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Starting your cigar journey should feel enjoyable and relaxed, not overpowering or intimidating. One of the most common mistakes new cigar smokers make is choosing cigars that are too strong, too peppery, or too large, which can overwhelm the palate and mask the pleasure of the ritual. At The Smoking Jacket, we guide beginners toward cigars that are mild to light in strength and well-balanced. Below are our Top 12 Cigars for New Cigar Smokers, all available at thesmokingjacket.co.uk, and all chosen specifically for their smoothness, reliability, and approachability. 1. Davidoff Signature No. 2 Strength: Mild Often considered the gold standard for beginners, this cigar is refined, elegant, and impeccably made. Expect cream, toasted almonds, light cedar and subtle sweetness, with a flawless draw and burn. Best time to smoke: Morning or early afternoon. Buy Davidoff Signature No. 2 2. Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 Strength: Light to Medium A Cuban classic that remains soft, aromatic and approachable. Flavours of cream, honey, gentle wood and light florals make this a consistently smooth experience. Best time to smoke: Late afternoon or early evening. Buy Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 3. Montecristo Open J Strength: Light Designed specifically to be easier and lighter than traditional Montecristos. Expect soft cocoa, cedar and subtle sweetness in a manageable, short format. Best time to smoke: Daytime or outdoors. Buy Montecristo Open J 4. Por Larrañaga Petit Corona Strength: Mild One of the gentlest Cuban cigars available. Flavours lean toward cream, biscuit, light caramel and soft wood, making it ideal for beginners exploring Cuban profiles. Best time to smoke: Mid-day or after a light meal. Buy Por Larrañaga Petit Corona 5. Quai d’Orsay No. 52 Strength: Light Elegant and refined, with a buttery texture and subtle citrus sweetness, light spice and cream. A fantastic modern Cuban for newer palates. Best time to smoke: Afternoon with coffee or Champagne. Buy Quai d'Orsay No .52   6. Romeo y Julieta No. 2 Strength: Mild to Medium Smooth and expressive without being heavy. Expect cream, dried fruit, gentle spice and soft wood, evolving gradually throughout the smoke. Best time to smoke: Early evening, social settings. Buy Romeo y Julieta No. 2   7. H. Upmann Half Corona Strength: Light to Medium A compact cigar with excellent balance. Delivers cedar, light cocoa, cream and subtle spice, without overwhelming strength. Best time to smoke: When time is limited but quality matters.   Buy H. Upmann Half Corona   8. Davidoff Winston Churchill Petit Panatela (Raconteur) Strength: Mild Elegant, slender and refined. Expect cream, light wood, white pepper and gentle sweetness, with impeccable construction. Best time to smoke: Morning or early afternoon. Buy Davidoff Winston Churchill Petit Panatela (Raconteur) 9. Casa Turrent 1880 Claro Double Robusto Strength: Mild A superb introduction to New World cigars. The Claro wrapper delivers sweet cream, hay, toasted nuts and soft vanilla, with excellent consistency. Best time to smoke: Daytime or early evening. Buy Casa Turrent 1880 Claro Double Robusto 10. Montecristo Joyitas Strength: Mild Small, smooth and unintimidating. Flavours of soft cocoa, cream and gentle sweetness make this ideal for beginners or short smoking moments. Best time to smoke: Anytime you want a short, easy smoke. Buy Montecristo Joyitas 11. Joya de Nicaragua Clásico Selección B Strength: Mild A superb entry-level Nicaraguan cigar. Smooth and creamy with notes of light cedar, toasted nuts and subtle sweetness, offering New World flavour without strength or aggression. Best time to smoke: Afternoon or early evening. Buy Joya de Nicaragua Clásico Selección B 12. Flor de Oliva Robusto Strength: Mild One of the best value mild cigars available. Expect soft wood, light cocoa and gentle creaminess, making it an excellent everyday cigar for those just starting out. Best time to smoke: Casual daytime smoking. Buy Flor de Oliva Robusto How to Choose Your First Cigar If you’re new to cigars, keep these simple guidelines in mind: Choose mild or light cigars Avoid overly large formats initially Smoke slowly (one puff every 60–90 seconds) Eat beforehand to avoid nicotine discomfort Store cigars at 65–70% humidity Our team is always happy to guide you—online or in-store. Final Thoughts: Start Smooth, Build Confidence Cigar enjoyment is about relaxation, not endurance. Starting with the right cigars makes all the difference. Every cigar on this list is: Beginner-approved Mild and approachable Stored in our London humidors Available to add directly to your basket Take your time, smoke slowly, and enjoy discovering what you like! 

