It is well documented that The Taínos, who first inhabited the land now known as The Dominican Republic, smoked, traded, and gifted cigars. Despite being one of the most timeless presents you can buy, gifting a cigar in our times can be difficult; especially if you don’t know your recipient’s taste in stogies.

Whether for a holiday or a loved one's birthday, there are many cigars from La Aurora in all shapes and sizes for any smoker: from novice to aficionado. If you’d prefer not to buy just one type of cigar or the person is new to the world of smokes and still figuring out their personal preferences, there are plenty of sampler pack options, which we’ll detail below. All of which can make for a memorable gift.

How to Choose The Right Cigar Gift

While La Aurora offers a quiz that allows you to narrow down preferences if you’re visiting a local tobacco shop, you should always check to ensure that the firmness is just right: it shouldn’t be mushy but should have a little bit of give. Wrappers shouldn’t have any sign of discoloration, lumps, or fading. Infrequent smokers or beginners might do better with a longer and skinnier cigar, while experienced smokers should be fine with a fatter stogie that offers a little more richness. Scissor cutters allow you to cut your cigar without having to worry about maintaining a specific angle. To use scissor cutters, determine the type of cut you want to make. For a straight cut, place the scissors perpendicular to the cigar’s end and cut. For a V cut, hold the scissors at a 45-degree angle and, with the tip pointing towards the cap, snip off the cap. This cut creates a wedge-shaped cut and encourages the smoke to flow out of the cigar more efficiently.

Generally, there are three types of cigars to choose from, and they include:

Sample Packs: A Little Variety, A Lot Of Flavor

Buying a whole box of the same cigar can be risky if you’re unsure of someone’s preferences. Although some sampler packs contain up to 20 cigars, you can also find smaller options with around four or five varieties. These packs include cigars of different shapes, sizes, or flavor varieties, allowing newbie smokers, those with eclectic tastes, or curious connoisseurs to see which one they enjoy most.

If you don’t want to gift a sampler pack, test one for yourself! If you’re not an expert, they’re a great way to enhance your knowledge before you decide which one you want to buy for a friend. Take this pack of Robustos, for instance, or the Cigar Master Sampler Pack, which contains a little bit of everything.

How Much Should I Spend On A Cigar Gift?

There are options for every budget, but rather than trying to get the best bang for your buck by buying as many as possible, we recommend focusing on quality and getting one or two high-quality cigars instead. Often, cheap bulk buys are a red flag and can lead to buying fake or counterfeit cigars with below-standard manufacturing processes. On the other hand, our cigars all come from the prestigious La Aurora factory, the oldest cigar factory in the Dominican Republic, where each stogie is carefully vetted, run through a rigorous checklist, and hand-rolled by expert rollers.

Gifting Cigar Accessories

If you’re still at a loss for what cigars to buy or you know that your recipient prefers to buy their own tobacco, don’t fret. Cigar accessories are necessary for smokers (using a regular lighter can ruin a cigar and impart a chemical taste), so you can gift them on their own or alongside a cigar of your choice. XIKAR lighters and cigar cutters are some of the best on the market, while a sophisticated humidor can help keep your giftee’s cigars at the perfect moisture level, preventing cracking and dryness.

Regardless of what you choose to gift, cigars are all about providing a unique experience, and Dominican cigars always offer that with a rich culture of tobacco dating back to the indigenous peoples who first inhabited the land. Help others indulge and learn about this ageless pleasure of stogies with any of our classic picks or accessories.