There are many reasons why cigars are better than cigarettes, at least, in our opinion. Coming way out in front of pipes, cigar and cigarette smoking are the two most common ways that people “consume” tobacco. Cigarette smoking has declined dramatically over the past seven decades and today is at an all-time low. Cigar, smoking, on the other hand, remains quite popular. The reason being that most cigar smokers, something like 75%, smoke less than one cigar per day.
For the enthusiast, a cigar every day is not necessary; it can be reserved for special occasions or smoked only semi-regularly. Cigarettes, on the other, become a habit and, the longer someone smokes, the most likely they are to climb from one or two cigarettes per-day to over twenty or more.
But the nature of their use is not the only thing cigars have over cigarettes, here are some of the other reasons’ cigars are better than cigarettes.
Cigar Smoking is An Experience
A good cigar can smoke for an hour or more. You can light one up, sit alone on your balcony, and be alone with your thoughts as the smoke billows and whirs around you. Or you can smoke cigars socially. There are few things more closely associated with masculinity and bonding with your male friends than a bunch of cigars complimented by stiff drinks and a good time.
Cigarettes, on the other hand, come and go quickly. Rather than enjoying a cigarette, most long-time smokers seem to need them. These people need to take smoke breaks every hour to satisfy their cravings. It doesn’t matter to them if it is freezing cold out or if they are on a tight deadline. When cigarettes call, smokers answer. Cigars are a relaxing and enjoyable experience for most people, while cigarettes are a jittery habit.
Natural Cigars are Better Than Cigarettes
Just about every product under the sun these days wants to claim they are “natural.” Premium, hand-rolled cigars, though, truly are.
Cigars are, perhaps, the original “single-ingredient” product: Tabaco. Everything from what is inside the cigar to the leaf that keeps it all held together is tobacco. No chemicals, dyes, or flavorings are used in premium cigars. What this means is you get the benefit of truly tasting the subtle flavors and differences between cigars that are from different places.
When you smoke a real Cuban, you are not just tasting a Cuban “flavor,” what you are experiencing is tobacco that was grown on a Cuban farm, harvested by Cuban farmers, rolled by Cuban artisans, and sold by the Cuban government. You, in other words, have something completely natural and totally authentic. One of the only processes that premium tobacco undergoes is fermentation. Nothing is produced during tobacco fermentation, but it is said to improve the flavor.
Cigarettes are the opposite. They can load harmful chemicals, flavors, and other substances; they drive out the unique flavors of the tobacco and replaces it with something artificial.
Cigars are Artisanal
Some tobacco leaves are stronger than others, some have unique tastes, and some are simply of higher quality. A true cigar artisan who specializes in hand-rolled cigars knows all of this and more. Not only can he spot the best, most relevant leaves, but he can blend them together using the wisdom and hands only available to a select few. When you get a premium, hand-rolled cigar, you are getting something special.
The same can not be said of cigarettes, which are spat out of manufacturing plants like uniform widgets. Like at McDonald’s, the primary concern of cigarette manufacturers is consistency. Forget about the quality of natural ingredients; all that matters is turning out a uniform product time and time again.
The saying goes that every premium cigar you smoke has been touched by 200 hands. This number may be accurate, and it may even be higher. The point is that making premium cigars is not easy. It’s as much an art as it is a manufacturing process and requires skill and attention every step of the way—from the selection of the tobacco seeds to the rolling of the leaf.
Unique Cigars are Better Than Cigarettes
Cigars come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and flavor profiles. For those with discerning taste, cigars offer an experience far superior to that of smoking cigarettes. Why? Because cigarettes come only in one size and style. Yes, cigarettes can have different flavors, but, as mentioned, most if not all of that comes from artificial additives and not from the tobacco leaf itself.
Cigar Smoking is Not as Bad for You as Cigarettes
Because most smokers inhale cigarettes but do not inhale cigars, the results are that cigarette smoking often ends up being worse for you than smoking cigars. You don’t need to inhale cigars to make smoking them enjoyable—with cigarettes, you generally do.
Even insurance companies look at cigarette smoking as worse for you than cigar smoking, making it more difficult to get insured if you smoke cigarettes.
Aged Cigars Only Get Better
Like wine, cigars often get better with age. While their shelf-life depends, cigars are distinct from cigarettes in that their flavor profiles and overall quality can change and improve over time (assuming they are properly stored). Cigarettes, though, merely get stale. An “aged” cigarette is one that belongs in the garbage.
Smoking a Cigar Looks Cool
Describing what is and isn’t cool can be hard to put your finger on. One thing is for sure, though, and that is that smoking a cigar makes you look and feel cool. Whether you are smoking one to celebrate, to relax, or as you socialize with friends, a cigar is the ultimate status symbol, and it exudes cool.
On the contrary, cigarette smoking is something you do in back alleys and outside of the party as everyone else has fun without you. Cigar smoking is social and fun, while cigarette smoking is isolated and anxiety-inducing.
There you have it, some of the reasons that cigar smoking is superior to cigarette smoking. Now put that cigarette down and light up a cigar instead!
photo credit: Pixabay