Help a beginner?

[keystyles]

I smoke cigars from time to time, and at the very least I enjoy the convo that goes with. I like some i don't like other, but i'm not sure how to figure out what i do and don't like. Was hoping i could get some advise on how to generally group them, ie. beer has porter, stout, pale ale, ect. and what the differences are.

also any general advise/tips would be welcome :)

thanks,
keys

[qwerty1500]

Welcome Keys. Some folks use geography ... where the wrapper, binder and filler were grown.

[SmokinApe]

Some links...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigar

http://www.cigar-info-guide.com/cigar-wrapper.html

http://www.cigarsinternational.com/html/cig101_cig101.asp

Hope this helps...

[pmwz]

try a lot of different cigars, take notes + get as much information about the cigars that you smoke .
take a look at the stickies. a lot of your questions are answered there. check out the newbie sampler thread

[baldanders]

Hello and welcome

[lightning9191]

They can be grouped by geographical growing region, wrapper, manufacturer, and to a lesser extent size. So say you have smoked a few maduros that you liked. Check to see where they came from and also try to see if you have a size preference. This may lead you to similar cigars, but you shouldn't be limiting yourself especially if you are just starting out. If your smoking experience is limited, go out and try everything you can. You'll probably start to see patterns emerging. I started out trying all sorts of cigars and I tend to lean towards 50 rg or smaller with natural wrappers. It seems like many people have a favorite manufacturer or two. If you find a cigar from a manufacturer you like, then try some of their other blends. Myself, I haven't found a Perdomo that I don't like, but YMMV. Good luck with your search and you've come to a great place for answers.:tu

[rizzle]

Best way is to smoke a bunch of them.

Country of origin, type of wrapper, size, etc. Just keep on trying them!

[Don Fernando]

Read the reviews (there are plenty of them here), try the cigars you think sound great and make notes. Like others said, pay attention to country of origin, tobacco used, size but also to brands, factories etc. In time you'll be able to say (for example) "ok, this contains Brazilian tobacco, I don't like the sweetness, I'll pass" or "hey Nicaraguan puro, its likely that this fits my palate". But you have to smoke & try a lot of cigars before you reach that stage.

Join the newbie sampler trade (http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14254), a great way to get some cigars that are most likely new to you and a great way to interact with the more seasoned smokers here on the board.

You'll find that there's a lot of knowledge here and that most of us are willing to help beginners out, you signed up on the right board.

[JJG]

If you don't feel like doing a ton of reading and research, just ask one of the guys at your local cigar shop for some advice. Try getting a handful of different cigars from mild to strong. Wrapper color can indicate a lot about the cigar's flavor and strength too. There's no way to know exactly what you'll like the most until you smoke a variety of different ones.

[keystyles]

Awesome, thanks. Getting a bit late for me, 230AM, but looking forward to looking through the site a bit better tomorrow.

thanks again for all the advise,
keys