Cigar blogs are often the go-to place for new smokers and aficionados alike, but why? These blogs keep tabs on the latest news in the industry, whether your favorite brand is coming out with a new cigar, a lounge in your neck of the woods is opening, or you’re looking for tips on smoking, choosing products, or want to know which cigars you just have to try.
Basically, they’re a reliable news source for the cigar smoker and they often offer plenty of great smoking advice, provide you with the latest news concerning local events, and much more. But since cigar smoking is so popular these days, you’ll find that there are hundreds of blogs dedicated to cigar smoking online, which can make it difficult to find one that features the information you need to know and topics you actually care about.
My list of the 5 great cigar blogs to follow this year will give you a better idea of what a cigar blog is all about, which sites offer reliable information, the best smoking tips, and reviews and recommendations of some of the best products on the market, whether it’s a cigar cutter or a new premium cigar.
Table of Contents
Finding the Right Blog
For the cigar enthusiast, the more information about cigars, the better. The ability to check online for news concerning the latest product releases, information concerning cigar etiquette, and general smoking tips are something that the serious smoker will always be interested in. Some sites you’ll come across are pure review blogs. These blogs will focus primarily on the latest cigar releases and products, reviewing each one and going in-depth concerning their experience with the product, how it rated, and whether or not they’d recommend it. These are the blogs that most serious smokers would pay attention to, but cigar enthusiasts who aren’t interested in buying new products will focus more on sites that offer the latest in press releases related to smoking and basic cigar news, as well as sites that offer commentary on the cigar industry, or those that offer informative podcasts.
There are also sites that are specifically dedicated to educating new smokers, going over basic topics such as how to ash a cigar, how to cut and light one, and how to choose the right cigar, based on personal preference. As a new smoker, there’s a lot to learn, so these sites can be invaluable to the newbie.
Then you have your hybrid sites that offer the perfect blend of cigar news, product reviews, and general information for both beginners and aficionados. You don’t have to choose just one site to follow, in fact, there are many available online, so you’ll never have trouble finding a reliable site that’s dedicated to offering up the latest in industry news. Below, you’ll find a list of the five best blogs online, although there are dozens more that you’re sure to find interesting. The ones on my list are simply the most reliable and informative and offer the latest in tips, product recommendations, and industry news.
Cigar Dojos
For most aficionados that like to stay current in cigar news, products, and reviews, the Cigar Dojo is one of the best sites online. It’s versatile, contains a very simple layout, so you can visit one area of the site and seamlessly switch to another, without being bogged down by ads or fed news you don’t care about. The site offers a variety of articles that are easy to read and informative, as well as reviews that are straight to the point, truthful, and unbiased. The individual product reviews that they offer are broken down based on price, whether it’s on cigars, accessories, or even coffee or spirits. The site’s image gallery is fun to visit, as is their dedicated page on the best cigar tips. If you love visiting blogs on your smartphone, then you’ll also appreciate that the Cigar Dojo also has an app for both Android and iOS devices.
Cigar Inspector
Founded in 2007, Cigar Inspector consists of a cigar journal by a new cigar enthusiast who is on a mission to learn everything he can about cigars. Over a period of several years, the site visitors have also contributed many of their own experiences with smoking cigars. The site is now basically a group project and it features authors from all over the world. This gives site visitors the opportunity to read reviews and product recommendations that cover many of the leading cigars and products on the market. The site covers both non-Cuban and Cuban cigars, informative articles that are easy and enjoyable to read and a clean layout that makes the site very easy to use. If you’re new to cigar smoking, then you’ll enjoy learning along with other smokers and you’ll probably get a kick out of many of the stories that the variety of authors on the site have shared. However, you’ll also find that the site is very addicting and it can be all too easy to spend hours reading the reviews, funny articles, and smoking tips, so visit with caution.
Stogie Rate
If you want to find a site that includes a little bit of everything, including reviews, a large database of cigars, profiles, ratings, cigar images, and social sharing, then you’ll love Stogie Rate. It’s a great site to visit and spend a few hours learning about the latest products to hit the market, find the truth concerning how good or bad a particular cigar is and learn more about upcoming products. This site also features a Cigar Inventory program. This program is designed to help site visitors organize their collections, rate them, and even track their age. The program also allows users to create a historical log so that they can go back and find a particular cigar in the future. The section titled Cigar Education features content that’s very fun and easy to read. Basically, the site offers something for everyone and it’s a site that you’ll quickly find yourself bookmarking and visiting often.
Fine Tobacco NYC
This blog was created by Matthias Clock and it was designed as a place where he as a cigar aficionado, could go to share his thoughts about the different types of cigars he tried and how he felt they rated. These days, the site is so much bigger and offers plenty of information that new and experienced smokers will appreciate. The site has evolved into more than just a basic blog. It actually now hosts many important events throughout New York, which helps smokers connect and come together, to learn more about cigars, discuss their love for new blends, purchase new and favorite blends, buy accessories, and basically take advantage of some great discounts while enjoying the company of fellow cigar enthusiasts. The creator of the site, as well as his team, have also written some excellent articles concerning the industry, the production of quality cigars, the manufacturing process, and even the retail side of the industry. Of course, you can also count on the team to write some great, truthful, and unbiased reviews of the latest products and cigars to hit the market.
Halfwheel
If you’re looking for something a little different, basically a straightforward site that’s not flashy and doesn’t overdo it on hype, then you’ll love Halfwheel. Basically, they’re the Sports Illustrated of cigar blogs and they offer a more serious take on cigar smoking, providing informative articles, the latest in cigar news, and important information that will tell you exactly what’s going on in the world of cigars. The site offers a clean, yet plain layout, so navigating from one section of the site to the next is very simple and fast. This site is more designed for the serious smoker and may not be the best stop for the beginner who wants to learn the ropes, but it does contain important helpful information and it’s considered one of the most reliable news sources for cigar smoking. Overall, if you’re tired of sites that are mainly focused on the fun aspect of smoking and you basically just want to learn more about the industry, the latest in company news, cigar release dates and the like, then you’ll find yourself visiting this site often.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a reliable news source concerning products, new releases, local events, and more, then the blogs I’ve included here have got you covered. As I mentioned, there are literally hundreds of blogs to choose from, but you’ll find that my list of the 5 great cigar blogs to follow contain all the information you need to know, whether you’re looking for educational articles concerning how to cut a cigar, what cigars you should try next, and where to find the best accessories, these sites will be reliable resources that you can rely on for the latest in all cigar-related news.