Cigar Strength Guide - Mild, Medium, or Bold?

Cigar Strength Guide - Mild, Medium, or Bold?
2 years ago No comments

Cigar Strength

When it comes to cigars, three main elements are considered to determine the quality of the cigar – the flavor, body, and strength. Flavor is a reference to the taste you experience when you inhale the smoke. Flavor also indicates the intensity of the taste.

The body of a cigar is a reference to the characteristics of the smoke emitted when you inhale the cigar. It describes the texture and the density of the smoke. Since cigar smoke is also inclusive of the flavor, the body is a reference to the mix of flavor and smoke.

The texture of the smoke, the taste and smell you experience, and the way it fills your mouth are all described by the cigar body. The cigar body is often confused with its strength. But the strength of a cigar is different.

Shop Your Cigars by Strength

What is Cigar Strength?

Technically, cigar strength is the amount of nicotine in the cigar. The greater the nicotine content, the stronger the cigar. In terms of sensation, the strength of a cigar is the awareness (the headiness or the kick) you feel when you smoke a cigar.

A cigar can be full-bodied but mild in strength, or it can be a strong cigar with a light body. These variations demonstrate the fact that strength and body are two different aspects of a cigar.

A full-bodied cigar exhibits rich perceivable flavor, voluminous smoke and leaves a strong aftertaste. With a light-bodied cigar, these characteristics are not so intense.

A beginner may want to choose a mild-strength cigar with a full body. The smoker will be able to enjoy the rich taste and smoke of the cigar while experiencing a low nicotine boost. An experienced smoker may want to go for a strong but light-bodied cigar.

How Do Cigars Get their Strength?

Cigars get their strength depending on the portion of the tobacco plant from where the leaves are taken for harvesting. Leaves growing on different parts of the tobacco plant carry different quantities of nicotine.

Ligero Leaf: The section called Ligero, for example, contains more nicotine. This portion is found at the apex of the tobacco plant.

Seco Leaf: The Seco section is the middle part of the plant. It contains lower levels of nicotine and gives only mild strength.

Viso Leaf: The Viso leaf is more powerful than seco and less powerful than ligero. It also tends to be thinner than ligero and more thick than seco. In some countries, this type of leaf is known as volado.

Volado Leaf: The Volado, present on the lower part of the plant, does not impart any flavor. But it is essential to burn a cigar. Ligero and Seco, on their own, have little burning capacity. When combined with Volado, they burn well besides imparting their own richness of flavor and aroma to the cigar.

Given the burning ability of Volado, every cigar needs leaves from this section.


What are the Different Strength Levels of a Cigar?

Cigar strength can be bold, medium, or mild. The classification depends on the amount of nicotine in the cigar.

A mild-strength cigar has negligible and undetectable levels of nicotine. Medium-strength cigars have detectable amounts of nicotine. A bold-strength cigar comes with high levels of nicotine.

Knowing your cigar strength is crucial because the wrong choice of cigar can affect you in undesirable ways. A mild amount of nicotine can leave a wonderful sensation in some smokers. They may love the slight heady feeling resulting from the experience.

But sometimes, the wrong strength that does not quite sit with your palate, can make you nauseous or palpitate.

No matter the cigar strength you prefer, avoid smoking faster to derive true enjoyment from the experience. Smoking faster burns the cigar faster, which makes the smoke hotter. Your palate and senses will be exhausted before you have a chance to experience the full flavor and strength of the cigar.

Smoke slow to experience every inch of the cigar!

Which Strength is Best for You?

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The strength best for you depends on the experience you are seeking. If you are new to cigar smoking, then a mild strength could work great. As it is mild, this cigar can be enjoyed at any time of the day, even during the dawn. It also feels great to inhale one after a meal.

Bold strength cigars are powerful. They should be used only by those that are seeking an intense smoking experience. You should have been smoking for a while or be a connoisseur to go for a bold cigar. Bold strength sticks are great when smoked after a meal. It is important to know if you will be able to handle the kick accompanying a bold cigar.

Medium-strength cigars do require some experience of smoking from the smoker. You need not be a longtime smoker, but you should have experienced smoking to enjoy a mild stick. If you are just beginning to relish the art of smoking, then a medium may not be right for you.

There are several myths surrounding the strength of a cigar and the strength of the individual smoking it. Mild cigars are not meant only for beginners, or strong cigars are not exclusive to connoisseurs. You may enjoy a mild-strength cigar even as a long-time smoker. You may not be a lover of the strong stick, even being a connoisseur.

It all depends on what you enjoy as a smoker.

If you wish to experience the bold type of cigars, then it is important that you experience the milder ones first. This way, you will be able to appreciate the stronger ones for their make, quality and feel.

Enjoy the Experience!

A knowledge of cigar strength will help you choose the right cigar. You will be able to enjoy the experience of smoking better when you make the right choice.

Premium cigars make for a great gift for different occasions. Gift milder varieties to someone you know is a novice but enjoys smoking. If you are hosting a party and are allowing smoking, then having a mix of strengths is advisable. This way, you'll be able to cater to smokers of different tastes.

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