cigar tips and tricks
Eleven Enlightening Facts About Padrón
Here are some facts you may not know about this esteemed line of cigars.
Cigar 101: Vertical Brand Tastings, Explained
At Cigar Aficionado, we often reference “vertical brand tastings.” The following is a primer on the process and why it matters when evaluating cigar lines.
A Timeline of Fat Ring Gauge Cigars
See how the cigar market went from thin to thick over the last 30 years.
The ABCs of Cigars
From amatista to zafadores, we define 26 cigar-industry every aficionado needs to know.
Why is There a Stem in My Cigar?
While veins may not be pretty to look at, they can be full of flavor. The stems, too. At the center of each tobacco leaf is a thick, linear structure known as a midrib, i.e. a …
10 Things To Know About Fuente Fuente OpusX
The mystique behind Fuente Fuente OpusX has endured for 25 years since its birth in 1995. We compiled a list of 10 facts that will shed some light on the cigar brand that became a …
counterfeit cigars
8 Things To Know About Counterfeit Cuban Cigars
Save your money (and your palates) by following these eight key tips to avoid getting burned by a fake Cuban cigar.
How To Spot A Fake Hoyo De Monterrey
Learn how to tell whether the Hoyo De Monterrey you're smoking is authentic or fake.
How To Spot A Fake Partagás
Learn how to tell whether the Partagás you're smoking is authentic or fake.
How To Spot A Fake Cohiba Behike BHK
Find out if your Cuban Cohiba Behike BHK is real or fake.
How To Spot A Fake Romeo y Julieta
Find out if your Cuban Romeo y Julieta is real or fake.
Cigar 101 Videos
Cigar 101: Cigar Lighters & How to Light a Cigar
Senior editor Andrew Nagy shows how to operate the most common types of lighters used to light a cigar.
Cigar 101: Cigar Cutters & How to Cut a Cigar
Senior editor Andrew Nagy demonstrates how to operate the most common kinds of cutters used to clip cigars.
Cigar 101: Snakes In The Humidor
Cigar Aficionado's resident snake experts, David Savona and Gregory Mottola, talk and smoke culebras, the twisted, serpentine cigars that come in threes.
From the Farm: Nick Melillo On Connecticut Broadleaf
Nick Melillo, the creator of Foundation Cigar Co., and senior editor Andrew Nagy discuss the highly sought Connecticut broadleaf from the tobacco barn on Nick's farm in Connecticut.
Rocky's New Crop
Rocky Patel talks about his newest tobacco crop growing in Estelí, Nicaragua.
Ecuador's Cuban-Seed Wrapper
Ecuador Habano-seed wrapper is one of the most popular wrappers on the market.
Cigar Brands
Avo
During his playing days in Puerto Rico, cigar icon and jazz musician Avo Uvezian said that he would purchase a few local cigars each night and place them on top of the piano for …
Maestro del Tiempo
Maestro del Tiempo is a Nicaraguan puro that was first released in 2016. According to Warped Cigars owner Kyle Gellis, Maestro del Tiempo, or Master of Time, alludes to the period …
CLE
In 2012, Christian Eiroa returned to the cigar business with a new brand called CLE, which stands for Eiroa’s initials (his middle name is Luis). The successful brand has spawned …
Norteño
Norteños come off the tables of La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate and from the mind of Willy Herrera, Drew Estate's master blender. He took a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, a Honduran …
Nat Sherman
The history of Nat Sherman cigars goes all the way back to 1930, when founder Nat Sherman acquired a clear Havana cigar brand called Epoca. For many years, Nat Sherman's cigar …
Room101
When founder and former marine Matt Booth created his Los Angeles-based brand in 2003, he was only crafting alternative luxury silver jewelry. Six years later, Booth struck a deal …
tobacco
Hail Destroys Acres Of Fuente Fuente OpusX Wrapper Leaf
An intense and long-lived hailstorm destroyed several acres of cigar tobacco at Chateau de la Fuente in El Caribe, Dominican Republic on May 6.
The Mystique of Medio Tempo
The newest buzzword in the cigar-blending world is medio tiempo: a high-primed leaf that packs a big punch. Despite being a darling to some makers, its enigmatic qualities (even …
Tobacco Seeds Discovered Among Stone Age Ruins
The use of tobacco by humans goes back much farther in history than previously thought.
Crop Report: Nicaragua’s Tobacco Season Extends into June
The season is extending an extra month, to mid-June.
Black Gold
The San Andrés Valley on Mexico’s Gulf Coast produces some of the most sought-after tobaccos in the world.
Shade in the Dusk
The once-dominant wrapper leaf grown under cloth in the Connecticut River Valley now needs protection from encroaching development.