The Top Reasons for Smoking Cigars

What makes smoking a premium cigar a pleasure you return to again and again? There are many reasons why we enjoy our favorite smokes. If you don’t smoke cigars and ask a few smokers what they enjoy about it, you’ll get a variety of answers, though not all apply to each cigar enthusiast. Quite a few cigar smokers were introduced to the hobby by a father or grandfather, perhaps a favorite uncle, and their enjoyment of a fine cigar is deeply rooted in their fond memories, the personal history that goes along with it. Consider a love of baseball that comes not only from the excitement of the game, awaiting the big hit or watching your ace pitcher shut down the other team. Many enjoy baseball because they grew up watching it with those they love, playing ball in the back yard with Dad, and so forth. Those who have been smoking for a while also enjoy the process of choosing and preparing a cigar to smoke. There’s a certain ritual about selecting a cigar out of the humidor – the one you believe is right for that moment. Perhaps you’ve picked up a bottle of your favorite robust, full-flavored scotch and are considering the right stick to pair with it. You mentally go through the characteristics of the sticks available, bringing to memory each one’s flavor profile. You realize the Montecristo White Label will be overwhelmed by the Scotch, so you decide to save it to enjoy with a lager beer. Instead, you select a Don Pepin Garcia El Centurion from the My Father Collection because you know that the Nicaraguan Puro has the backbone and flavor to hold its own with the scotch. You sense that each will improve the flavor of the other, and when your assumption holds true over the next hour, the enjoyment is magnified. Then comes the unwrapping of the stick, if it’s still in the cellophane, and its examination. You test the firmness and enjoy the pre-lit aroma. It looks and feels exactly as it should, and your eagerness to get it lit increases. Once lit, you enjoy the flavor, sampling the smoke on your palate to look for familiar hints of pepper, leather, cedar, espresso or a host of other possibilities. Perhaps you note chocolate, roasted nuts or some other unexpected taste and the surprise is a pleasant one. Many premium cigars change subtly in flavor as they grow shorter, and the drama continues. You’re living in the moment – and the moment is a good one, a relaxing one. This is the enjoyment one experiences on a personal level. The social aspect of cigar smoking is very important for many as well. Gathering to enjoy cigars while conversing, playing cards, watching a game or golfing creates a shared experience that can be very memorable. Cigars are conversation pieces too. Someone asks you, “I’ve heard those Cohiba Red Dots with the beautiful Indonesian wrapper are really smooth. Does that one taste as good as it looks?” A wonderful chat about the wrappers, filler tobacco or Cohiba cigars develops. The memories, the repeated pleasure, looking for something new and the shared experience are just a few of the reasons cigar enthusiasts enjoy their premium cigars.