning or before a light meal. A full-bodied, hearty cigar is the perfect ending to a rich meal and superb with a robust liqueur or strong coffee. And there are choices in between. In general, cigars with lighter colored wrappers are milder in flavor and have less of a smoky aftertaste. Darker wrappers are typically richer.

Unlike cigarettes, cigars taste very little of smoke and usually very much of tobacco with overtones of other tastes. A fine cigar -- especially one of Cuban origin prior to 1990 -- can have virtually no taste of smoke whatsoever. Common overtones you are likely to notice include leather, spice, chocolate, earthiness, coffee, nut, apple, vanilla, honey, and floral.

Whether you choose Churchill cigars, Lonsdales, Rothschild cigars, Cohibs, or Macanudos, make sure to keep them in humidors, and remember to enjoy them.

Or, as Lord Byron so eloquently wrote in "The Island"...

"Sublime Tobacco! which from East to West
Cheers the tar's labour or the Turkman's rest;
Like other charmers, wooing the caress,
More dazzlingly when daring in full dress;
Yet thy true lovers more admire by far
Thy naked beauties--Give me a cigar!"

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Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2009 (Tue Feb 03 2009) Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource web site at: http://majon.com