Best Cigars for Beginners: What’s a Good First Cigar to Try?

For those who are beginners into the cigar world, finding the right cigar as first smoke, can be tricky. As you might know, in the cigar world, there are different origins, vitolas, strengths and prices.

To start with, it is important to know that the world`s best tobacco comes from Cuba followed by Dominican republic and Nicaragua.

Cuban cigars are highly demanded by the most exquisite smokers but at the same time price is high. Whereas, New world cigars are affordable for everyone.

We are here to help you choose the perfect smoke!

Cuban cigars VS New World Cigars?

Finding Cuban cigars nowadays is hard and price is high as previosuly mentioned however, its flavour is well balanced and there is a wide range from soft to stronger taste.

We have carefully picked the best cigar brands for beginners to smoke, along with their products that are most suitable to the taste and preference of people who are just starting their smoking journey.

Recomended cuban cigars for beginers

Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo Du Depute

•  Vitola: Trabucos
• Ring gauge: 38
• Length: 110mm
• Strengh: 1/5
• Flavor: intense tobacco, very pleasant, with deep woody notes, accompanied by an intense sweetness and hints of spices, basically cinnamon, pepper and vanilla.
• Strength: soft.
• Shot: superb, especially considering its stocks, with easy and intense puffs.
• Coat: brown to red in color, ranging from natural to mature, with a slight luster, fine and not very veiny.
• Combustion: very correct, even and uniform from the beginning to the end.
• Ash: light gray in color, streaked with darker gray, firm and compact.
• Aroma: very intense to snuff, woody and somewhat spongy, which brings back toasted hints of leather and spongy fruits.

Fonseca Delicias

• Vitola: Standard
• Ring gauge: 40
• Length: 123mm
• Strength: 2/5
• Taste: something salty and with a very slight sweetness that persists.
• Strength: soft.
• Shot: very good.
• Layer: Carmelite color slightly darker than natural.
• Combustion: correct.
• Ash: dark gray.
• Aroma: soft tobacco with wood.

H.Upmann Majestics

• Vitola: Cremas
• Ring gauge:40
• Length: 140mm
• Strength: 2/5
• Flavor: with a point of sweetness that brings back memories of vanilla and cocoa but that, as the smoke progresses, it fades, becoming more spongy and with more spicy and vegetable tones.
• Strength: soft-medium.
• Shot: very good for its stocks.
• Layer: mature brown color with very slight red tones.
• Aroma: good of tobacco, somewhat spongy, with vegetal, woody and spicy notes.

H.Upmann half Corona

• Vitola: Half Corona
• Ring gauge: 44
• Length: 90mm
• Strength: 2/5
• Taste: Intense tobacco flavor, woody, smoked and sweet, with slight bitter, spicy and slightly earthy tips, leaving hints of nuts cinnamon, leather, white pepper, cinnamon and subtle cocoa tips with creamy, very pleasant and persistent ends in mouth.
• Strength: medium to medium / strong.
• Shot: excellent.
• Layer: natural carmelite with colored dyes.
• Combustion: even and homogeneous.
• Ash: medium gray with dark gray streaks.
• Aroma: very pleasant to tobacco, sweet, toasted with notes reminiscent of cedar, and leather.

Recommended New World cigars

Davidoff Aniversario Entreacto

• Vitola: Short Corona
• Ring gauge: 43
• Length: 88mm
• Strenth: 2/5
• Taste: The Davidoff Aniversario Entreacto (20) offers creamy cedar and rich coffee with toasted almond and a touch of cocoa sweetness.
• Strength: Medium.
• Shot: Smooth and refined with a balanced, slow evolving profile.
• Layer: Ecuadorian sun grown wrapper with a silky texture and light oily sheen, medium brown in color.
• Combustion: Even and consistent burn that maintains a steady pace.
• Ash: Firm light gray to white ash that holds together well.
• Aroma: Aromas of cedar, gentle leather, toasted nuts and a faint floral sweetness.

Davidoff Signature 2000

• Vitola: Corona
• Ring gauge: 43
• Length: 127mm
• Strength: 2/5
• Taste: The Davidoff Signature 2000 (25) offers a creamy profile with cedar and espresso notes, toasted almond, subtle cocoa and a touch of vanilla sweetness.
• Strength: Mild to medium-bodied.
• Shot: Smooth and refined with a silky draw and a balanced, evolving flavor progression.
• Layer: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper, silky texture and light golden brown color, paired with a refined Dominican blend.
• Combustion: Even and consistent burn, slow and steady with a clean burn line.
• Ash: Firm and light gray to white, generally compact with occasional flake.
• Aroma: Delicate cedar and woody notes with hints of coffee, toasted nuts and faint floral accents.

