There's nothing like kicking back on a Friday (or Saturday or Sunday) evening with a glass in one hand and a cigar in the other.

This simple pleasure is one that goes back centuries. Men and women smoked their cigars with liquor, coffee, or for the enjoyment of it. Some smoked cigars to help with concentration. The writer Mark Twain smoked about 15 cigars during a five hour work day.

Smoking cigars is a very elaborated process. People that see you smoking don't understand the bound you have created with your cigar. Couples tend to get together and enjoy an Habano and have a simple talk about the day more easily. Some guys don't mix up the pleasure with anything else. People in general have the tendency to declare their cigar smoking time as sacred. It is the moment they get away and stop conflicting themselves with anything. Some consider Smoking cigars as a sort of therapy and relate the prices of a cigar with the cost of therapist section. They may be a bit crazy but I do understand where they coming from! 

That is why regardless of why you smoke, you want to pick a good cigar. To do this, you need to become familiar with the body, flavor, and strength of a cigar. This skill comes with practice. But first, you need to know what you're talking about.

To help you get started, we've created a guide to help you determine cigar strength.

Cigar Strength

Cigar strength is the way we describe the amount of nicotine in the cigar. You could also describe it as the cigar's "kick." It also refers to the overall effect of the nicotine on our system.

Smokers rate cigar strength as light or mild, light-to-medium or mild-to-medium, medium, medium-full, or full.

We experience cigar strength through the same internal senses that we "feel" alcohol. If you're a cigar newbie who doesn't smoke often, then a full strength cigar can knock you off your feet.

We're not kidding. Nicotine causes your blood vessels to dilate, and you can get light-headed from a strong cigar.

That's why if you're new to smoking, you should start with a mild cigar. The Dominican Romeo y Julieta Vintage is a mild smoke that is great for starting off the night.

Cigar Flavor

The flavor of a cigar describes the taste of the cigar when you smoke it. You can determine the flavor by both the smell and actual taste of the tobacco.

A cigar does not have to be strong to have a lot of flavors. Because you can't separate the sense of smell and taste, you must use both senses to describe the flavor.

Every human tongue has at least four taste receptors on the tongue: bitter, salty, sweet, and sour. To get a more nuanced description of the flavor we must use our sense of smell and "taste memory." Some people have trained themselves to do this all the time. That's why they pick up flavors like chocolate, coffee, or even cedar.

Try the Kristoff Brittania and the CLE Connecticut for cigars full of flavor.

To try new cigars lines and determine if the cigar flavor is good for you:

Cigar Body

Cigar body is the hardest part of the cigar to talk about. It describes the impact on your palate and nasal mucosa while you smoke.

Some cigars will feel thick, almost syrup like when you smoke them. These are full-bodied cigars. If you don't feel anything at all, the cigar is light bodied.

Experienced smokers can argue for hours about whether a cigar is full bodied or not. To get in on the debate, try the La Flor Dominicana Coronado or the Ashton Virgin Sungrown.

Want to Read More about Cigars?

If you want more articles that talk about cigars and cigar strength, check out our blog.

We also have a large selection of discount cigars for you to explore. We work hard to curate these cigars for our customers at the best prices.