Cigars are typically described by their body, flavor, and strength. All bring something to the party, but it’s the final piece of the jigsaw we will focus on in this guide.
A cigar’s strength can vary wildly, but you must first understand what it means to ensure your first encounters with this beloved pastime are memorable for all the right reasons.
Cigar strength explained
If someone asks you what springs to mind when they say the word “strength,” you’ll probably think of someone with large muscles and phrases like “force” and “power.” This connotation also translates to cigars. When we talk about the strength of a cigar, we are referring to its amount of nicotine content and the effect or force it has on your body.
The amount of nicotine in a cigar will vary depending on the type of cigar, its size, and the curing method used. This chemical occurs naturally in tobacco, with its levels varying across different parts of the tobacco plant.
What gives cigars their strength?
The strength of a cigar comes from the different primings—or leaf positions—of the tobacco plant. Each level offers a unique flavor, aroma, and burn rate balance.
Different types of tobacco will also have varying strength characteristics. This means the ligero leaf on a Connecticut Shade tobacco plant could be more mellow or stronger than a ligero leaf found on an Olor crop.
Finally, the tobacco curing method used will influence a cigar’s strength. For instance, sun-cured tobacco leaves have a low nicotine content compared to other curing methods.
Ligero (top leaves)
Ligero leaves grow at the top of the tobacco plant, where they get the most sunlight. That extra exposure packs them with oil, making them the strongest part of the plant. They deliver bold, spicy flavor and a full-bodied smoke. Because ligero leaves burn slowly and have little aroma, cigar makers blend them with seco leaves. This creates a more balanced cigar.
Volado (lower leaves)
Volado leaves grow near the base of the plant. The sunlight doesn’t reach them well, so they don’t offer much flavor, but they burn evenly and reliably. Cigar makers often include volado in the filler of mellow smokes to ensure a consistent draw and steady burn.
Seco (middle leaves)
Seco leaves grow in the middle of the plant and aren’t as strong as ligero. They burn well and bring flavor and aroma, making them go-to filler leaves and excellent all-rounders. Brands blend seco leaves with ligero to smooth the profile and produce a medium-strength cigar.
Do cigar wrappers determine the strength of cigars?
Although the wrapper does exert some influence on the strength of a cigar, its main responsibility is providing its primary flavor. As an example, Connecticut Shade wrappers are especially popular with beginners because of their approachable and creamy taste. However, most of a cigar’s strength will come from the filler blend.
Cigar blenders choose filler leaves to tell a story. They may decide to make the filler blend strong for various reasons, most notably if a consumer group prefers that style of cigar. Other motives could be to showcase more robust tobaccos like Broadleaf and Habano, or simply the consequence of using higher priming tobaccos to create a specific flavor profile.
Cigar strength vs body
A cigar’s body and its strength are usually two separate descriptors. The body relates to the depth and fullness of its aromas and flavors. In other words, it is a measure of how much of the cigar can be tasted. This includes the density, sensation, and texture of the smoke, as well as how it paints your palate.
Through experience, you will be able to identify subtle differences in how a cigar’s smoke resonates on the palate, compared to through the nose.
On the other hand, there can be some crossovers between cigar strength and body. This is because the tobacco leaves with the most nicotine (those at the top) tend to be the richest in flavor. That’s why it’s common for the same terms to be used to define a cigar’s strength and body.
What are the different types of cigar strength?
There are three kinds of cigar strength — mellow, medium, and full. These levels might appear self-explanatory, but there are some caveats.
Mellow strength cigars
Mellow cigars are the ideal cigar strength for someone starting out in the world of cigars because of their low (or at least undetectable) nicotine content. Think of them as similar to virgin cocktails.
They can be enjoyed at any time of the day, perfect for those seeking a more relaxed and nuanced smoke. It’s doubtful you’ll experience any effects of nicotine, but some mellow-strength stogies can still deliver flavor complexity in abundance that’s on a par with stronger cigars.
Medium strength cigars
Medium-strength cigars are a touch stronger than mellow-strength stogies. They are all about balance, perfect for smokers looking for someone weaker than a full-strength cigar but a bit more impactful than a mellow stick.
In terms of strength, they possess a moderate amount of detectable nicotine, similar to a good cocktail.
Full strength cigars
We arrive at the most potent of the three. Bold strength cigars are the strongest of smokes and should only be lit up by those seeking an intense smoking experience. It’s important to know you’re capable of handling the powerful kick synonymous with full-strength stogies, which is why they’re only suitable for serious cigar aficionados.
Neat whiskey is an excellent analogy to a full-strength cigar’s unmistakable high nicotine content.
Are medium strength or bold strength cigars suitable for beginners?
If you are just beginning to relish the art of smoking, it’s best to stick with mellow-strength sticks. This will help you develop an appreciation for the feel, make, quality, and higher strength level. Take your time and work your way up through the strengths. Just like smoking a cigar, you need to pace yourself and enjoy a slow climb up the ladder.
How do you tell how strong a cigar is?
As discussed, it’s impossible to judge how strong a cigar is from its wrapper, because the filler blend is the biggest contributor to a cigar’s strength.
Cigars with dark wrappers like Maduros and Oscuros are not always a good indication of strength, even though they’ve been fermented longer and should theoretically have a more pungent taste.
Assessing the strength of a cigar is challenging because everyone has different tolerance levels for nicotine and interprets strength differently. It’s good practice for beginners to make notes to determine their tolerance levels and then choose your smokes accordingly.
Consider how the cigar affects your body, the blend, flavor notes, and overall smoking experience to gauge the strength levels you are most comfortable with.
Of course, you’re always welcome to contact a member of our customer service department, who will happily provide some appropriate low-nicotine cigars. However, to give you a push in the right direction, we’ve provided a couple of our favorite mellow-strength smokes that are a hit in the humidors of beginner cigar smokers.
The best mellow cigars for beginners
Macanudo Gold Label Crystal
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Binder: Mexico
Filler: Dominican Republic / Mexico
Length: 5
Ring: 50
Strength: Mellow
Smoke Time: 45 minutes
The Macanudo Gold Label Crystal is a fantastic Robusto-sized smoke that comes sealed in classy glass tubes. Dressed in a silky, golden US Connecticut Shade wrapper than envelopes a Mexican binder and scrumptious two-nation filler bend, it has a subtle citrus, floral, and woody character. The light strength, even burn, and notes of cream, earth, and hay are worth every penny.
Flor de Oliva Gold Toro
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Connecticut
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Dominican Republic / Mexico
Length: 6
Ring: 50
Strength: Mellow
Smoke Time: 60-90 minutes
This budget-friendly cigar from Oliva uses quality long-filler tobacco from Nicaragua. Beautifully wrapped in an unexpectedly sweet Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper, the Flor de Oliva Gold Toro is easily tolerated by beginners and best enjoyed with a light beer or morning joe. Savor the creamy, rich, and flavorful medley of cedar, coffee, slight spice, and a touch of black pepper, with a toasty and buttery aftertaste on the finish.
If these cigars don’t strike gold, there are plenty more low-strength beginner smokes at cigars.com to give you a relaxing and satisfying first-time smoking experience.
