Will that be Mild, Medium, or Full Bodied?

A lot of people who come into my shop have no idea what they're looking for. They're kids, who have no idea what a premium cigar is compared to their Swisher Sweets or Dutch Masters. They're wives and girlfriends, looking for the perfect gift for their significant others. They're converts from cigarettes, looking to replace a lifelong habit of poor health with an occasional treat for the week-long woes.

My first question for these people is usually: "How strong of a cigar are you looking for? Mild, Medium, or Full Bodied?"

"I have no idea," they say, with a blank stare.

See, yesterday, I addressed flavor as the primary quality of segregating super premium blends from the conventional hand-rolled masses. Today's lesson is on body, or nicotine content.

Body is important to any cigar, not just super premiums, because it determines what time of day and sometimes even where a smoker should expect to enjoy their blend. For example: I'm currently smoking a Diamond Crown #8 Torpedo. It's just barely considered a super premium blend in my book because of it's superior flavor. However, I consider it to be a milder-medium cigar. As such, I'm enjoying it as my first cigar of the day - my "breakfast" cigar.

Why does this mild-medium make it as my first cigar in the day? It's low strength means I'm not going to get sick smoking it before I've had any substantial food in my stomach for the day. See, higher nicotine content cigars, more full bodied ones, deliver a buzz not unlike a cigarette. Many are so strong, that they deliver something like an "overdose" even if you do not inhale.

This overdose leads to that nauseous-clammy feeling you get, often causing sweating and dizziness. It can usually be avoided by selecting a cigar more appropriate for your nicotine tolerance, or eating a full meal before smoking. My after dinner smoke of choice is usually more full bodied.

We're at a point in the industry where the market tends to confuse Body and Flavor. Differentiating these two components is absolutely key to selecting a cigar perfect for your mood and atmosphere. They often go hand in hand. Fuller bodied cigars often tend to be fuller flavored. Milder cigars often are aged to a mellower flavor. This is however, not a "golden rule". Many new blends like Pepin Garcia's Centurion are very full in flavor, but mild-medium in body. Other cigars like Davidoff's blends are often mistaken as mild in body due to their mellow flavor. In reality, almost everything Davidoff makes is medium-full or above.

When consulting your tobacconist about the perfect cigar for any occasion, be sure to consult them on body before selecting based on flavor. This will ensure you don't get sick enjoying your new selection, but are still able to appreciate the relaxing qualities of your cigar.

-Ephram Rafael Nadaner
Current Smoke: Diamond Crown #8 Torpedo