Step back, little buckaroo. Are you man or woman enough to ride this ride?
Full-strength cigars are no joke, and they’re nothing to mess around with casually. These are the blends that tourists casually pick up from a beach shack on a whim thinking, “Hmm. Cigars seem like they might be nice for relaxing with while I have my drink. Why the hell not?” Then they accidentally grab a full-strength cigar instead of something milder, and before you know it their heads are spinning, their heart is racing, and it’s time to conduct an unscheduled review of lunch from earlier – right into that warm, Gulf of Mexico surf.
So let’s take our time with these cigars, shall we?
Full strength cigars are known for their heady effects and highly potent nicotine kick. They're generally reserved for experienced cigar smokers who have worked up a good feel for how strong a cigar they want in any given situation. We don’t recommend diving right into strong cigars as a beginner - better to start mild and work your way up. These are the kind of smokes you want to really take your time with, too. If you go puffing too quickly through full-strength cigars, you’re not going to be relaxing. Instead, you’ll be feeling pretty ill.
It’s all about slowing down and not sucking it down too fast. (Full strength cigars are a lot like ice cream in that way.)
The backbone of strong cigars is Ligero tobacco. This isn’t a special kind of species or varietal – it’s a reference to where on the plant’s stalk the leaf was harvested from. Tobacco leaves grow from the stalk of the tobacco plant from bottom to top, and Ligero leaves are those growing towards the top. As a result, they take in the most sun and tend to have a more substantial nicotine content than leaves growing on the middle (seco) or bottom (volado) of the stalk.
For experienced smokers, full-strength cigars like the longstanding cult favorite Arturo Fuente Opus X or the classic Padron Special Release blend offer a memorable smoke that you can really feel over time. While the mildest sticks aren’t too demanding, full-strength cigars take you on a trip thanks to rich, finely-aged tobacco. Something like a Drew Estate Unico is great when you've got nothing else to do and you want to smoke something interesting, or when you've got a special occasion and want to celebrate it in style.
The point is: Full strength cigars are an intense experience, and you don’t want to dive into them without understanding what you’re in for.
Please browse our selection of full-strength cigars at your leisure.
