What Cigar Is Right For Me? Take This Expert-Designed Quiz to Find Out!

With thousands of cigars available, selecting the right one can feel overwhelming. 

Do you prefer a mild and smooth smoke or a bold and full-bodied experience? Do you enjoy your cigar with a fine whiskey, a rich espresso, or something else entirely? 

Your ideal cigar aligns with your taste preferences, strength tolerance, and pairing choices.

To simplify this journey, we’ve created the Cigar Pairing Tool - a personalized quiz that helps match you with the perfect cigar based on your unique preferences. Whether you're new to cigars or a seasoned aficionado, our tool ensures that your next cigar experience is tailor-made just for you.

Master Your Cigar Selection: How Our Personalized Pairing Tool Finds Your Perfect Match

Our interactive Cigar Pairing Tool simplifies the cigar selection process by analyzing your personal preferences and matching them with the perfect cigars. Here's a detailed breakdown of each component and how they work together to provide tailored recommendations.

Drink Pairing Selection

This first step identifies your beverage preference to match cigars that complement your drinking habits.

Examples:

• Bourbon Enthusiasts receive recommendations like Partagas Serie E No. 2 and Cohiba Behike BHK 52, which feature robust profiles that stand up to bourbon's caramel and vanilla notes
• Coffee Drinkers are matched with cigars like Trinidad Reyes or Davidoff Grand Cru No. 2 that enhance coffee's roasted characteristics
• Wine Lovers find gentler options like Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 that won't overwhelm wine's nuanced flavors

Why It Matters: The right cigar-drink pairing creates a harmonious experience where each element enhances the other. The wrong pairing can result in flavor clashes or one element overwhelming the other.

Strength Preference Selection

This critical component identifies your tolerance and preference for nicotine intensity and flavor boldness.

Examples:

• Light/Mellow Selections include Guantanamera Cristales and Davidoff Signature 2000, perfect for beginners or morning smokes
• Medium Bodied Options like Montecristo No. 4 or Quintero Favoritos provide balanced experiences for most smokers
• Full-Strength Choices such as Partagas Linea Maestra Maestro or Cohiba Behike BHK 52 deliver powerful experiences for seasoned enthusiasts

Why It Matters: Selecting the right strength ensures your smoking experience is enjoyable rather than overwhelming. This parameter significantly impacts satisfaction, especially for newer cigar smokers.

Price Range Selection

This component helps match cigars to your budget expectations and investment level.

Examples:

• Under £50 recommends approachable options like Kristoff Humid-A-Bag Medium Sampler and Rocky Patel Seed to Smoke Shade Sixty, perfect for everyday smoking or beginners exploring the hobby
• £50-£200 suggests quality options like Trinidad Reyes or Montecristo Joyitas that offer reliable experiences at moderate price points
• £201-£500 introduces premium selections like Partagas Serie D No. 5 or Trinidad Vigia that demonstrate exceptional craftsmanship
• Over £500 presents luxury cigars like Cohiba Behike BHK 52 and Romeo y Julieta Línea de Oro Nobles that represent the pinnacle of the cigar maker's art

Why It Matters: Your price range selection helps align recommendations with both your smoking expectations and budget considerations, ensuring satisfying experiences within your preferred investment level.

Size Preference Selection

This component matches cigars to your preferred physical dimensions and smoking duration preferences.

Examples:

• Smaller Gauge options like Montecristo Joyitas or Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo Du Maire offer a more concentrated flavor profile and shorter smoking time
• Medium Gauge selections such as Partagas Serie D No. 5 or Montecristo No. 2 provide the classic cigar experience with a balanced draw and burn time
• Larger Gauge choices like Romeo y Julieta Línea de Oro Nobles or Perdomo Lot 23 Connecticut Gordito deliver a cooler smoke with more complex layering of flavors
• Samplers/Mixed options allow you to explore various sizes and find your personal preference

Why It Matters: Cigar size significantly impacts flavor intensity, smoking duration, and overall experience. The right size ensures comfort during smoking and matches your available time for enjoyment.

Results Breakdown

Once you've made your selections, our algorithm processes your preferences through a sophisticated matching system:

Example Scenarios:

Scenario 1: The Whiskey Aficionado

• Selections: Bourbon + Full-Bodied + Over £500 + Medium Gauge
• Primary Results:
• Cohiba Behike BHK 52
• Partagas Linea Maestra Maestro
• Cohiba Robustos
• Davidoff Royal R Salomones
• Logic Applied: Perfect strength match for bourbon, luxury quality cigars that complement bourbon's rich profile with compatible ring gauge for optimal burn characteristics