Do Cigars Go Bad? How to Cut, Smoke, and Store Them Properly Whether you're new to cigars or brushing up on the basics, there are a few questions that come up time and time again. Do cigars expire? Where do you cut a cigar? How do cigars actually work, and how do you smoke one properly? We’re breaking it down in simple terms so you can enjoy every cigar with confidence. Can Cigars Go Bad? Cigars don’t technically expire like food, but they can go bad if they’re not stored correctly. Cigars are made of natural tobacco leaves that need to be kept at a steady relative humidity of around 65–70% and a temperature of about 18–21°C (65–70°F). If cigars dry out, they become brittle, burn too quickly, and lose their flavour. If they get too moist, they can develop mould or become spongy and difficult to smoke. How to tell if a cigar has gone bad: Dry and cracked? It’s likely past saving. Spongy or musty smelling? It may have been over-humidified or gone mouldy. White powdery spots? That’s likely plume (a harmless sugar crystallisation), not mould. Mould looks fuzzy and grows into the wrapper. How to prevent it: Store cigars in a humidor or a humidity-controlled cigar storage box. If you don’t have one, a sealed Tupperware box with a Boveda humidity pack will do in a pinch. Where Do You Cut a Cigar? Knowing where to cut a cigar is key to a good draw. You want to cut just above the shoulder—that’s the rounded cap near the head of the cigar (the end you put in your mouth). The goal is to open the cigar without cutting too low and unraveling the wrapper. Here’s how: Use a sharp guillotine cutter or a punch cutter. Identify the cap, it usually looks like a small circular line at the head. Cut just above the cap line, about 2–3mm from the end. Aim for a clean cut to avoid tearing. A clean cut helps ensure a smooth draw and better flavour delivery. How Do You Smoke a Cigar? Smoking a cigar isn’t like smoking a cigarette. It’s not about inhaling—it’s about savouring. Here’s a simple guide: Cut the cigar as described above. Toast the foot (the open end you light) with a butane torch or soft flame lighter—don’t let the flame touch it directly at first. Rotate it to warm the tobacco. Light the foot evenly by holding the flame just below and puffing gently. Take slow puffs - about one every 30–60 seconds. This keeps the cigar burning cool and lets the flavour develop. Don’t inhale. Cigar smoke is meant to be savoured in the mouth, not drawn into the lungs. Let it go out naturally if you’re finished. No need to stub it out. Cigars are about time and ritual. A good smoke could last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on size. How Do Cigars Work? Cigars are made of three main parts: Wrapper: The outer leaf, usually the most delicate and flavourful. Binder: Holds the filler together. Filler: The blend of tobacco leaves inside that drives the overall strength and complexity. When you light a cigar, you’re combusting the filler and drawing smoke through the barrel (the body of the cigar). The flavours develop as oils in the tobacco are released and interact with heat, oxygen, and moisture in your mouth. The way the cigar is rolled, aged, and stored all affects the final experience. That’s why even cigars with similar tobacco can taste totally different depending on how they’re made and kept. Final Thoughts Whether you're a beginner or brushing up on cigar basics, knowing how cigars age, how to cut and smoke them properly, and what makes them tick helps you get more out of every stick. And remember, if you’re ever in doubt, our team at The Smoking Jacket is always here to help.

