The Selection Strategy
Why 10 Cigars?
Too few (1-3): Not enough variety to discover your preferences
Too many (20+): Overwhelming, expensive, and your humidor won't accommodate them yet
10 cigars = perfect starter set:
- Variety in strength (mild to medium-full)
- Variety in wrapper types (Connecticut, Natural, Maduro)
- Variety in origins (Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Ecuador)
- Enough to smoke 1-2 per week for 2 months
The Profile Breakdown
Mild (2 cigars): Connecticut Shade wrappers, creamy and smooth
Mild-Medium (3 cigars): Natural wrappers, balanced and approachable
Medium (3 cigars): Nicaraguan blends, more flavor without overwhelming strength
Medium-Full (2 cigars): Maduro wrappers and stronger Nicaraguan, for when you're ready to level up
This range lets you discover where your palate sits.
---
The First 10 Cigars You Should Buy
1. Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story
Size: 4" × 49 (Perfecto)
Wrapper: Cameroon (Natural)
Strength: Mild-Medium
Price: $10-13
Smoking Time: 45-60 minutes
Why it's perfect for beginners:
- Smooth, balanced, forgiving
- Tapered shape (perfecto) concentrates flavor without harshness
- Fuente's construction is flawless (never plugged, always burns evenly)
- Short enough to finish without fatigue
- Universally loved
Flavor profile: Cream, cedar, subtle sweetness, light spice
This should be your first or second cigar. It's the gold standard for "what a premium cigar should taste like."
Where to buy: Any cigar shop, Famous Smoke, Cigars International, Holt's
---
2. Padrón 2000 Natural
Size: 5" × 50 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Natural
Strength: Medium
Price: $9-12
Smoking Time: 60-75 minutes
Why it's perfect for beginners:
- Padrón's quality control is legendary (zero construction issues)
- Box-pressed shape (square cross-section) makes it easy to hold
- Smooth, earthy, no harshness
- Medium strength won't overwhelm you
- Incredible value (tastes like a $20 cigar)
Flavor profile: Earth, cocoa, leather, toast, hints of coffee
This is the cigar that hooks people. It's the "oh, so THIS is what a great cigar tastes like" moment.
Where to buy: Any cigar shop, online retailers
---
3. Oliva Serie G Robusto
Size: 5" × 50 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Cameroon (Natural)
Strength: Mild-Medium
Price: $7-9
Smoking Time: 60-75 minutes
Why it's perfect for beginners:
- Best value in cigars (legitimate $7 premium cigar)
- Smooth and creamy
- Easy draw, even burn
- Mild enough to not intimidate, flavorful enough to satisfy
Flavor profile: Cream, nuts, cedar, butter, slight pepper finish
This is your "daily smoke" cigar—the one you can afford to smoke regularly without breaking the bank.
Where to buy: Widely available, often on sale in 5-packs
---
4. Ashton Classic Corona
Size: 5.5" × 44 (Corona)
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Strength: Mild
Price: $8-11
Smoking Time: 50-65 minutes
Why it's perfect for beginners:
- The definitive Connecticut Shade experience
- Incredibly smooth (perfect for morning smoking)
- Elegant, refined, no rough edges
- Teaches you what "mild" can still be flavorful
Flavor profile: Cream, almonds, subtle sweetness, hint of white pepper
This is your "I have 60 minutes before work" cigar. Gentle, pleasant, never overwhelming.
Where to buy: Most cigar shops, premium online retailers
---
5. My Father Le Bijou 1922 Petit Robusto
Size: 4.5" × 52 (Petit Robusto)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $11-14
Smoking Time: 50-70 minutes
Why it's perfect for beginners:
- Your introduction to fuller-bodied cigars
- Smooth despite strength (no harsh nicotine punch)
- Complex flavor (you'll taste something different every few puffs)
- Short length makes strength manageable
Flavor profile: Dark chocolate, espresso, black pepper, leather, earth
Smoke this one AFTER you've had 5-6 milder cigars. It'll show you what "medium-full" means without punishing you.
Where to buy: Premium cigar shops, online retailers
---
6. Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 Connecticut Robusto
Size: 5.5" × 50 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade (Ecuador)
Strength: Mild
Price: $7-10
Smoking Time: 65-80 minutes
Why it's perfect for beginners:
- Exceptionally smooth
- Long smoking time without fatigue
- Pairs beautifully with coffee or light beers
- Great construction (Rocky Patel rarely has draw issues)
Flavor profile: Cream, toast, nuts, honey sweetness, mild spice
This is your "weekend morning with coffee" cigar.
Where to buy: Widely available, often bundled in sampler packs
---
7. Drew Estate Undercrown Shade Robusto
Size: 5" × 54 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut
Strength: Mild-Medium
Price: $10-12
Smoking Time: 70-85 minutes
Why it's perfect for beginners:
- Drew Estate's construction is impeccable (never a bad draw)
- More complex than typical Connecticut Shade cigars
- Creamy but with depth (not one-dimensional)
- Modern take on classic profile
Flavor profile: Cream, cedar, light spice, toasted bread, buttery finish
This shows you that "mild" doesn't mean "boring."