Scenario 2: The Coffee Pairing Enthusiast

• Selections: Coffee + Medium + £50-£200 + Small Gauge
• Primary Results:
• Montecristo Joyitas
• Jose L. Piedra Petit Cazadores
• Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo Du Maire
• Quintero Brevas
• Logic Applied: Medium-bodied cigars that enhance coffee's profile without overwhelming it, quality consistent with mid-range pricing, and smaller gauge for a more focused flavor experience

Scenario 3: The Cigar Novice

• Selections: No Preference + Light + Under £50 + No Size Preference
• Primary Results:
• Kristoff Humid-A-Bag Medium Sampler
• Rocky Patel Seed to Smoke Shade Sixty
• Oliva Serie V Sampler Box
• Vegafina 1998 VF46
• Logic Applied: Approachable cigar options for beginners, budget-friendly price point, well-constructed cigars with good flavor development, with variety in sizes to help discover preferences

How Our Matching Algorithm Works

Our tool uses a multi-step approach to ensure you receive the most relevant recommendations:

1. Exact Match Search: First attempts to find cigars matching all four of your criteria perfectly (drink, strength, price, size)
2. Priority Matching: If insufficient exact matches exist, prioritizes strength and price range while looking for complementary drink pairings and sizes
3. Price Consistency: Always maintain your selected price range in primary recommendations
4. Progressive Relaxation: Gradually relaxes certain criteria to ensure you always get quality recommendations
5. Balanced Variety: Ensures diverse recommendations within your preference parameters

Understanding these components allows you to make informed selections with our cigar matching tool and discover cigars perfectly suited to your preferences and budget.

Train Your Cigar Palate Like an Expert: A Step-by-Step Flavor Journey

Discovering your perfect cigar is just the beginning. With each smoke, you can develop a sophisticated palate that identifies subtle flavors and appreciates complex transitions. Here's how to transform your smoking experience from casual enjoyment to connoisseurship.

The Connoisseur's Cigar Journal: Track Your Discoveries

A cigar journal is the most effective tool for developing sensory memory. Include:

• Basic details: Name, brand, size, origin, wrapper type
• Pre-light observations: Appearance, construction, cold draw
• Thirds analysis: Note how flavors evolve throughout the smoke
• Flavor identification: Primary and secondary taste notes
• Strength assessment: Rate nicotine impact and smoke richness
• Overall impression: Personal rating and value assessment

Pro tip: Include a photo of each cigar alongside your notes to reinforce visual memory.

Essential Flavor Detection Techniques

Master these methods to enhance your flavor perception:

1. Retrohaling: Push some smoke gently through your nasal passages to reveal hidden flavors. Begin with milder cigars until you are comfortable.
2. Cleanse Your Palate: Use room-temperature water between puffs and avoid smoking after spicy meals.
3. Slow Your Pace: One gentle puff every 60-90 seconds preserves optimal temperature and allows time to analyze flavors.
4. Try Comparative Tasting: Sample dark chocolate, coffee, or dried fruit while smoking to help identify similar notes.

Strategic Tasting Flights for Rapid Development

Organize your smoking experiences into themed progressions:

The Wrapper Flight: Compare identical blends with different wrappers:

• Connecticut Shade → Connecticut Broadleaf → Habano → Maduro

The Origin Tour: Sample similar cigars from different growing regions:

• Dominican Republic → Nicaragua → Honduras → Cuba (if available)

Strength Progression: Move from mild to full-bodied in a single day:

• Morning: Ultra-mild → Afternoon: Medium → Evening: Full-bodied

This comparative approach accelerates learning more effectively than random sampling.

Leverage Community Knowledge

The collective wisdom of fellow enthusiasts can fast-track your development:

1. Attend guided tastings at cigar shops
2. Join online forums to expand your flavor vocabulary
3. Find a mentor who can recommend educational smokes

Remember: Flavor perception is partly subjective. Your personal journey is unique and equally valid.

The Five Stages of Palate Development

1. Beginner: "I like it" or "too strong"
2. Foundational: Identifying broad categories (woody, spicy, earthy)
3. Developing: Recognizing specific notes and transitions
4. Advanced: Detecting multiple simultaneous flavors
5. Connoisseur: Perceiving subtle complexity and vintage variations

Take these immediate actions to begin developing your palate today:

1. Start a simple cigar journal
2. Try three contrasting cigars from our Pairing Tool
3. Practice retrohaling with your next smoke
4. Join an online cigar community

With deliberate practice, you'll transform smoking from a casual pastime into an enriching pursuit of connoisseurship.

Unlock a World of Flavor With Smart Cigar Pairing

Choosing the right cigar doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Our expert-designed cigar discovery tool simplifies the process by matching your taste preferences, strength level, drink pairings, and budget to perfectly tailored options. 

Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned smoker, this personalized experience helps you enjoy every cigar to its fullest. From mellow morning smokes to bold evening draws, your ideal cigar is just a few clicks away.

Take the quiz now and start shopping top-quality cigars curated for you—only on Online Cigars!