Cigars and pipes are popular among many tobacco smokers. Cigarettes are typically more popular, however cigars and pipes are often associated as a more elegant way of smoking tobacco.
Cigar vs Pipe
When comparing a cigar and a pipe, the main difference between these is how they’re delivered to the palette. To enjoy a premium cigar, choose your desired smoke, cut it, light it, and flick the ash throughout. Pipe smoking, however, requires more concentration and maintenance.
Owning more than one pipe is always a good idea for regular pipe smokers. If you smoke one pipe consistently throughout the day, you can experience burns through the bowl, rendering it useless. Most pipes also cannot handle the excessive heat and will need to cool down to rest, so it helps to have a spare at the ready.
Having three pipes on rotation is the best way to bowl burning and overheating. Cleaning them also requires pipe cleaners and a unique tool to remove excess tobacco dottle off the side of the bowl so it doesn’t eventually crack.
Difference in taste
The most obvious factor between these two smoking methods is the taste difference. Cigars are handmade to deliver a variety of exceptional flavors ranging from mellow to medium and bold to full-bodied. The cigar’s strength is also decided by many factors, including where it was grown, how it was blended, cured, and how long it has been aged.
Construction of a cigar begins with the binder and fillers, often grown in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras, and many more countries. The final step is applying the wrapper.
Smoking a cigar can introduce your palette to a range of exciting flavors. Expect delicious notes of spice, coffee, wood, leather, fruit, and even chocolate. The intensity of a cigar’s flavor profile can vary depending on several factors, such as the country or region of tobacco used, the blend, and even the color of the wrapper, which has the most impact on the taste.
Moving onto the wrapper, available in several shades and determined by how the tobacco was grown and its country of origin. Wrapper leaves are grown in regions such as the Connecticut river valley, Ecuador, the Cameroon region of Africa, Brazil, and the San Andrés Valley of Mexico. Wrappers are sourced from Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.
Natural wrappers carry a light golden-brown color. EMS is medium brown, Maduro is dark brown, and Oscuro is a shade of very dark brown that is almost black.
You may wonder if pipe tobacco is the same as cigarette tobacco. The straight answer is no. Cigars are constructed with five-to-seven hands of long filler tobacco rolled inside a binder leaf and wrapper. On the other hand, pipe tobacco is short filler leaves that are available in several cuts, including ribbon, shag, cube, flake, plug, and coin.
When choosing your pipe tobacco, you should read up on all the details of the tobacco to ensure the style you are going to smoke is right for you. Research the different cuts, experiment, and speak to a knowledgeable sales associate to find out what you’d enjoy the most.
Pipe tobacco delivers different flavors depending on the castings used in the blend, and non-aromatics and English blends provide a more traditional tobacco taste in various strength profiles.
Difference in price
Some believe pipe smoking can be lighter on the bank balance than cigars. However, the price difference depends on how much you want to spend and your desired experience.
Cigars can be seen as an expense to some, but there is a range of cheap cigars you can try instead of expensive premium stogies. The main thing is as long as you’re kicking back to relax and enjoying the tasty notes of a cigar, your money is well spent.
There are inexpensive pipes or costly hand-carved brands manufactured by famous pipe-makers. There is an option to suit all budgets and plenty of brands to choose from when selecting your tobacco, including Captain Black, Lane, Peter Stokkebye, Dunhill, Borkum Riff, Ashton, Mac Baren, and more.
When smoking cigars, factor in the cost of essential accessories like cutters, lighters, ashtrays, and humidors. Again these are available at low prices and have suitability for a range of budgets.
Final thoughts
Whether you’re debating to pick up a pipe or light a cigar, factoring the above options can help you make the final cut (literally). Why not try both smoking options and allow your palette to decide? After all, there are no set rules when it comes to smoking and the choice is entirely yours.