In the UK, over 60% of the price of a premium cigar is pure tax. As of 3 August 2025, HMRC charges £417.33 per kilogram in cigar duty — about £4.17 per standard 10 g cigar — plus 20% VAT on top of that duty. Add in annual duty increases, shipping, and production costs, and it’s no wonder UK cigar prices are among the highest in the world. Here’s the full breakdown of why your favourite smoke costs so much more here than abroad.

What Cigars Did Churchill Smoke? The Iconic Puff Behind the Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill: a wartime hero, a master of speeches—and one of the most iconic cigar smokers of the 20th century. But what exactly did Churchill smoke? And how did he become synonymous with long, bold cigars and even bolder opinions? Let’s take a look behind the plume of smoke. Churchill’s Daily Habit: More Than Just a Puff Churchill reportedly smoked 8 to 10 cigars per day—sometimes more. To him, cigars weren’t a luxury; they were part of his armour. In his own words: “I drink a great deal. I sleep a little, and I smoke cigar after cigar. That is why I am in two-hundred-percent form.” Talk about commitment. His Favourite Cigar Brands 🥇 Romeo y Julieta Churchill's undisputed favourite was Romeo y Julieta. He discovered them during a 1946 visit to Cuba and fell hard. So hard, in fact, that the Romeo y Julieta Churchill vitola was named after him. Size: 7" x 47 ring gauge Strength: Medium Flavour profile: Creamy, nutty, and complex—perfect for long reflection (or long speeches). 💡 Shop the Romeo y Julieta Churchill  🔥 Partagás Serie D No. 4 While not a Churchill-size cigar, Partagás was another favourite of the British bulldog. Known for its bold character and Cuban spice, the Serie D No. 4 offers a powerful, shorter-format smoke. Size: 4.9" x 50 ring gauge (Robusto) Strength: Full Flavour profile: Rich earth, black pepper, cedar, cocoa Legacy: A go-to Cuban cigar for experienced palates, and very much in the Churchillian spirit 💡 Shop the Partagás Serie D No. 4  🕊️ H. Upmann Sir Winston Churchill also enjoyed H. Upmann cigars during his many trips to Havana. The Sir Winston vitola (named after him, of course) reflects his taste for elegance and refinement. Size: 7" x 47 ring gauge Strength: Light to medium Flavour profile: Cream, almond, floral, mild spice Vibe: Aristocratic, understated, and deeply enjoyable Churchill’s Smoking Style Churchill rarely appeared without a cigar in hand—or in his mouth. He used a cigar holder, typically made of amber or Bakelite, to keep his cigars dry and elegant. Whether delivering rousing speeches, painting landscapes, or lounging in a bathtub (yes, really), Churchill always had a cigar by his side. Want to Smoke Like Churchill? You don’t need to run a country to enjoy a Churchill. But you can smoke one like a statesman. Try these Churchill-inspired cigars available at The Smoking Jacket: Romeo y Julieta Churchill Partagás Serie D No. 4 H. Upmann Sir Winston (on request) 🔥 Visit our Earls Court shop or sign up for our Box of the Month to discover cigars with Churchill-worthy character. Final Thoughts Churchill didn’t just smoke cigars—he immortalised them. Lighting up a Churchill today is more than a habit. It’s a heritage. So next time you enjoy a long, smooth smoke, raise a glass (and a cigar) to the man who made puffing a symbol of power, poise, and perseverance.

The Ultimate Guide to Cigars:   1. Understanding the Anatomy of a Cigar 2. Types of Cigars: Choosing the Right Shape and Size 3. The Importance of Cigar Regions 4. How to Choose the Right Cigar for Your Taste 5. Proper Cigar Storage: Humidors and Ideal Conditions 6. How to Properly Cut and Light a Cigar 7. Savouring the Smoke: The Art of Enjoying a Cigar 8. Cigar Etiquette: The Do’s and Don’ts