Choosing a first cigar can be difficult when you are unfamiliar with cigar terminology. Retailers commonly describe cigars by their strength, size, wrapper, country of origin and flavour profile, and these characteristics can significantly affect the smoking experience.
For beginners in the UK, understanding a few basic factors before choosing a cigar can make the process much easier. Rather than concentrating on a particular brand, it is useful to consider strength, size, flavour, construction and smoking time.
This guide explains what to look for when exploring cigars for the first time.
Start With Cigar Strength
Strength is one of the first characteristics to consider.
Cigars are often described as mild, medium, medium-to-full or full-bodied. These descriptions generally refer to the intensity of the tobacco and the overall smoking experience.
A mild cigar usually has a lighter tobacco character, while a medium cigar can provide more noticeable tobacco flavour and intensity. Full-bodied cigars tend to be considerably more powerful.
Strength should not be confused with flavour. A mild cigar can still have a complex combination of cedar, cream, nuts, coffee or spice.
There is also no universal strength scale used consistently across every cigar manufacturer, so descriptions can vary.
For beginners, starting with a mild or mild-to-medium cigar can make it easier to understand how different tobacco blends taste before exploring stronger options.
Think About How Much Time You Have
The amount of time available should influence your choice of cigar size.
A short cigar can be appropriate for a relatively brief session, while larger formats may require considerably more time.
Habanos specifically describes cigar selection in relation to available smoking time and explains that vitola refers to the cigar’s shape, length and ring gauge.
If you are new to cigars, choosing a smaller format can be practical because you can experience the tobacco without committing to a particularly long session.
Understanding Ring Gauge
Ring gauge describes the diameter of a cigar.
One ring gauge represents 1/64 of an inch. Therefore, a 50-ring-gauge cigar has a diameter of approximately 19.8 mm.
The Robusto is a popular example. Habanos gives the traditional Robusto dimensions as approximately 124 mm long with a 50 ring gauge.
The larger diameter provides room for a substantial tobacco blend, while the shorter length makes the format more compact than longer cigars.
Consider Smaller Formats First
Beginners do not necessarily need to start with a large cigar.
Some useful formats to understand include:
Petit Corona: A relatively compact traditional format that can provide a moderate smoking session.
Half Corona: A shorter format designed around a more limited smoking period.
Corona: A classic format with moderate dimensions.
Robusto: Shorter and thicker, with the familiar 50 × 124 mm dimensions used for the Habanos Robusto vitola.
Churchill: A substantially longer format that generally requires more time.
The right choice depends on how long you want your smoking session to last. A shorter cigar is not necessarily less sophisticated; it simply has different proportions and a different smoking duration.
Look at the Flavour Profile
Flavour is arguably more important than brand name when choosing your first cigar.
If you prefer lighter flavours, look for descriptions such as:
- Creamy
- Cedar
- Nutty
- Toasted
- Mildly sweet
- Floral
- Herbal
If you prefer stronger flavours, descriptions may include:
- Earthy
- Peppery
- Coffee
- Cocoa
- Dark chocolate
- Roasted tobacco
- Strong spice
These terms are subjective tasting descriptions rather than precise measurements. The same cigar can taste different depending on storage, age, smoking pace and individual perception.
Understand the Wrapper
The wrapper is the outer tobacco leaf and contributes to the cigar’s appearance, aroma and flavour.
Connecticut-style wrappers are commonly associated with lighter profiles, often featuring creamy, woody or nutty characteristics.
Habano-style wrappers can provide more noticeable spice, earth and tobacco flavours, although the overall strength depends on the entire blend.
Maduro wrappers are darker and are frequently associated with richer or sweeter flavour descriptions. However, wrapper colour alone does not determine strength.
The filler and binder are equally important because the finished cigar is the result of the complete tobacco blend.
Cuban and New World Cigars
Beginners in the UK can explore both Cuban and New World cigars.
Cuban cigars include internationally recognized brands such as Cohiba, Montecristo, Hoyo de Monterrey, H. Upmann and Romeo y Julieta.
New World cigars come from countries including Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic.
The two categories offer substantial variation. There are mild, medium and full-bodied cigars within different producing regions, so country of origin should not be treated as a simple indication of strength.
For example, Habanos classifies Hoyo de Monterrey as Light, H. Upmann as Medium to Light, and Romeo y Julieta as Medium.
This illustrates why checking the specific line and blend is more useful than judging a cigar solely by its country of origin.
Pay Attention to Construction
Construction can influence the draw, burn and consistency of a cigar.
Premium handmade cigars are generally constructed using filler, binder and wrapper tobacco. The filler forms the centre, the binder holds the filler together, and the wrapper provides the outer covering.
A well-constructed cigar should generally maintain a consistent shape without obvious damage or excessively loose areas.
When purchasing from a specialist tobacconist, examine the cigar for obvious cracks, damaged wrappers or signs of poor storage.
Storage Matters
Even a well-made cigar can perform poorly if it has been stored incorrectly.
Cigars are sensitive to humidity. Excessive dryness can affect the tobacco’s condition, while excessive moisture can interfere with combustion and draw.
A properly maintained humidor helps preserve the cigar’s condition.
If you are purchasing only one or two cigars, ask the retailer how they have been stored. This can be particularly important when purchasing premium cigars that have already spent considerable time in storage.
Ask a Specialist Tobacconist
A specialist tobacconist can be particularly useful when you are unfamiliar with cigar terminology.
Instead of simply asking for a “good cigar,” explain what you are looking for.
For example, you might say that you want:
- A mild or mild-to-medium cigar
- A relatively short format
- Creamy or woody flavours
- Limited pepper and spice
- Something suitable for a shorter smoking session
This gives the retailer enough information to suggest products that fit your preferences.
Availability will vary between UK retailers, so a specific cigar may not always be available.
UK Tobacco Regulations
UK tobacco regulations are currently changing.
According to current GOV.UK guidance, from 1 January 2027, it will be an offence for retailers, including online retailers, to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. Cigars and cigarillos are specifically included within the tobacco products covered by the new rules.
The same guidance states that customers should expect to provide identification if asked to establish that they were born before the applicable date.
Tobacco duty rates are also scheduled to change on 1 October 2026, with HMRC stating that tobacco duty rates will increase under the announced measures.
Anyone purchasing tobacco in the UK should therefore check the regulations and applicable prices at the time of purchase.
Remember That Mild Does Not Mean Harmless
The term “mild” describes a cigar’s perceived strength and flavour characteristics. It does not indicate that the product is safe.
Cigars contain tobacco and nicotine, and smoking tobacco exposes users to harmful substances. People who do not currently use tobacco should be aware that starting cigar smoking introduces health risks and the possibility of nicotine dependence.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a beginner-friendly cigar in the UK becomes easier when you focus on the characteristics rather than simply searching for a particular brand.
Start by considering strength, size, flavour and available smoking time. A mild or mild-to-medium cigar in a manageable format can provide an introduction to different tobacco characteristics without requiring an extended smoking session.
The most useful starting point is not finding a universally “best” cigar, but learning how size, strength, flavour and construction affect the cigar you choose.
