Starter Kit for a New Cigar Smoker

If you’ve just picked up the cigar-smoking hobby or are helping a friend get started, this guide lists the essential accessories needed for success. A Small Humidor Some enthusiastic cigar smokers go “all in” at the beginning and buy a 100-count humidor or something larger. Most seasoned smokers recommend starting smaller. A desktop humidor with a capacity of 20 to 40 cigar is the ideal starting size, in our opinion. First, if you buy the 100-count humidor, you’ll want to fill it. That’s our natural inclination. A newer cigar smoker may not have smoked a wide enough range of cigars to know what types he or she prefers. Going small to start with encourages a slower pace of acquiring smokes, and this allows more time to try brands and lines to determine the amount of body and strength and the types of flavors preferred. Secondly, it takes a few months to learn to manage a humidor’s humidity and temperature properly. A smaller humidor is easier to keep near the 70/70 sweet spot than a large one. If something goes wrong, it’s better to have 15 dry or moldy cigars than 75 to 100 sticks. See our guide to seasoning a humidor and getting it ready for cigars for valuable information on creating the right “home” for your precious stogies. A Hard-shell Case Most cigar smokers enjoy taking a few sticks out with them on weekends away, to the ballgame or onto the golf course. Most of us, in our younger days, just crammed the sticks into our pocket or tossed them in our shaving kit. This lack of proper care leads to cracked wrappers, dry cigars, and a “major bummer.” A case with a hard shell that will hold three to five sticks is a personal accessory that will be among the most useful you’ll ever own. It will soon be viewed as indispensable. A Moderately Priced Lighter and Cutter Cheap lighters and cheap cutters aren’t worth the money spent on them. On the other hand, selecting the best right from the start can lead to buyer’s remorse when you realize a few months later that you’d rather have a punch cutter instead of a guillotine or a double-jet torch instead of a single-flame lighter. You can find very good lighters and cutters for less than $50. If you love the one you select, that’s great. If not, you won’t feel like you wasted a bunch of money when you decide to buy something else. A Cigar Brand Cap This one isn’t a necessity, but a hat sporting the logo from Ashton, Tatuaje or Padrón is a nice touch. Wear it to the next herf or to the cigar bar, and it will make you feel like “part of the club” in the way wearing your favorite pro team’s hat does on game day. Other great merch available from your favorite brands includes t-shirts, tank tops, casual shirts, hoodies, beanies, ashtrays, cocktail glasses, jewelry, and quality artwork.