Most novice cigar smokers believe that there are only two kinds of cigars. They make an assumption that they have a choice to make between machine-made cigars or hand-rolled cigars. That’s an incorrect assumption.
Whether a cigar smoker prefers handmade cigars or machine-made cigars usually comes down to what type of smoker they are. How often they want to smoke cigars and their ability to afford that amount of cigar smoking determines what type of a cigar smoker they are. That’s the reason it’s important for any new cigar smoker to understand the difference between hand-rolled cigars, machine rolled cigars and cigars that’re a combination of both machine rolling and hand finishing. Preference in a cigar’s a personal matter determined by a combination of taste and cost factors.
Smokers with no limits on what they have to spend on their enjoyment of smoking cigars can afford the benefits of a premium hand-rolled cigar. Premium hand-rolled cigars use only the best tobacco throughout the production process. Expert cigar rollers use the finest tobacco to make a part of the cigar called the filler. Fine tobacco’s also used to make a special type of wrap, which is called the binder. The binder holds the filler in place. The hand-rolled cigar binder is also instrumental in the best type of draw, resulting in the best taste. Next comes the tobacco used to make the final and exquisite hand-rolled wrapper.
Cigar smokers with limits on what they can afford, or those who prefer to smoke several cigars each day, usually choose machine-made cigars. These type of cigars dominate the cigar market outside of dedicated tobacconist shops. Machine-made cigars are the least expensive, but for a reason. Full machine-made cigars aren’t made of the best tobacco. Often, a full machine-made cigar doesn’t use only tobacco in the production process. Too often, tobacco scraps from the production floor combine with materials other than tobacco are what’s used to make the filler. These other materials can be paper, or even other plant leaves could contain some unknown chemicals or even preservatives.
Then there’s the cigar that’s a hybrid, a combination of the machine and hand rolling production techniques. For a connoisseur of cigars, smoking such a cigar might be unheard of. For some cigar smokers, appreciative of the much lower price for full machine-made cigars, even the combination cigar is too expensive.
In the middle for both price and quality are various brands of cigars made using both types of the production process. There are some excellent cigars with great taste and a good draw made with machines. Often experienced tobacco rollers make the final wrapper using only the best grade of tobacco.
So which of the three types of cigar is best? The choice between the hand-rolled exquisite cigar and both the hybrid and machine made is a matter of personal preference. Each type of cigar has an important place in the market. As long as the cigar smoker’s aware of the differences, it doesn’t matter which’s the choice. Often, good tobacconist shops have hand-rolled cigars or cigars made with the hybrid process available at special prices. These are brands which are no longer produced, or available. They might also be available because the tobacconist wants to provide a way for the customer to enjoy the opportunity to smoke a fine cigar. This opportunity often convinces the cigar smoker that the extra cost of a fine cigar is understandable when factors of quality are obvious.