The guides
Cigar guides, written straight
Reference pages and editorial picks for people who actually smoke. Every cigar we point to is a real line in the catalog, with its real specs. No invented ratings, no padded top-100 lists. Just what we’d tell a friend.
GuideThe Best Cigar Tracker Apps in 2026 (Honestly Compared)The best cigar tracker apps in 2026, honestly compared: what each is for, where Cigarista fits, and the limits nobody mentions. No invented rankings.Read the guide →GuideThe Best Cigars for Beginners in 2026 (Mild, Flavorful, and Actually Enjoyable)The best cigars for beginners are mild but not boring. The easy-to-find sticks I hand to first-timers, with real catalog specs and no invented scores.Read the guide →GuideThe Best Cigars Under $10 in 2026 (Long-Filler Only)The best cigars under $10 are long-filler sticks you buy online by the box, not bundle filler off a shop shelf. My value picks, with real catalog specs.Read the guide →GuideThe Best Maduro Cigars in 2026 (For Every Budget)The best maduro cigars I keep coming back to, sorted by budget. Real catalog specs, an honest take, no invented ratings, from value sticks to Padron.Read the guide →GuideThe Cigar Flavor Wheel: How to Name What You're TastingA cigar flavor wheel turns vague impressions into words. The main flavor families, how to use them while you smoke, and how to log your notes.Read the guide →GuideCigar Journal Template: What to Record and How to Rate a CigarCigar journal template with every field worth recording, how to rate a cigar, what 90/100 scores really mean, and whether paper or an app fits you.Read the guide →GuideCigar Plume vs Mold: Is Plume Real? The Science Behind the DebateCigar plume vs mold, honestly. The one lab test of submitted plume came back mold every time, so here is how to inspect texture, color, and the foot.Read the guide →GuideCigar Sizes Chart: Length, Ring Gauge, and Smoke TimeA plain-English cigar sizes chart with typical length, ring gauge, and rough smoke time for every common vitola, plus what ring gauge actually means.Read the guide →GuideCigar Strength Chart: Mild, Medium, and Full (and Why Body Is Different)A cigar strength chart in plain English: mild, medium, and full, plus the body-versus-strength mix-up beginners get wrong. Catalog examples at each level.Read the guide →GuideCigar Wrapper Types Explained: The Complete Color and Flavor GuideCigar wrapper types explained: the color scale from candela to oscuro, origin leaves like Connecticut and Habano, and why darker does not mean stronger.Read the guide →GuideHow Long Do Cigars Last? (Humidor, No Humidor, Tube, and Sealed Box)How long do cigars last? Honest ranges for a humidor, open air, sealed box, tube, bag, and the freezer, with no invented numbers.Read the guide →GuideHow to Store Cigars (With or Without a Humidor)How to store cigars: humidor, a ziploc and humidity pack, tupperdor, and cooler methods, the right humidity and temperature, and why to skip the fridge.Read the guide →
Reading is one thing. Tracking is another.
Found a cigar worth remembering? Snap the band and Cigarista files it in your humidor with your rating. New members get 2 free scans.