What’s The Best Cigar to Smoke to Avoid Cigar Sickness? | Premium Cigars by Cayman Cigar Company

Choosing the right cigar and adopting mindful smoking habits can help you avoid cigar sickness and have a more enjoyable smoking experience. Whether you are new to smoking cigars, or you’re an expert, understanding cigar sickness and implementing key best practices will allow you to continue smoking cigars without any unwanted side effects. 

This guide will cover the basics of cigar sickness, how to choose the right cigar, what cigars are best for avoiding cigar sickness, and some trusted smoking tips to help make each of your smoking sessions pleasant and memorable. 

Understanding Cigar Sickness

Cigar sickness occurs when an excessive amount of nicotine enters your body causing unpleasant symptoms including headaches, nausea, increased heart rate, dizziness, and more. It is a result of an adverse reaction to the nicotine found in cigars and can affect cigar smokers of all ages and experience levels. 

Cigar smokers typically do not inhale cigar smoke, but accidental inhalation or excessive exposure to cigar smoke can still lead to feelings of discomfort and unease. This is particularly true for individuals who are not accustomed to nicotine or are sensitive to its effects. 

Cigar sickness is not something that occurs every time you smoke a cigar but can be caused by a variety of factors. 

Some of the major causes of cigar sickness are:

• Smoking full-bodied cigars
• Chain smoking
• Smoking too quickly 
• Smoking on an empty stomach
• Dehydration 

Choosing the Right Light-Bodied Cigar

While choosing the right cigar might seem easy, making the right selection for your individual needs can greatly impact the quality of your smoking experience. Understanding what makes each cigar unique will help you purchase cigars you are more likely to enjoy and are least likely to cause the uncomfortable side effects of cigar sickness. 

Cigars are generally categorized with key terms to help the consumer know what type of tobacco filler, binder, and wrapper is used in the cigar so that you can determine what qualities you prefer. If you are trying to gauge how much nicotine is in a cigar, making the right selection is crucial. Don’t be afraid to ask your cigar professional or tobacconist for advice. They are dedicated to your cigar-smoking enjoyment and will direct you to the appropriate cigars.

Cigar wrappers do not always reflect cigar strength

Oftentimes, newer cigar smokers mistakenly use the wrapper as their key metric to determine the strength of the cigar, which doesn’t always translate to the actual smoking experience. The wrapper is the outer covering of the cigar which holds the binder and tobacco filler, and is the most immediately visible characteristic of the cigar. 

The wrapper does significantly impact the flavor of the cigar but is not always an indication of the cigar’s strength or nicotine content. Consequently, a darker wrapper can have a bold and intense flavor but not contain a higher volume of nicotine, while a lighter wrapper can contain a stronger filler with higher nicotine content. 

Determining nicotine content

Although binders and wrappers can have significant nicotine levels, the most important factor when determining a cigar’s actual strength is the tobacco filler. The tobacco filler’s origin, aging time, and blending characteristics can drastically change the cigar’s overall flavor, aroma, and strength. When choosing a cigar it is important to consider both the color of the wrapper and the tobacco filler used. 

Exploring different cigar types will allow you to define your ideal cigar palate, and help you to choose a cigar that will guarantee you have a great smoke every time. 

Recommended Cayman Cigars for Avoiding Sickness

Avoiding cigar sickness starts with choosing the right cigar based on your level of experience and the situation. Making sure to select cigars that are the right intensity and size can greatly reduce the chances that you will experience cigar sickness. Again, a tobacconist or cigar shop manager or staff member can guide you to the best choice for you. It’s not the cigar itself, but how you react to it.

Milder Cigars: Reduce Cigar Sickness?

Cayman Cigars cultivates a wide range of premium cigars that can appeal to cigar newbies, casual enthusiasts, and cigar connoisseurs alike. Ranging from the darker, full-bodied Sovereign No. 3 and savory Monarch to the milder, more approachable flavor of the Sovereign No. 1 and No. 2 offerings, Cayman Cigars has something for everyone. 

Strong, full-bodied cigars are generally better suited for experienced smokers, as the intense richness can be overwhelming to those newer to the hobby, and mild-to-medium cigars are recommended for newer smokers, or those who simply enjoy a smoother, slightly more subtle experience. 

Match Your Cigar Size to Your Situation

When choosing a cigar to smoke, it is very easy to get overly excited about the experience and choose the wrong size of cigar for your situation. If you’re smoking with friends, celebrating, or simply enjoying the session, a common mistake is to assume that bigger is always better. 

However, choosing the right cigar based on your situation can significantly reduce your chance of feeling any unfavorable side effects. For example, if you only have a small amount of time to smoke, smoking a shorter cigar at a normal pace will feel much better than smoking a longer cigar too quickly. Smoking too quickly can notably increase your chances of accidental smoke inhalation and result in experiencing uncomfortable side effects. 

Similarly, the thickness, or gauge of a cigar, can also impact the smoking experience. A thicker gauge cigar like the popular Robusto, will produce more smoke and aroma but will burn more slowly and cooler, while the slightly thinner gauge of a Corona can burn faster and hotter.

Robusto-sized cigars offer a well-balanced cigar experience due to their ideal length and ring gauge. They burn evenly and provide a smoking experience that when smoked at a leisurely pace, will often impart little or no cigar sickness.

Tips for an Enjoyable Smoking Experience 

Smoking cigars is more than a simple pastime, it is an art form. To get the most out of your smoking sessions, we’ve put together a list of tips to help you enjoy each moment while feeling your best. 

1. Choose the right cigar for you and your situation

It is important to choose a cigar that is a flavor you will enjoy, the strength that you can handle, and a size that makes sense for your smoking session. Shorter, milder cigars are recommended for those who are newer to cigar smoking. 

2. Be careful when smoking more than one cigar in a session

During a long session, it can be tempting to purchase a second cigar and keep smoking. Overly long sessions can significantly increase the chances that you’ll overdo the amount of nicotine you consume and the likelihood that you’ll experience uncomfortable symptoms. 

3. Take your time

Cigars are meant to be enjoyed over an extended period, usually requiring anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to fully enjoy. Pace yourself as you smoke to keep the cigar burning properly and spread the smoke and nicotine consumption over a longer period for best results. 

4. Don’t smoke on an empty stomach

When you smoke a cigar on an empty stomach the nicotine can be absorbed in your bloodstream faster which can intensify its effects. To avoid cigar sickness symptoms, make sure to have a little food in your system ahead of time. 

5. Stay hydrated

Some time-tested ways to reduce or prevent cigar sickness are to maintain hydration, eat a small bite of chocolate or even a cube of sugar to offset nausea.

Enjoy Cigars Responsibly 

Cigar smoking is an incredible experience that brings together agriculture, craftsmanship, and culture, but it is also something that should be handled responsibly. By taking care to select the right cigar based on your experience and situation, taking your time, and taking care of your body, you can enjoy cigars without having to deal with the uncomfortable consequences of cigar sickness. 

Cayman Cigar Company produces premium, handcrafted cigars that celebrate social entrepreneurship by ensuring that 100% of all net profits generated from cigar sales benefit local and international communities. 

Browse their exceptional selection of cigars in a variety of flavors, strengths, and sizes that can help you curate a healthy and memorable cigar smoking experience every time.