How To Pick The Perfect Cigar, According To Master Blender Manuel Inoa

It’s all about the time and place. The right time and the right place will determine the right cigar, mostly consider size and strength. It’s also good for smokers to know themselves and have clearly articulated preferences, that way the right cigar can be selected from its flavor profile.

It goes back to time and place since It would be very complicated for someone to pick a Churchill for their lunch break from the office, so for that, as an example, a Corona would be perfect. The size of the cigar will obviously give you an estimate of how long you’ll be smoking; but some cigars, like our La Aurora Preferidos, have tapered shapes and varying ring gauges, which ultimately gives the smoker a novel experience.

It’s a very meticulous process; every variable is like an ingredient: seeds, origins, and the foliar level of the leaf in regard to the tobacco plant, it all matters. Options are seemingly endless for blending so careful consideration of the consistency of these variables is ultimately the deciding factor, after the quality of the material, of course. We design our blends to fulfill our market goals, carefully targeting consumer trends and preferences.

It’s certainly all to do with what your preferences are. If you have a list of cigars you really like, then that’s a list of boxes you can confidently buy. The option of buying singles, or even samplers, is great for figuring out what new cigars should be on that list of boxes you should buy.

It’s not going to decide whether or not you’ll like a cigar, it’s a common misconception. What it will do is give you a small clue, but ultimately, the smoking experience is what will speak for the cigar if it has been well stored in a proper humidor. We work hard on writing tasting notes for our cigars, so we highly recommend reading those to get a good idea of what the smoke will be like.

The answer to that question revolves around preferences. Every factory has its culture, in the same way that every smoker has their own preferences. In the case of La Aurora, we blend with tobaccos from all over the world, and other factories focus on blending only home-grown tobacco. It all matters, as we’ve discussed before, in giving consumers something to enjoy, and we all do it in different ways, that’s what makes this industry so rich, and why we believe are cigars are so special.

The manufacturer matters and their insistence on consistency. You want a reliable cigar that you’ll buy at different places at different times and still get the same experience. Aside from that, a good cutter and lighter with proper technique make a big difference in the smoking experience too.

Not really. Sometimes an inexpensive cigar will blow an expensive cigar away. What really determines costs, at least in the case of our cigars, is the cost of materials, and higher-skilled labor. Our Preferidos, for example, aside from having very nice packaging, are crafted by our best rollers, who have decades of experience. Preferidos also have the best tobacco we can possibly get, which has been aged for eight years since harvest. That’s a lot of work, by a lot of people, and it comes with a price, but also tends to result in a better smoking experience. With all that said, nothing is stopping a consumer from enjoying a 5$ cigar more than one that costs 30$.

Humidors are a very good investment. Your cigars are valuable! A well-kept humidor will ensure that your valuable cigars stay in great condition for years to come. If you have cigars, having a humidor as well is a very good idea.

Aside from any I may have dispelled already, I often notice that some people believe that dark wrappers indicate a strong cigar; while that could potentially be the case for the individual wrapper leaf, strength is ultimately determined by the blend in the filler, not the wrapper.

As mentioned earlier, a good cutter and a proper butane lighter (which will not contaminate the tobacco when you light it) are very important. I also believe that a good travel humidor and pocket case go a long way in ensuring that your cigars stay in good shape. Other things like a dedicated space and good company are also very nice things to have.

It’s very important to be familiar with both the cigar and the spirits you intend to pair before the fact. If you don’t try them beforehand, you could make the mistake of pairing a mild smoke with a strong drink, and the results of that pairing are sub-optimal. When strength matches, most pairings will work wonderfully, and naturally, once you’re better versed, you’ll be able to selectively pair to get the most out of your drink and your cigar.

A general rule is to ensure that your cigar is evenly lit, it’s actually fundamental to a good experience. There are other nuances about lighting slowly or using cedar spills, and while I don’t believe it’s necessary to go there, they have their charm. Just focus on getting your cigar evenly lit!

Yes, take your time. Don’t be embarrassed to rely on mild cigars, especially in front of your friends. Those will be easier to smoke and won’t be overwhelming. Lastly, remember to ease yourself into it and enjoy the time a cigar gives you.

That is a very difficult question! There are so many amazing choices for each category, making it difficult for me to mention only one. Our La Aurora 1903 Cameroon is one of the most critically acclaimed smokes in our portfolio. It’s part of our original blends family, which includes other great blends at the same price. For our 115th anniversary in 2018, we made La Aurora 115 Anniversary. It has been a consumer favorite since as well as highly appreciated by critics. This definitely has to go to one of our limited editions. The La Aurora Preferidos Hors d’Age series is a recurring release for each dedicated harvest. Because tobacco of its quality is so scarce, we have to limit production for each edition, so I’d recommend getting your hands on them when you have the opportunity!