subject: Premium And Boutique Cigars Explained [print this page] You'll find that there are numerous "distinctions" given to various cigars once you start shopping around. Two of the distinctions you might encounter are premium and boutique cigars. What's the difference between boutique cigars and other premium cigars? Actually, this can be pretty confusing, and knowing the difference between the two will help ensure that you're always able to buy the type of cigars that you want (as well as judge price to make sure that it's in line with the type of cigar in question).
Premium cigars are "fine" cigars. They're made using the highest quality tobaccos and the best wrappers. You'll often find that premium cigars also use some of the most flavorful tobacco blends on the market, and they're usually from nations renowned for the quality of their tobaccos. Premium cigars might also be pre-aged for your enjoyment, so that you don't have to leave them in your humidor for a year after buying them before lighting up and savoring their flavor (though you're welcome to age them as long as you might like).
Boutique cigars are very similar to premium cigars. In fact, you might say that all boutique cigars are premiums, but not all premium cigars are boutiques. Boutique cigars are rolled by hand, premium cigars may or may not be rolled by hand. In fact, those from some of the larger cigar manufacturers are rolled by machine. Boutique cigars are also rolled only in small batches. Boutique cigars are actually constructed of all hand-selected materials and you'll find that they offer a different smoking experience to other premium cigars.
In order for a cigar company to earn the distinction of being a boutique company, they have to roll fewer than 1 million cigars per year. Often, these are small brands and you'll find that you have to shop around in order to locate cigars from these companies. They're not readily available in every cigar shop. In a way, the hunt is part of the overall enjoyment of boutique cigars, you're more likely to savor them after expending significant effort to find them.
You will also find that boutique cigars have very different aromas and flavors than their premium counterparts. Because each component of the cigar is selected by hand and then rolled by skilled craftspeople, the smoking experience is richer, the tastes are more complex and the aromas are deeper.
