From their construction to tobacco quality, the differences between handmade and machine-made cigars are striking. 

While one is great for affordability, the other offers you a more luxurious, rewarding experience. Both machine-made and hand-rolled cigars have their place in the world of smoking. Whether you're lighting up for a casual moment or a special occasion, choosing the right cigar enhances your enjoyment. 

The Smoking Experience

Smoking a cigar is more than lighting up — it's a ritual, an experience that engages all of your senses. It's especially true with handmade cigars. You can pair them with a whiskey, rum, coffee or wine to enhance their complex flavors. 

The feel of a well-rolled cigar, the aroma of aged tobacco and the gradual evolution of flavors as you smoke all contribute to the pleasure. A premium handmade cigar delivers complexity with shifting notes of earth, spice, coffee or sweetness throughout the smoke. These are often associated with luxury, relaxation and special occasions. You'll see them at weddings, celebrations or in lounges where cigar aficionados gather.

A machine-made cigar, on the other hand, offers a straightforward and predictable smoke, often with added flavor infusions. They are popular among casual smokers and often favored by smokers who want a quick, inexpensive cigar. Whichever type you choose, the key to a great cigar experience is taking your time, savoring each puff, appreciating the craftsmanship or efficiency and letting the cigar set the pace for relaxation.

Handmade Cigars: Tradition and Craftsmanship

What are hand-rolled cigars? Handmade stogies are crafted by skilled cigar rollers or torcedores, using whole, natural tobacco leaves for both the wrapper and filler. These highly skilled artisans have a keen understanding of tobacco leaves, cutting and rolling techniques. They can roll many cigars a day while paying exceptional attention to detail. The construction process is meticulous, ensuring a superior smoking experience. Using all-natural tobacco leaf cigars means they do not contain any chemical additives, preservatives or artificial flavoring.

The wrapper is the outermost leaf. It is responsible for a lot of the cigar's flavor and aesthetics. Premium wrappers come from high-quality whole tobacco leaves that are carefully aged and fermented. The binder is a study leaf that helps the filler hold its shape and ensures an even burn. The long-filler tobacco leaves determine the cigar's body, strength and complexity. These leaves are hand-selected, blended and rolled to create a balanced smoking experience. They often come from premium regions like the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua and the legendary standard — Cuban seeds. 

Tobacco Origins

You can enjoy bold and full-bodied stogies from Nicaragua, with notable brands like Padron, My Father, Drew Estate and Olivia. It's often compared to Cubanesque tobacco because of its richness, with growing regions set in Jalapa Valley, Condega, Ometepe and Esteli. 

The Dominican Republic produces smooth and balanced tobacco that's known for its creamy, nutty flavors. Its growing regions of Cibao Valley and Yaque Valley are known for their exceptional aging process, which delivers smooth, well-balanced flavors. Many top brands blend Dominican filler with Nicaraguan or Cuban-seed wrappers.

The growing regions of Jamasran Valley and the Copan Valley produce Honduras' rich and earthy tobacco leaves. This tobacco is often appealing to those who like a stronger, richer smoke as the soil in these regions produces robust products. It also compares well with Cubanesque cigars.

Flavor Profiles

Expert blenders choose filler leaves from various regions to create unique flavor profiles. The filler leaves are carefully arranged to allow optimal airflow, which ensures a smooth draw. Many of these premium cigars are aged for months or years to enhance their flavor and smoothness. While each brand and blend is unique, handmade cigar flavors generally fall into these categories:

• Mild: Mild cigars are smooth and creamy with cedar, nutty and light spice notes. These, which include the Macanudo Cafe and the Ashton Classic cigars, are ideal for beginners or morning smokers.
• Medium: Medium flavor profiles are balanced with cocoa, coffee, leather and pepper flavors. Cigars like the Arturo Fuente Hemmingway and Romeo y Julieta 1875 are good choices if you enjoy complexity without overpowering strength. 
• Full-bodied: Full-bodied cigars are best for experienced smokers, as they are bold and intense. Options like the Padron 1964 Anniversary and the Liga Privada No.9 have deep notes of dark chocolate, espresso, earth and black pepper. 

