Cigar Blog

Happiness is a good cigar

Does Packaging Matter to You?

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When a manufacturer comes up with a new cigar blend, there is no doubt that packaging is taken into consideration. This actually applies to almost any other kind of product. Experts in the field of marketing know that how you package a product can affect how it is perceived by customers.

For cigars, packaging can affect the price. Cigar.com talked about this earlier this year:

Many brands have extravagant packaging, most of which are very expensive. So exactly how much does the packaging affect the cost of a cigar?

Well, when developing a price structure to sell a particular cigar, there are many factors that must be examined before a standard MSRP can be created. Some factors that attribute to the total MSRP include the price of tobacco, laborers, cost of running facilities, and packaging. Typically, the way each brand of cigars is packaged and presented does drastically affect the total outcome of the MSRP. Of course, the cost of the tobacco is the biggest expense, hands down, but any cigars that utilize special packaging will definitely be more expensive than others. Manufacturers producing more premium, higher end cigars tend to use more extravagant packaging simply because it makes the cigar look more credible while also providing the consumer with an elegant package that truly does make you feel good about your purchase.

Now that we have established just how the packaging can affect the price of a cigar, my question is: Would you pay more for a cigar because of special packaging?

I think that if we were talking about the packaging alone, I would not easily part with more money. However, if, as that tidbit from Cigar.com explains, the nicer packaging means better quality tobacco, then I just might be willing to shell out extra bucks. Do you think the same way?

Light a Cigar in a Couple of Years

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Cigars, just like wine will taste better if they are lit after some time. This is not to say that a cigar is not worth it if it is immediately lit by anyone who may have one. It is merely stating a fact that a cigar will improve in its taste and quality after some years of proper storage since this is how the tobacco leave contents prosper with regards to quality tasting cigars.

To some people, it would be best to check out the labels that they come with. The years specified in each box or label have a purpose and this is to show how long the cigar has been preserved thus for people to expect a higher quality taste for them.

How Cigars Age

Aging cigars may draw negative conclusions. But this would depend entirely on how educated the person who will be lighting the cigar is. There is no basis for waste when one talks about the length of storage a cigar has. The longer a cigar is kept, the better the taste it will provide once it is lit and smoked.

When NOT To Light That Cigar

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cigarIt’s a nice night, and you want to spend it smoking a cigar while enjoying the cool breeze outside. Or maybe you want to settle in in your favorite comfortable chair and watch a good movie or read a book while smoking a cigar. Then you realize a possibility – that the only cigars you have at home might have “gone bad!”

Is this scenario even possible? Definitely! While you may not want to think about cigars going bad, it does happen – and it has happened. And the last thing that you want is to ruin your night with a bad stogie. Before you even light it, take a closer look at your cigar and make sure that it is worth lighting. Here are some tips to help you determine whether to light your cigar or not.

Is it dry beyond hope? If your cigar is drier than the Mojave desert in the middle of the day, I suggest not lighting it. This means that the cigar has lost its essential oils that give it flavor. Of course, you can opt to light it but the chances are that your mood will be ruined beyond repair. Here’s a better tip: avoid getting dry cigars by investing in a good humidor.

Does your cigar smell bad? It does not take a rocket scientist to know that, generally, some thing that smells bad tastes bad! If you do not like the smell of your unlit cigar, then the chances are it will taste just as awful when lit. Spare yourself. Throw it away.

Where did you buy your cigar? Let’s face it folks, buying cigars at 7-11 or grocery stores is not the smartest thing to do. While you can get them for cheap, they are probably of low quality. Worse, they are probably old stock – stale. If you bought those cigars from the local supermarket check out counter out of impulse, I suggest just going to a “real” cigar store or even buying online. Don’t waste your money.