What makes a good premium cigar?

It isn't uncommon to hear a person ask for a good cigar or proclaim, "That's a good cigar!"

What, though makes a cigar good? We each have a different set of taste buds and a different palete. We each like different tastes or flavors, and each of us will experience a cigar differently. Is it any wonder that everyone describes premium cigars differently? The simple answer is smoke what makes you happy! Regarding happiness, George Burns had this to say - A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle.

As the weather cools and the Holidays approach, more people decide to try premium cigars. You may just be in a contemplative mood. Regardless, now seems like a good time to visit the topic of premium cigar characteristics. We'll start general, then focus on the characteristics we use to describe premium cigars at Bailey's.

Well Made

Premium cigars are each a coherent whole with three distinct components - filler, binder, and wrapper. CA does a good job of explaining the anatomy of a premium cigar:

• The wrapper is the visible outer cover leaf. It’s also the most expensive component per pound, as these tobacco leaves need to be pristine in appearance, as well as flavorful. If the leaf is too veiny, rough in texture or has any blemishes, it’s no longer categorized as wrapper.

• The binder can be considered a wrapper leaf that didn’t make the cut. It’s often the same tobacco as the wrapper, only not as smooth in appearance, and it doesn’t have to be—you don’t see it. Binder is the leaf of tobacco directly underneath the wrapper and holds the filler tobacco in place, hence the name. Combustion of the binder is critical, as a good-burning binder will often help the filler to burn more evenly, especially if the filler contains more oily tobaccos that do not burn easily.

• The filler is where the cigarmaker can be most creative, as he can use several different types of tobacco from various countries and several different primings of tobacco for desired flavor, strength and complexity. As with the wrapper and binder, these are long-filler tobaccos that are put into place to burn slowly yet offer a fine gustatory and aromatic experience.

Solid construction can first be noticed when you look at and hold the cigar. There should be no noticeable defects (holes, mottling, heavy veins). The importance of touch is discussed by TU:

There is a lot to say about touch. First, it is the physical sensation of feeling. The way a cigar or pipe feels in the hand is paramount. With our hands we can sense whether a cigar or pipe tobacco is at the proper humidity. We can even use our fingers to determine the silkiness of a cigar wrapper as well as the firmness and construction. The key to understanding touch, is realizing that it is not limited to the hands - we feel with our mouth, tongue, and nose as well.

Easy Draw

One puffs a premium cigar! You don't inhale but can retrohale (pull some of the smoke from your mouth up through your nose) if you are able. This means there should only be a slight resistance when you are puffing. or an easy draw. TU explains the importance:

A great cigar must have an easy draw: straining to puff on a cigar will ruin the experience. Additionally, a plugged or tightly rolled premium cigar will Smoke Too Hot and not allow the flavors and aroma to develop properly. Many great cigars are firm to the touch, seemingly tight, but draw loosely and effortlessly: many connoisseurs would argue that this is a perfectly constructed cigar.

Cigar Characteristics

When trying to help a customer select a cigar we need some consistency and common terminology. Different magazines and podcasts use various numerical systems, and there are some basic terms that are widely used. You'll notice Bailey's emplyees asking customers the same sorts of questions -- what do you drink, are you new to premium cigars, and such. At Bailey's we describe cigars based on six different characteristics.

These characteristics come from a panel discussion held during the ProCigar Festival 2022. Definitions come from our experience, Cigar Aficionado, Tobacconist University, and various cigar blogs. Those six characteristics follow. These characteristics refer only to taste and the actual smoking experience. Our next post will go into more detail.

• Aroma -- bouquet; the smell from a burning cigar.

• Balance -- harmony; This has a few different meanings centered around how components of the cigar work together or marry. One way to think of balance is between the filler, binder, and wrapper. Another is the blending of body and flavor.

• Body -- check our next post.

• Complexity -- according to Cigar Aficionado, “having several flavors that pair well together.”

• Flavor - more next week.

• Finish -- usually used when evaluating cigars. This is the flavor left on your palette when you are done smoking. The feel and/or flavor at the finish!