Cost and Value

Handmade cigars vary in price, but they are generally more costly than their machine-made counterparts. The labor-intensive process of handmade cigars ensures that each stogie delivers an exceptional smoking experience. It is also the reason why you pay premium prices for them. 

You're engaging a lot with your handmade cigars. To keep them well conditioned or restore their integrity if they become too moist, you should invest in a humidor, keeping them at 70% relative humidity (RH) for long-term storage. 

Machine-Made Cigars: Consistency and Efficiency

What are machine-rolled cigars? Man-made cigars are mass-produced using mechanized processes, allowing for efficiency and cost savings. They are typically made with short-filler tobacco, which are chopped tobacco leaves, using a homogenized tobacco leaf (HTL) wrapper and binder. It is essentially a processed tobacco sheet made from adhesives, scraps and pulp. High-speed machines assemble, shape and cut the cigars with precision, ensuring uniform size and draw. 

The cigars are individually wrapped in cellophane or packed in foil to preserve their freshness. Their composition keeps them fresher for longer — and you don't need a humidor to keep them smoking-ready.

Tobacco Origins

Handmade cigars are sometimes known for layered complexity, with different tobacco varieties blended to create unique smoking experiences. Tobacco often comes from Corojo, grown in Honduras or Nicaragua, or Criollo, which is used in many Cuban-seed blends. You'll also find Connecticut Share, grown in the U.S. and Ecuador, which is creamy and mild, or Habano, a Cuban-seed tobacco that adds some spice and boldness to the blend. Maduro is sometimes added to blends to create dark, sweet flavors.

Popular tobacco varieties include Burley, which is mild, absorbent and commonly flavored. You can also find Virginia, a bright, naturally sweet tobacco, and Fire-Cured, which is smoky and bold.

Flavor Profiles

Industrially made cigars' taste is influenced by processed binders, short-filler tobacco and sometimes added flavoring. They do not undergo long aging or fermentation, as they are made for quick production and immediate sale. Common flavor characteristics include:

• Mild and sweet: Many mass-production cigars feature subtle sweetness due to infused flavors or the natural properties of the tobacco blend.
• One-dimensional smoke: Where handmade cigars evolve in flavor as you smoke, machine-made cigars tend to have a consistent taste from start to finish.
• Flavor options: Some brands add artificial flavors like vanilla, honey, cherry or bourbon to appeal to a broader audience.

Cost and Value

One of the biggest appeals of machine-rolled cigars is their affordability. They cost significantly less than handmade cigars, making them more accessible to smokers who want a budget-friendly option. These stogies prioritize consistency, ease of use and affordability over complexity.

The Importance of the Aging Process

Aging determines the quality of a premium handmade cigar. Just like fine wine, cigars develop complexity and smoothness over time, making the aging process an essential consideration for seasoned smokers. 

Freshly rolled cigars have harsher, more pronounced flavors. Over time, the tobacco's natural oils redistribute, allowing different flavor notes to mellow and blend. A well-aged stogie has a more refined and balanced profile, often with enhanced creaminess, complexity or sweetness. For example, an aged Arturo Fuente Hemmingway will develop smoother cedar and leather notes, while a Padron 1926 Series might show richer chocolate and coffee undertones.

Physical Changes in Tobacco Leaves

As a cigar ages, the moisture content stabilizes, leading to a more even burn and better draw. Younger cigars burn unevenly or produce harsh smoke, whereas aged cigars provide a more enjoyable smoking experience. 

The tobacco's structure also changes as ammonia and other harsh compounds naturally dissipate. The wrapper may develop a slightly oily sheen due to the natural oil redistribution, which is a sign of a well-aged cigar.

Ethical and Sustainable Considerations

When choosing between handmade and machine-made cigars, ethical and sustainability factors often come into play. While both types have their place in the market, the differences in how they are sourced, made and distributed can have an impact on the environment.

Handmade Cigars

Premium cigars are crafted by skilled artisans, many of whom spend years mastering the craft. Torcedores are typically employed by reputable cigar manufacturers that uphold fair wage practices. 

Companies like Arturo Fuente prioritize worker well-being by offering healthcare, education, and stable employment to people in the farm's region. Premium brands also practice crop rotation, incorporate organic fertilizers, and use water responsibly to maintain farm soil health and reduce environmental impact.

