Often times, picking out a gift for that special someone can be a daunting task. There are tons of things that need to be considered and one misstep can result in some pretty awkward and drawn out, “no, I really like it…”. To avoid scenarios such as these you’ll probably want to steer clear of more traditional gift giving follies such as clothing or even the dreaded gift-card. Getting that perfected gift for that perfect man in your life should be a reflection on what you think of him. Cigars have long been associated with class, sophistication and like wine; there is a lot that goes into distinguishing the different tastes and aromas that can be present in a stick. For the man who appears to have everything they need, follow some of these simple steps to selecting one of the most unique gifts you can give, the cigar.
Narrowing it Down
For the newer cigar smoker your emphasis should be on variety and not specifics. Instead of getting a box of one variety of cigars choose instead to pick out a couple of different varieties letting them discover which ones are best suited for their palate. This can be accomplished a number of ways but most easily through a sampler pack. Depending on the manufacturer you can usually get about five to eight different varieties of cigars in a sampler pack. These small packs are a great way to turn on the beginner cigar enthusiast to the world and culture of cigars.
If you are getting a gift for someone who is a little more sophisticated in nature and you want to impress them even further with some cigars that are a little more specific, consider a box of top brand cigars. Nothing too strong or heavy but definitely chose a brand that will be at once recognized for its prestige or excellence in the industry. A good choice might be something by Macanudo, particularly their Macanudo Maduro Crystal. These stogies come encased in crystal tube to preserve their freshness. They offer up a sweet to mild smoke so you don’t have to worry about alienating any tastes buds. At about $40 bucks a box these cigars exude a certain amount of elegance all while remaining pretty accessible.
Accompanying the Cigar
When gifting a cigar, don’t just stop at the stogie, there are a number of other things that you should also incorporate into the package such as a quality humidor and a nice cigar cutter and perhaps even a butane lighter (you should never light a cigar with a your average run of the mill lighter or a sulfur based match as these methods can impart chemicals on to the cigar and alter the smoking experience).
Humidors are small to medium sized rectangular boxes that keep cigars and tobacco at the appropriate temperature through an airtight locking mechanism. These can be purchases separately and often in conjunction with a set of cigars so keep your eye open for a great paired deal.
You might also want to consider getting a cigar cutter for your special someone. These are also fairly inexpensive but are essential to getting the cigar in perfect smoking shape. There are a couple different varieties of cutters out on the market today. From cutters that resemble scissors to the more sophisticated cigar punchers there is quite the gamut of variety when choosing the best cutter for the job, lucky for you, one of the best cutters (the double bladed variety) is only a few bucks and can be picked up at any good cigar shop.
For the literary buffs in your life you might also want to accompany the cigar with one of the great books on the subject that are out on the market today. While there are literally hundreds of different titles to choose from, I recommend the Cigar Companion by Marvin Shanken or even the aptly titled, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Cigars 2nd Edition by Tad Gage.
Happy Puffing!