10 Things Every Cigar Smoker Should Know
From seed to shelf, from filler to binder to wrapper, these are the 10 things every cigar aficionado needs to know when cutting, lighting and smoking his favorite cigar.
cigar tips and tricks
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 …
How Cigar Aficionado Tastes Cigars
Every cigar that appears in the tasting section of Cigar Aficionado or Cigar Insider is rated blind, removing any prejudice or brand familiarity a taster might have.
A Curious Collection of Cult Cigars
Some of the industry’s offbeat cigars have gained a serious cult following over the years in much the same way cult movies attract a small, yet passionate fan base.
What's a Cuban Cigar Factory Name?
Cuban cigars vitolas are referenced in two terms, the factory name and also the market name.
Cohiba—15 Fascinating Facts About Cuba’s Most Famous Cigar Brand
Here are 15 facts you may not know about Cohiba, Cuba's most popular cigar brand.
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
Don Pepin Garcia
Made at the small factory within the My Father Cigars warehouse in Doral, Florida, Don Pepin Garcia Original (commonly known as Don Pepin "Blue Label") has undergone some changes …
Illusione
Illusione cigars have been hot since their debut in 2006. Created by Dion Giolito, a cigar retailer with an exacting palate and a vivid imagination from Reno, Nevada, many …
La Flor Dominicana
La Flor Dominicana cigars are known for their innovative shapes and their use of tobaccos grown on the company's farms in the Dominican Republic. It addition to its core La Flor …
Bolivar
This smaller Cuban brand is known for its power, and its namesake Simon Bolivar—the liberator of South America—makes for a fitting image. Created in 1902, the brand once had a …
H. Upmann
Hermann Upmann was a banker who came to Cuba and opened a cigar factory that failed before being taken overy by Menendez y Garcia, who turned it into a success. The H. Upmann …
Montecristo (Non-Cuban)
The brands in the non-Cuban Montercristo portfolio run the gamut from mild to full body, and include such popular lines as Montecristo White, Montecristo Classic, and Montecristo …
tobacco
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.
Connecticut Tobacco Crop Report
After a disappointing 2018 season plagued by heavy, consistent rains, cigar tobacco farmers in the Connecticut River Valley are optimistic that this year’s crop will yield some of …
Nicaragua’s Tobacco Growers Optimistic About Crops Despite Wind
As Nicaragua approaches the end of its 2018–2019 tobacco-growing season, reports from some of the country’s major growers of premium leaf are mostly optimistic.
Drought In Dominican Republic Means Smaller But Better Tobacco Harvest
The weather has been unusually dry in the Dominican Republic over the last few months, and while that lack of rain has meant a lower volume of tobacco coming from the fields, this …
Crop Report: El Corojo Farm, Honduras
Nearly 250 acres of tobacco is flourishing at the El Corojo farm in Honduras, which is owned by Christian Eiroa.