It’s a cigar box, sort of.

The Difference Between Cigars and Other Smoked Tobaccos

Cigars are a sophisticated smoke that has been associated with class and high beings since the beginning of time. They’ve been the cigar of choice at weddings, anniversaries, bachelor parties and just hanging out with your friends.

Cigar smoking supplies your body with nicotine, which is a known chemical relaxant. But it’s not just that, cigars provide a full sensory experience that isn’t found in a cigarette. They can be a great stress reliever and a moment of solitude away from everyone else.

While a cigarette is essentially shredded tobacco leaves, steams and byproducts wrapped in paper, a cigar is a whole handmade product. Cigars can be made in a variety of sizes, shapes and flavors. There are several factors that make a cigar unique, but the biggest difference is how it’s smoked.

Smokers usually want intense palate stimulation and powerful flavors which require a higher priming tobacco (ie ligero). Lower-priming tobaccos like visos and secos offer a more nuanced flavor but do not hold up to the power required for a quality cigar.

It’s been said that 200 pairs of hands touch a single cigar before it makes it to your humidor. That’s because a good cigar isn’t made by one person alone, it’s the result of a lot of different skills.

Adding flavors to premium cigars could potentially attract nonusers (especially youth) and lead to more frequent use, increasing nicotine intake, addiction potential and exposure to carcinogens. It would also likely lead to a decrease in the overall enjoyment of the cigar.