Where to buy: Premium cigar shops, Drew Estate retailers, online
---
8. Padrón 3000 Maduro
Size: 5.5" × 52 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro
Strength: Medium
Price: $10-13
Smoking Time: 70-85 minutes
Why it's perfect for beginners:
- Your introduction to maduro (dark, sweet) wrappers
- Not as strong as it looks (maduro ≠ strong)
- Padrón quality (perfect construction guaranteed)
- Smooth, rich, incredibly satisfying
Flavor profile: Dark chocolate, espresso, molasses sweetness, earth, cocoa
This is the cigar that makes you understand maduro wrappers.
Where to buy: Any cigar shop, online retailers
---
9. Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto
Size: 5" × 50 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $11-15
Smoking Time: 70-90 minutes
Why it's perfect for beginners:
- Highly rated (often in "Top 10 Cigars of the Year" lists)
- Complex without being overwhelming
- Your introduction to premium Nicaraguan puro blends
- Smooth despite strength (well-aged tobacco)
Flavor profile: Coffee, dark chocolate, leather, cedar, black pepper, dried fruit
Smoke this after 7-8 other cigars. It'll reward your developing palate.
Where to buy: Premium shops, online retailers, often in sampler packs
---
10. Arturo Fuente 858 Natural
Size: 6" × 47 (Lonsdale)
Wrapper: Cameroon or Connecticut (varies by production)
Strength: Mild-Medium
Price: $7-9
Smoking Time: 60-75 minutes
Why it's perfect for beginners:
- Classic Fuente quality at bargain price
- Balanced, approachable, never harsh
- Slightly longer format teaches pacing
- Excellent for pairing with bourbon or coffee
Flavor profile: Cedar, cream, nuts, light pepper, toast
This is your "solid everyday cigar" that won't break the bank.
Where to buy: Widely available
---
Your First Purchase: The Action Plan
Step 1: Buy a Humidor First
Don't buy cigars without a humidor. They'll dry out in 3-7 days.
Recommended setup:
- 50-count desktop humidor: $40-80
- Boveda 65% packs (2-pack): $10
- Total: $50-90
Alternative: Tupperdor (airtight Tupperware + Boveda) for $15
Step 2: Buy Your First 5 Cigars
Start with 5, not all 10:
- Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story ($10-13)
- Padrón 2000 Natural ($9-12)
- Oliva Serie G Robusto ($7-9)
- Ashton Classic Corona ($8-11)
- Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 Connecticut ($7-10)
Total: $41-55 for your first week of smoking
Step 3: Smoke These 5 Over 2-3 Weeks
Don't rush. Smoke one every 3-4 days. Take notes:
- What did you like?
- What didn't you like?
- Too strong? Too mild?
- Flavor notes you detected?
Step 4: Buy the Next 5
Based on your preferences from the first 5:
If you liked milder cigars (Ashton, Rocky Patel):
- Add Drew Estate Undercrown Shade
If you liked medium cigars (Padrón, Oliva Serie G):
- Add Padrón 3000 Maduro
- Add Arturo Fuente 858
If you're ready for fuller flavors:
- Add My Father Le Bijou 1922
- Add Oliva Serie V Melanio
This staged approach prevents buying cigars you're not ready for.
---
Where to Buy
Local cigar shops:
- Pros: Immediate availability, expert advice, support local business
- Cons: Higher prices (usually 10-20% more than online)
Online retailers:
- Famous Smoke Shop
- Cigars International
- Holt's Cigar Company
- Thompson Cigar
- Pros: Lower prices, wider selection, sampler packs
- Cons: Shipping time, can't inspect before buying
Start local for your first 3-5 cigars (get advice from shop staff), then shift to online for better prices once you know what you're doing.
---
What NOT to Buy as a Beginner
Avoid:
- Cuban cigars (legal complications, quality inconsistency, high prices)
- Infused cigars (Acid, Java, flavored cigars teach you nothing about tobacco)
- Anything under $5 (machine-made garbage or drastically flawed cigars)
- Anything over $20 (your palate can't appreciate it yet)
- Torpedos, Perfectos, Figurados (harder to cut and smoke properly)
- Lanceros (38-40 ring) (too strong and technique-intensive)
- Gordos (60+ ring) (too long, one-dimensional flavor)
Stick to Robustos and Coronas in the $7-15 range for your first 20 cigars.
---
Next Steps: Master the Fundamentals
You now know which cigars to buy. But do you know:
- How to cut them properly? (Cut wrong = ruined cigar)
- How to light them evenly? (Bad light = harsh, bitter smoke)
- How to store them? (Wrong humidity = mold or dried-out cigars)
- How to troubleshoot problems? (Tight draw, tunneling, harshness)
The Complete Beginner's Guide to Cigars from The Modern Cigar Library covers all of this:
- Complete cutting, lighting, and smoking instructions
- Storage fundamentals (humidity, temperature, humidor setup)
- Troubleshooting guide for every common problem
- Pairing basics (bourbon, rum, coffee)
- Myths and misconceptions debunked
Download your free sample chapter at moderncigarlibrary.com/free-chapter or get the full book on Amazon.
Start your cigar journey with confidence, not confusion.
---
Ready to buy your first cigars and smoke with confidence? Get The Complete Beginner's Guide to Cigars on Amazon and master the fundamentals today.