Body. There are a range of cigars from light (and more mellow) to dark (and more “full-
bodied” — that is, stronger and more intense) and everything in the middle (your goldilocks
cigars, if you will). You’ll probably have to try a few out to determine what you like. If you
don’t know what to choose, ask our professionals and they will help you.
Size. First, size has nothing to do with flavor. A bigger cigar won’t necessarily be stronger or
better. There are two ways cigar size is measured: length, in inches, and width (called ring
gauge). Many cigar price labels/listings (both in stores and online) will include size in the
form of “inches long X gauge.
So, if size doesn’t directly determine the quality or strength of the cigar’s flavor, how much
does it matter?
Length just correlates with how long you want your smoke to last. The longer the stogie, the
longer it will take. For many smokers, a 6-inch cigar will last about an hour.

As for ring gauge, many aficionados like something on the smaller end (most cigars are
between 40-50). This is because the highest quality tobacco leaf is always the wrapper, so
with a smaller diameter, you have a better ratio of wrapper leaf to filler leaf. With a larger
diameter, you might have more cigar to smoke, but more of that cigar is filler leaf (which
can still be great, mind you).
Shape. There are two classes of cigar shapes: parejos and figurados. Parejos are your
classically shaped cigars with one end open, and one end, usually rounded, that needs
cutting. Most cigars fall into this broad category, within which there are numerous sub-
categories of cigar shapes.
Figurados are anything other than that classic shape. They tend to have a bullet shape and
are tapered into a sharp point at the closed end. Some experts say this concentrates the
smoke more and gives you a fuller flavor.
Mix and match all three of these characteristics of cigars to see what you like best!
SELECT A CIGAR BASED ON QUALITY
The three attributes described above are more about preference than true quality: you can
have high quality cigars in every range of these characteristics, and poor-quality cigars as
well.
Thus, once you’ve sifted your choices based on your preferences, you want to determine
whether a cigar you’ve got your eye on is also a good quality stogie.
Evaluate a potential cigar based on the criteria below: they apply to all cigars, regardless of
body, size, or shape.
Judge the book by its cover — that is, the cigar by its wrapper. The wrapper should have no
gaps or tears, and it should not be cracked. You want a smooth and clean exterior, which
signifies quality craftsmanship.
The cigar should be a uniform color. It should not be spotted or have places that are
significantly darker than others. It should not have any spots of mold, which does occur
(they’re stored in a humid environment, after all). You want a single, nicely uniform color on
the entirety of the cigar.
Don’t buy dry. If you hold the cigar and squeeze it just a little, it should feel firm and like it
has some give. If it crackles and feels dry, avoid it. It probably hasn’t been stored properly
and will burn too hot upon smoking.
Feel for a uniform tobacco fill. If you lightly squeeze the cigar every half inch or so, the
filling should feel uniform. You don’t want any divots or bulges, indicating a poor job of
filling.

Give it a good smell. You can divine much of what a cigar will taste like by giving it a hearty
whiff. If you’re in a store, and a cigar is in a plastic wrapper, ask if you can give it a sniff. Hold
it close to your nose (but don’t let it touch your nose — gross) and breathe in nice and deep.
If it’s an appealing smell to you, it’ll probably taste good too. If something smells off in any
way, give it a pass.