Gift Recommendations:

 Try Cigars

Wondering what to give to a man who seems to have everything? Whether it’s for someone’s birthday, the holiday season, or some other special occasion, you want to give someone a gift that is meaningful and thoughtful. So why not try cigars?

Cigars, like wine, last for years. As gifts, they can be appreciated for weeks, months, or even years. And even if you do not know the first thing about cigars, you can give someone who likes them cigar accessories instead.

Now, when it comes to giving a cigar-lover a gift, brand names are important. Yes, we know, it’s the thought that counts and all that. But when people get gifts, they seldom want to be thought of as frugal. The criteria are often different when you are buying a gift for someone versus buying something for yourself.

So that said, here are some great cigar gift ideas you can give, no matter the season:

Cigar

Well, of course. You want to give a cigar-lover a gift? Then just be direct and give him cigars. However, try to find out if he has been smoking cigars for a long time or just got into the habit.

If he has been a cigar-lover for a long time now, then chances are he would have a preferred brand already. Find out what it is and give him a box of that particular brand for the occasion. He’ll love you for it.

On the other hand, if he has only been smoking cigars recently, then he would want to try out different varieties of cigars. He won’t have a favorite, yet, but he is hoping to find one someday.

You can help him with that by giving him one of those cigar sampler packs. These packs contain several brands and/or sizes and shapes of cigars, making it the perfect gift to give.

And the best thing about it is that sampler packs come in small quantities, usually about five cigars in one pack. You know what that means. It means you do not have to spend a lot on a gift for a casual acquaintance, and yet still be able to give something that is way awesome than the rest.

However, if money is not a concern, then splurge on a box of premium smokes for that special someone. But how do you know which premium smoke is the best one? Well, you’re always safe on a couple of top brands. Be sure to choose mild to medium flavored cigars.

Cigar Shopping Tips:

• Employees are going to be particularly helpful as you choose your cigar. Trust them. They know their stuff. What’s more, they will try to hook you on one of their delicious brands so you will come back over and over and become a repeat customer.

• If a particular brand catches your eye, do not hesitate to see it up close. Often, you do not really know whether the cigar is any good unless you hold it in your hands.

Only in handling the cigar will you be able to tell if it is kept at a proper moisture level. That is, it is not too brittle or too moist that it practically drips all over your sleeve. It should be moist just right.

• Some cigar shoppers would roll cigars near their ears. Either that or they smell it real up close. These would supposedly tell you the moisture level of the cigar and give you some idea on its flavor.

However, this is not a desirable practice. You can always tell a cigar’s flavor just by looking at it – the color of the wrapper should be a good indication. Also, smelling it so that your nose is practically touching it? Not sanitary.

• However, it is perfectly alright to take a light sniff of the cigar’s bouquet to get an idea on its taste when you do smoke it.

• Cigars are luxury items and as luxury items, they go through stringent quality control. The cigars in the box should be arranged in a neat manner. They should be so arranged that the colors run from darkest to lightest. The spiral of the wrapper leaves should also be running in the same direction.

If you find that your box of cigars does not conform to this particular arrangement, then it either somehow slipped past quality control or it has been messed around with.

Leather Cigar Case

If shopping for cigars is too hard for you, then you always have a choice in the variety of cigar accessories available. Any true-blue cigar lover would want the perfect accessory to compliment his favorite smoke, whether it is a classy leather cigar case or a humidifier, etc.

A leather cigar case makes for an excellent gift, especially if the person is a regular smoker. He can just slip in a selection of his favorite premium cigars into the leather case and bring it to work or for an evening out.

Unlike shopping for premium cigars, brands are not so important here. Just be sure to pick leather that comes in brown, black, or burgundy colors. Also, if the case has “fingers,” make sure that you can fit in no less than a 52-ring cigar. A good leather cigar case should be one that can accommodate at least three cigars.

