There are some realities in life that we are forced to gobble down, no matter how much they make us suffer or choke. For tobacco cigar lovers, one of these realities can often be found lurking in the darkness behind them. Yet, it will not remain hidden forever; every person who is a hardcore smoker and who smokes on a regular basis is bound to discover this sad reality: there exists such a thing called a bad cigar. This might be hard for you, the cigar lover, to take. A person who admires cigars, and who places them on a pedal might find himself in shock by learning this fact. But, keep in mind that bad cigars are somewhat easy to find. The following are some helpful tips regarding how to spot a cigar which is not worth being lit.

It is important to bear in mind that good cigars are not typically sold at the local stores in a market. You may splurge a little and only purchase cigars from places which do not also have an entire cupboard dedicated to tobacco stuff. If you find that your cigar is very dry and does not have that fresh feeling, one reason may be that it does not contain enough humidity. This is a problem that can leave a cigar dry or stale. As a cigar gets dried out, it is very hard to save it because the cigar would have lost many of its essential oils, thereby losing its essential flavour in the process. However, if the cigar is not very dry, it is possible to revive it by placing the cigar in a humidor. This helps in gradually increasing the humidity level. If the cigar is so dry that even the wrapper has begun to crack or peel, it is only good to be thrown away. Always make sure to keep the cigars stored properly inside a good humidor.

When products smell bad, they usually taste bad; this applies to tobacco cigars as well. Smelling a cigar before buying and lighting it is a good way to avoid a bad experience with cigars. If there is something odd about the odour, if it smells stale or just plain awful, chances are that the cigar will produce a bad smoke. This method may be used before purchasing stogies as it can prevent you from spending money on a bad cigar.

Almost every city will boast of a vendor selling cigars with great authenticity by swearing on a stack of quality tobacco leaves. While they may go on to promise all you want, the proof can be found in the pudding. An imitation cigar will ruin a cigar smoking experience. Anyway, fake tobacco cigars are usually rather easy to spot. Watch out for three main things: cigars that carry with them an inexpensive price tag, tobacco cigars that are damaged, or the antics of a cigar vendor who seems too eager to make a sale. This can help you from buying a bad smoke.

Cigars are categorized by size and shape. Together, these are known as the vitola of a cigar.

Cigar size is measured two ways: ring gauge (its diameter) and its length. For example, most non-Cuban robustos have a ring gauge of approximately 50 and a length of approximately 5 inches. Robustos of Cuban origin always have a ring gauge of 50 and a length of 4 ? inches

The most common shape is the parejo. It has a cylindrical body, straight sides, one open end, and a round tobacco-leaf “cap” on the other end that must be sliced off in order to be smoked.

Parejos are designated by the following terms:
Coronas
Rothschilds (4 ½” x 50), after the Rothschild family
Robusto (4 ?” x 50)
Hermosos No. 4 (5″ x 48)
Mareva/Petit Corona (5 ?” x 42)
Corona (5 ½” x 42)
Corona Gorda (5 ?” x 46)
Toro (6″ x 50)
Corona Grande (6 ?” x 42)
Cervantes/Lonsdale (6 ½” x 42), named for Hugh Cecil Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale
Dalia (6 ¾” x 43)
Julieta, also known as Churchill (7″ x 47), named for Sir Winston Churchill Prominente/Double Corona (7 ?” x 49)
Presidente (8″ x 50)
Gran Corona (“A”) (9 ¼” x 47)
Panatelas – longer and generally thinner than Coronas
Small Panatela (5″ x 33)
Carlota (5 ?” x 35)
Short Panatela (5″ x 38)
Slim Panatela (6″ x 34.9)
Panatela (6″ x 38)
Deliciados/Laguito No. 1 (7 ¼” x 38)

These dimensions, of course, are estimated at best.

Irregularly shaped cigars are known as figurados and are more difficult to make, leading many to consider them higher quality cigars. During the 19th century, figurados were the most popular shapes; however, they have since fallen out of fashion and all but disappeared.

Figurados include the following:
Torpedo – Like a parejo except that the cap is pointed.
Pyramid – Broad foot and evenly narrows to a pointed cap.
Perfecto – A caricature of a cigar, narrow at both ends and bulged in the middle.
Presidente/Diadema – Shaped like a parejo but considered a figurado because of its enormous size and occasional closed foot akin to a perfecto.
Culebras – An exotic of three long, pointed cigars braided together.
Tuscanian – Typical Italian cigar. This shape, known as a cheroot, is the largest selling cigar shape in the United States.

Little cigars differ greatly from regular cigars. They weigh less than cigars and cigarillos, and resemble cigarettes in size, shape, packaging and filters.

Whatever shape or size you prefer, a variety of cigars can be found online at fine purveyors’ websites.

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