In a word: No.
“When it comes to the price of cigars, I’ve had a six dollar cigar that was the best cigar I’d ever had at that moment, and I’ve had a hundred dollar cigar that I didn’t really care for,” says Cigar Mas Fino co-founder Chris Mortensen. “So what you spend has zero relevance on your enjoyment.”
So if the price of your cigar doesn’t matter, what are the factors that will affect your enjoyment? There’s the cigar’s taste profile, its strength, and the balance between the two. As you learn the cigar landscape, you’ll figure out how to gauge all of these things – and you’ll learn what you enjoy.
“One of my favorite things is watching someone grow in their knowledge and their experience with cigars,” says Chris. “They start by just saying ‘I really liked that one’ or ‘Oh, I didn’t like that.’ Three months later, I’m getting tasting notes. That brings me great joy, because I know that we’ve done our job properly.”
Cigar Price Doesn’t Matter. Your Enjoyment Does.
At the end of the day, smoking a cigar is about creating an experience you’ll enjoy – one that rewards you for spending your money (no matter how much) and setting aside some time to relax.
“It doesn’t matter what you spend. It matters what you enjoy,” says Chris. “And it’s a good tobacconist’s job to help you find that. The cigar I started with, I don’t like at all now. There are cigars we carry in our lounge that I don’t like at all. Yet they’re the favorites of many customers, and that’s part of the beauty of this. Everything and everybody is different; finding what you like is the ultimate goal.”
If you want to learn more about how to get started with cigars, be sure to visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Otherwise, if you’re ready for your next cigar, be sure to stop into our lounge. Our tobacconists know their stuff, and they love helping cigar novices get started.
