How to Find the Right Cigar

If you are new to the stogie world, and you want to know how to smoke the right cigar, follow these basic steps, and you'll be puffing on something smooth and aromatic in no time.

First, and foremost, you have to understand your own tastes. Many cigar smokers say that they approached this by equating cigar smoking to drinking coffee or tea. In other words, consider how you like these beverages. If you like your coffee strong and bold, you may want a robust cigar. If you like a flavored blend of tea, you might want a smoke that is light and creamy. Of course, you can always sample different types, which will make the discovery that much more tantalizing.

Next, you need to consider how long you'll want to smoke your cigars. If you plan to smoke on the golf course or when lounging on your deck or patio, you may want a one-hour cigar. If you want a quick, after-dinner smoke, consider something that burns in 30 minutes or less.

Deciding on length of smoking time for cigars is obviously based on size. What may not be obvious, though, is factoring in both cigar ring size (thickness), as well as the cigar's length, generally revealed in the type of cigar.

You may have heard common cigar terms like Churchill, Corona or Lonsdale. These are names that indicate both ring size and length. A Lonsdale cigar, for example, is roughly six inches long with a ring guage of 44. Ring guage on cigars is measured in 64th of an inch. So, a Lonsdale cigar is 44/64 of an inch. A Churchill is a little larger - about 6.75 inches with a ring guage of 48 to 52 (cigar makers vary their sizes, even though they should all be similar).

Once you get past this technical stuff, the fun begins. Let's say you decide you want a mild, 45-minute cigar - a great smoke for a beginner or an enthusiast. Now, you find your favorite online distributor or local tobacconist and start browsing.

Like coffee and tea, there are literally hundreds of cigar flavors from which to choose. One of my favorite distributors, Thompson Cigar, has a link called, Find the Perfect Cigar. When you click this link, you get a page with all the necessary fields, including ring guage, length, brand, wrapper, etc.

Begin with the wrapper. If you want mild, choose a Connecticut cigar wrapper. If you have decided on something stronger, go with Sumatra or Maduro. Then go to filler and choose Long (long cigar filler smokes more evenly than short or seed fillers). For length, pick something in the five-inch range, with a guage of 46-50.

All fields don't have to be complete. Click Go, and your cigar tour is underway. If you don't like what you find, using this search method, you can click on Cigar Samplers or just browse all cigars. No matter how you shop for your cigar, you'll love it, knowing that the end result will be a truly enjoyable smoke.