People ask us about premium cigars vs cigarillos a lot. Are they the same thing in different sizes, or two different products? It’s somewhere in between. Both are rolled tobacco, but how they’re made, what’s inside, how long they take to smoke and what they cost can be very different. Here’s how they compare, so you can pick the right one when you buy cigars online.
What are premium cigars?
Premium cigars are hand-rolled with long-filler tobacco, meaning whole leaves that run the full length of the cigar. They have a natural tobacco wrapper and are usually aged for months or years before they’re sold. Makers like Oliva, Romeo y Julieta, Macanudo and Punch blend tobacco from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Honduras and other countries, and the flavor changes as you smoke.
What are cigarillos?
Cigarillos are small, thin cigars, usually machine-made with short-filler or homogenized tobacco. A lot of them have a plastic or wood tip, and many come in flavors like grape, wine or honey. Swisher Sweets, White Owl, Game and Dutch Masters are some of the best-known brands. You’ll find all of them in our cigars and cigarillos section.
Side by side
- Premium cigars are hand-rolled. Cigarillos are usually made by machine.
- Premium cigars use whole long-filler leaves. Cigarillos use short-filler or homogenized leaf.
- Premium cigars run from 4 to 7+ inches with ring gauges of 38 to 60. Cigarillos are short, with a ring gauge around 20 to 30.
- A premium cigar takes 45 minutes to two hours. A cigarillo takes 10 to 20 minutes.
- Premium cigars taste of the tobacco itself. Cigarillos often have bold, sweetened flavors.
- Premium cigars need a humidor. Cigarillos in foil pouches stay fresh until you open them.
- Premium cigars cost more each. Cigarillos are cheap, especially in multi-packs.
Which should you choose?
Go with a premium cigar if…
You have time to sit back, you’re curious how tobacco from different countries tastes, or you’re celebrating something. Premium cigars are best smoked slowly, and they go well with coffee, whiskey or rum.
Go with a cigarillo if…
You want something short and easy, you like sweet or aromatic flavors, or you’d rather buy cheaper multipacks. Filtered cigars from brands like Good Times are another quick, inexpensive option.
Buying both online
We carry both, so you can fill a humidor with hand-rolled cigars and keep a pack of cigarillos around for the drive home. If you’re new to this, read our guide on how to store cigars, look over the shipping information, and check the FAQ for age verification and delivery questions. Wikipedia also has a good overview of cigar types.
For adults 21 and older only. Tobacco products contain nicotine.