Ashtrays

Ashtrays are another great gift to give to someone who likes to smoke cigars.  They’re great to have around because they allow the smokers to drop ashes deep into the bowl where they do not disturb other smokers or anyone else around them.

Be sure to get an ashtray with a deep bowl. Silver ashtrays are always a delight. But you can try something else as well, like a glass one that looks like a bowl for filling with nuts or fruits.

Cutters

Another cigar essential is a cutter. While cutting a cigar is not rocket science, the exercise does require some basic skills and the right equipment. This is where your gift-bearing self comes in.

Just as there are many different kinds of cigars available, there are also a great variety of cigar cutters. Here are some of them:

• Guillotine Cutter

It’s exactly what its name suggests. The guillotine cutter features a single blade that can cut the cap right off. You can find many that can cut even 54-ring cigars.

• Double Blade Cutter

Using the same concept as the guillotine, but with an additional blade to make a more precise cut. Most double blade cutters will require you to cut with force.

However, if you are willing to spend extra, you can probably get one of those sophisticated double blade cutters that have a spring mechanism, ensuring a clean cut every time.

• Bullet Punch Cutter

This cutter will cleanly cut a punch hole on the head of the cigar. However, if you want to cut a bigger hole, you may have to use the cutter again and again until you get a hole that is big enough.

What makes this cutter great as a gift item? It’s small enough to be carried around in a key ring. But if your special person likes to smoke Figurado shapes, then better get another cutter.

• Cigar Scissors

A bit similar to double blade cutters, cigar scissors will cleanly cut off the cap of the cigar. There are some varieties that are very lightweight and small, the perfect size for traveling cigar lovers.

• V-Shape Cutter

Exactly what its name says, the v-shape cutter cuts a v-shape hole on the cap of the cigar. Compared to the bullet punch cutter, this cutter will give you more surface area. But if your special person likes larger-ringed cigars, rule this one out. The v-shape cutter works great only on small-ring cigars.

Humidors

Humidors are must-haves for cigar lovers. They help maintain the cigar’s moist level. That way, its flavors are retained and the cigar lasts for a very long time. So if you want to give a cigar lover a gift that they will surely cherish, try humidors. They are the perfect cigar accessory gift items around.

But before you buy one, consider the following first:

• Where do you intend the person should use the humidor? At home or the office? If he’s a long time cigar smoker then chances are he probably has a humidor at home. So your best bet is a humidor for use at the office.

• Do you want to match it up with some kind of motif? Like, maybe you want a color that is close in hue and shade to your special person’s favorite premium cigar. Neutral earth tones are your safest bet. Go for black, brown, or dark burgundy hues.

• Plastic? Or metal? You also have choice in wood and Lucite. Basically, this all boils down to personal style.

• How many cigars does he want to store? If the humidor is for office use, then 50 or so may be good. However, if it’s for home use, then a humidor with storage capacity of 50-100 would sound just about right.

• What style of humidor are you looking for? Again, this boils down to personal taste. You have a choice in desktop humidors, box humidors, and cabinet types.

• What’s your budget?

After considering all the above factors, it is not time for you to decide where you would like to buy the humidor. There are lots of shops where you can purchase humidors – gift stores, specialty shops, department stores, and of course, your neighborhood tobacco store. You can buy your humidor from any of these shops and the shopping attendants should be more than willing to help you choose the right item.

However, if you want to be trendy, the trend seems to be veering more towards online shopping and less towards real-time shopping. Plus, it’s way more convenient purchasing humidors and other gift items online. There are actually websites that specialize in cigar products and accessories.

And these are only some of our suggestions for you to give as gift to your special someone. There are several more cigar accessories that would make equally great gift items.

And if all else fails, there’s always flavored cigars to consider. Some people may not consider them as sophisticated as unflavored ones. But hey, if you want to be unique and the person you are giving the gift to is not too picky, then why not? There are some flavored cigars that do not actually interfere with the cigar’s natural filter.