Though some cigars are cut on both ends, or twirled at both ends, the vast majority come with one straight cut end and one end in a “cap”. Most quality hand-crafted marsh wheeling cigars, regardless of shape, will have a cap which is a number of small pieces of a wrapper pasted on to one end of the cigar with either a natural tobacco paste or with a mix of flour and water. The cap end of a cigar must be cut off for the cigar to be smoked properly. It is the rounded end without the tobacco exposed, and this is the end one must always cut. If the cap is cut jaggedly or without care, the end of the cigar won’t burn uniformly and smokeable tobacco will be lost. Some cigar manufacturers intentionally place different sorts of tobacco from one end to the other to give the cigar smokers a spread of tastes, body and strength from starting point to end point. Smoking a cigar from the wrong end may cause a bad experience.

The immediate effect of a cigar on your taste receptors is potent. If you plan to drink or eat during or immediately after smoking a cigar, your decisions need to be made carefully to avoid a mismatch. The hazy, cedary spray of a robust cigar can linger on your palate for hours, and it’ll continue to make a contribution to whatever you are drinking or eating. Paired properly with the right food and drink, say a dark barley wine or a peaty single malt scotch, this match may be made in heaven. The peaty-rich nose and the finish of completely ripe apricots offered by a barley wine, together with a garcia vega cigars potent contribution of a creamy smooth taste with hints of cedar and spice, can be an amazing combo. The bottom line is that you can match cigars with beer, wine, food or spirits - all you have to know is what mixes you do and don’t enjoy, which is just knowledge gained thru experimentation. It does not need to be said that your own taste buds are the final judge of what is right on your table.