Oliva Connecticut Reserva Robusto

• Vitola: Robusto
• Ring gauge: 50
• Length; 124mm
• Strength: 3/5
• Taste: It  offers a creamy profile with cedar and espresso notes, toasted almond,and a touch of vanilla sweetness.
• Strength: Mild to medium-bodied.
• Shot: Smooth and refined with a silky draw and a balanced, evolving flavor progression.
• Layer: The most exquisite Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. Silky
• Combustion: Even and consistent burn, slow and steady with a clean burn line.
• Ash: Firm and light gray to white, generally compact with occasional flake.
• Aroma: Delicate cedar and woody notes with hints of coffee, toasted nuts and faint floral accents.

How do you choose the size of your first cigar? Start with a small one

If you are looking for your first cigars, better to start off with something small and then go big!

The most popular size is the “Robusto” which usually last for an hour but could take you up to two hours.

To start with, we would recomend a small vitola such as Mareva or Petit Robusto. Those two vitolas, have a good ring gauge which will allow you to inhale easily so the cigar will not go off. Good shot. The thickest the ring gauge, the easiest to smoke.

Best small cigars to start: Short and Petit Robusto

Vegafina Nicaragua Short

• Vitola: Short
• Ring gauge: 44
• Length: 110mm
• Strength: 4/5
• Taste: The Vegafina Nicaragua Short (25) delivers dominant notes of warm spice, dark cocoa, roasted coffee, cedar, and a touch of toasted nut with a subtle natural sweetness.
• Strength: Medium to full-bodied
• Shot: Balanced and rich with a smooth draw and quick development of layered flavors.
• Layer: Nicaraguan sun grown wrapper with a medium dark color and a slight oily sheen, fine veins and a smooth tactile quality.
• Combustion: Even and consistent burn with a reliable, steady draw.
• Ash: Firm pale grey to white ash that holds compactly and often remains intact for an inch or more.
• Aroma: Aromas of leather, cedar, toasted coffee and mild spice with a faint sweet tobacco note.

Hoyo de Monterrey Petit Robusto

• Vitola: Petit Robusto
• Ring gauge:50
• Length:141mm
• Strength: 2/5
• Taste:: intense tobacco, softly woody, somewhat spongy, with a slightly sweet background, leaving an aftertaste of sweetness, toasted notes, leather and spices after the puff.
• Strength:: soft.
• **Shot:**impressive, thanks to its great stocks and its short distance.
• Layer: colored in color that can go from natural to mature, fine, bright and not very venous. This cigar is the last and exclusive addition to the Hoyo de Monterrey brand, and it is a new galley vitola, the Petit Robusto, created exclusively to meet the needs of those smokers who like wide shots, easy-to-smoke cigarettes and Short duration, able to concentrate all its essence in a brief burst of pleasure.
• Combustion: it is correct, as corresponds to such a thick caliber.
• Ash: medium matte gray, dark gray veined, is firm and very consistent, denoting a very good twist.
• Aroma: intense tobacco, very woody and sweet, with vegetable memories, something spicy.

Which strength should you go for?

As a beginner you should try first something more on the light/mild. However, taste is something very personal.

A light / Mild cigar would allow you to enjoy the first cigar as it wont be too soft or too strong.

Here is a list of brand to start with for light to mild cigars.

• Hoyo de Monterrey
• Upmann
• El rey de Mundo
• Davidoff Signature
• Davidoff Aniversario
• Vegafina Classic
• Oliva Connecticut Reserva
• Capitol
• Aj Fernandez Habano Blend
• Casa de Garcia

Should You Choose a Cheap or an Expensive Cigar?

Many beginners find it difficult to decide whether to buy cheap or expensive cigars. It’s important to remember that the price doesn’t always determine how enjoyable a cigar will be.

More expensive cigars are usually made with higher-quality materials and are aged for longer periods, which can give them more complex flavors.

However, cheaper cigars can still provide a pleasant experience, especially for beginners who are still discovering what types of cigars and flavors they like.

Any further inquiries, please contact us at info@rayscigars.com