Choosing the Right Celebratory Cigar

There are so many milestones to celebrate through life: buying your first home, having a child, starting your new business, getting married. And that barely scratches the surface. 

Whatever milestone you’re reaching, you might be wondering about using a celebratory cigar to commemorate the occasion. But which cigar to celebrate with? 

Well this article will answer just that question. Finally, you can choose the best celebratory cigar for you, marking the important occasion in a classic way. Read on to learn more.

Think About the Body and Strength

It's important to keep in mind the body and strength of a cigar when choosing a celebratory cigar. Body is essentially the "weight" of the cigar's flavor. Strength can basically be summed up as the nic hit, although we'll often use it as a more comprehensive term accounting for all these factors, but for now, let's keep things simple. 

If you're looking for a celebratory cigar, you may not be a regular smoker, so you may not have a nicotine tolerance. Then again, maybe you do from another form nicotine use. Basically, if you don't have a tolerance or are unsure of your tolerance, start with a mild-medium cigar. And make sure to learn about ways to deal with nic hit—the last thing you want is to feel woozy when you're supposed to be celebrating. 

Consider the Size

There are two different measurements the size of a cigar refers to. One of these is the length, which appears in a measurement of inches. The other is the ring gauge, which represents the cigar’s circumference. This is measured in 1/64th inches.

Here’s an example to show how this might look when you’re choosing a celebratory cigar.

A cigar that’s 6 by 46 is a cigar that is 6 inches in length and has a ring gauge of 46/64th inches.

Size affects flavor, so this is something to consider when you’re deciding which cigar to celebrate with.

A larger ring gauge will often mean a more complex flavor profile.

Are you looking for a more traditional cigar size? In this case, we recommend going for the straight-sided Corona. This cigar has a length of 5 and a half inches and a 42 ring gauge.

Think About the Shape

When you think of a cigar, you likely are thinking of the Corona-style cigar. This is a straight-sided cigar that has an open end and a body that’s cylindrical—as well as a cap with a round end. Coronas are a good average length, but they are just one vitola in the Parejo family of similar shapes with different dimensions. 

So if you’ve got one of these in your hand, then they likely have the shape that’s so familiar from movies and shows you’ve seen.

When it comes to other cigar shape options, you have the irregularly-shaped cigars. These are known as Figurados.

According to some people who are cigar aficionados, a cigar that’s oddly shaped is a good choice because it adds to the effects of the flavor.

However, if you’re a beginner and want to go with something more traditional, you’re best off choosing a more standard-shaped cigar like the Corona.

Check Out the Rating

If you're going to celebrate with a cigar, checking out cigar ratings is a great way to narrow down which celebratory cigar is right for you. Two of the most popular sources for reviews is Cigar Aficionado Cigar Journal.

If you need some place to start, we've organized categories on our site that will show you all of our cigars that received high ratings from Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Journal. 

Think About Price

Another thing to consider when choosing a cigar for a celebration is the price. 

Are you planning on buying just a stick or two for that one celebration smoke? Maybe you treat yourself to something a bit higher-end. Are you getting a box to bring to the function to share? Or do you just want to get some to keep on hand? Then you may not want to put down the big bucks on something you're not sure you'll love yet. That's fine, there are amazing cigars you can try that are very affordable.

Know Your Time Table 

Keep in mind, if you're getting these ahead of an event, or do want to have extra cigars to save for the next event, consider how you store them. You shouldn't keep cigars outside of a a proper environment for more than a few days if you want them to stay fresh. We have a few options for humidors and humidity care products that are great for keeping your cigars fresh if you need to travel with them. 

If you do get your cigars ahead of time, lucky thing is that cigars—like pipe tobacco and wine—age wonderfully if stored in the right conditions. Many cigar smokers, and not just the aficionados, always give new cigars a few months to mature and refine in their humidors. 

Consider the Celebration

In addition to thinking about what features you might enjoy in a cigar yourself, you should also consider the celebration where you’re going to be breaking these out. For example, if you’re hosting a bachelor party, and none of your friends have tried cigars before, you should choose cigars with less strength.

However, if you’re hosting a celebratory business meeting with some more traditional business colleagues, they might be interested in offering them cigars that have a greater amount of strength. Or, my personal preference for bringing cigars to the function—sampler packs. Maybe in the 60s you could assume every person in an office had a robust nicotine tolerance (or so Mad Men has led me to believe) but everyone is probably going to be different. 

One good rule of thumb, look for sampler packs that feature different shades. The Ashton Assorted 5-Pack for instance—an array browns from light to dark. You'll have a good mix of strength in this case. 

Think About Drinks

When you’re choosing the right celebratory cigar, you want one that has flavors that will complement what you’re drinking. Whether your drink of choice is whiskey, champagne, or some other celebratory drink, it’s smart to have a cigar that goes with that drink.

Time to Celebrate!

Hopefully this guide offered some insight to help you choose the perfect cigar that will make the best of your celebration. Check out our large selection of cigars and feel free to contact us with any questions or requests for recommendations!