Because handmade cigars contain natural tobacco with no additives, they have a low chemical footprint.

Machine-Made Cigars

Mass-produced cigars often use automated processes and minimal human labor. Many inexpensive machine-made cigars contain preservatives, flavoring agents and adhesives to enhance their shelf life and uniformity. These ingredients can slightly alter the smoking experience and may introduce more chemicals.

Smoking a Hand-Rolled Cigar

Handmade cigars require a proper cut with a guillotine, punch or V-cutter to ensure a smooth draw. Once cut, lighting should be slow and deliberate, using a butane torch or cedar spill to prevent unwanted flavors from altering the tobacco's natural character. Rotating the cigar while toasting the foot lets you get an even burn. 

The first draw should be slow so that you can savor the smoke and enjoy the mild notes before the richer flavors start to develop. For the first third, you might hit those creamy or nutty notes. By the middle, hints of spice, earthiness or coffee will start to emerge. The final third may be the boldest, with intense flavors and a stronger finish. 

The cigar should produce a firm ash, helping regulate its temperature for a smoother smoke. Let the cigar go out naturally when you're done smoking. Never stub it out like a cigarette, as this can create an unpleasant odor.

Smoking a Machine-Rolled Cigar

Most machine-made cigars come pre-cut, making them ideal for smokers who want a grab-and-go option. Lighting is straightforward, and you can use a standard lighter as the HTL wrappers ignite easily. These stogies maintain a steady flavor profile from start to finish, burning hot and fast. They can be stubbed out once you're done, or let it go out naturally if you want to finish it later.

Machine-made cigars are best for a quick, no-fuss smoking experience. Whether you're looking for a budget-friendly option, a flavored cigar or something convenient, they provide an easy way to enjoy a smoke without extra steps.

Differences Between Handmade and Machine-Made Cigars

Whether you prioritize affordability and consistency or craftsmanship and depth of flavor, understanding the key differences between handmade vs. machine-rolled cigars will help you make an informed choice.

	Handmade Cigars	Machine-Made Cigars
Affordability	The labor-intensive process and material quality make handmade cigars more expensive.	These are significantly more budget-friendly  and ideal for an everyday option.
Consistency	Since they are crafted by hand, minor inconsistencies in draw and burn may occur between cigars, even within the same brand.	Draw, size and burn are uniform across each batch.
Availability	Available at reputable online cigar stores like Corona Cigar Co.	Available in convenience stores, at gas stations and with online retailers like Corona Cigar Co.
Maintenance	Many premium handmade cigars can be aged, allowing flavors to develop further over time. They also require proper storage in a humidor to  preserve their integrity and freshness.	Low maintenance as they come pre-cut and don't need humidification.
Quality	These cigars use high-quality, long-filler tobacco, which creates rich flavors and a smooth draw.	The short-filler tobacco and HTL wrapper lack the depth and complexity of natural tobacco leaves in handmade cigars.
Flavor	Handmade cigars often have a blend of different tobaccos, creating nuanced flavors that evolve throughout the smoke.	Due to the processed tobacco and fast production, flavors tend to be one- dimensional and less refined.
Burn	Expert rolling ensures a well-packed cigar that burns evenly and holds its ash longer.	Machine-made cigars often burn faster  and less evenly than handmade cigars.

Buy Premium Handmade Cigars With Corona Cigar Co.

Handmade cigars are a testament to tradition, skill and quality, giving you a rich, flavorful smoking experience. Whether you prefer a smooth Connecticut for a morning smoke or a bold Maduro for an evening indulgence, there is a handmade cigar to suit every taste and occasion. Machine-made cigars can offer a great smoking experience, too — they are affordable, consistent and easy to enjoy.

Corona Cigar Co. is the biggest online cigar store, offering user-friendly shopping and the best hand-made cigars, humidors and cigar accessories at more affordable prices. You will find cigars to suit every taste preference and experience level. Expand your palette by trying our cigar sampler packs, or sign up for cigars of the month and add variety to your collection regularly. You can also have peace of mind with a money-back guarantee if you are unsatisfied with your purchase.

Shop now and get fast, free shipping on your order of $125 or more.