How many cigars do you smoke in a day? A month? How about in a year?

They’re frequently asked questions that seem to produce wildly varying answers, as it depends on a plethora of factors which we will address in this piece, titled, How Many Cigars: The Smoking Frequency Of The Modern Cigar Enthusiast.

What Qualifies As A ‘Cigar Smoker’?

It must first be understood that anyone who smokes cigars less than the Low Frequency Types we’ve outlined below are not considered cigar smokers in our eyes. If the only cigars you smoke annually are the ones your father in law routinely hands you every Christmas and Thanksgiving, then you’re not quite an established cigar smoker status just yet.

Many guys relish at the idea of smoking a cigar but do not have the foresight to keep them always readily available, and thus typically rely on hand outs from the actual, bona fide cigar enthusiasts. If you’re one of these who overly rely on the cigar guy of your circle for your next cigar, be careful; no one loves a mooch.

The following are categories of cigar smokers that we’ve created based on frequency. Through experiences with fellow cigar smokers, some detailed answers we’ve received from a group of respondents, as well as a little self-reflection, we’ve come to pinpoint a few popular ‘cigar smoker types’ that exist out there today.

We’ve lumped them into 3 major categories: Low Frequency, Mid Frequency, and High Frequency Cigar Smokers.

As for cigars, U.S. federal regulations define a cigar as “any roll of tobacco wrapped in leaf tobacco or any substance containing tobacco“. When speaking about a cigar, it must be understood that they come in multiple forms: hand rolled (traditional), machine rolled, cigarillos and filtered cigars (often with plastic or wooden tips). Cigars are also available in varying shapes, lengths and ring rauges (diameter). This means that if one cigar smoker who has two Churchill-sized cigars (long length) a day and another has only two petit robustos (shorter length), the Churchill-sized smoker is smoking a greater volume of tobacco overall.

There are also many other hidden factors that affect the impact a cigar has on its smoker, such as the age and quality of the tobacco used, as well as its strength. For the sake of this piece, we will not go into such great depths of analysis when it comes to a cigar.

As for cigar smokers, there’s a high probability that if you’re reading this, you may likely fall into one of the several categories listed below.

Low Frequency: The Special Occasion Cigar Smoker

Approximate Cigar Intake: 5-20 Cigars Per Year

To some serious enthusiasts, this type of cigar smoker isn’t regarded as a ‘real cigar smoker’ due to the low number of cigars they smoke within a given year.

Special Occasion Cigar Smokers can vary.

Some Special Occasion Smokers are individuals who view cigar smoking as a once-in-a-while ritual to be enjoyed with a high-end, premium cigar. This type of smoker would rather spring for a more premium stick on an infrequent basis than smoke a low to mid-range cigar more frequently. This type of cigar smoker may have a penchant for Cubans, ‘luxury’ brand lines (like Davidoff), or cigars that have been awarded high ratings from notable publications like Cigar Aficionado.

Some Special Occasion Cigar Smokers choose to smoke exclusively high-end cigars like Davidoff

This cigar smoker often likes pairing a cigar with an equally luxurious spirit, such as French cognac or single malt Scotch for example.

For other Special Occasion Cigar Smokers, having an expensive cigar to smoke isn’t a high priority; simply having a cigar to enjoy is a special to them and serves as the perfect compliment to a special occasion.

Low Frequency: The Every Now And Then Cigar Smoker

Approximate Cigar Intake: 10-50 Cigars Per Year

The Every Now And Then Cigar Smoker is very similar to The Special Occasion Cigar Smoker, only he doesn’t need a special occasion – he simply waits until the mood hits him right to enjoy one. Pretty simple.

Low To Mid Frequency: The Scaled Back Cigar Smoker

Average Cigar Intake: Varies Substantially

Many Scaled Back Cigar Smokers were once was mid- to high-frequency enthusiasts, but for personal reasons, have decided to dial back intake at some point. One common reason is financial: “I had developed a $20-30 a day habit, says Devin H. of Gloucester, Massachusetts, who adds, “I initially agreed to cut back to appease my wife. I ended up switching to just on weekends  – and I think I appreciate them even more now as a result”.

The Scaled Back Cigar Smoker, as one would expect, occasionally has health-minded motivations for curbing his stick intake.

Though the vast majority of cigar smokers do not inhale its smoke, nicotine is still mixed with saliva and absorbed in the mouth and throat. When compared to those who smoke cigarettes, the incidence of cancer-related diseases are found to be lower in cigar smokers. However, the incidence of such diseases are certainly found to be much higher in cigar smokers when compared to those who do not smoke at all.

Some cigar smokers may or may previously have smoked cigarettes, and at the advice of a doctor have been advised to reduce intake – or abstain altogether.

As with alcohol (or other substances), The Scaled Back Cigar Smoker weighs the potential intrinsic benefits of a cigar (relaxation, social interaction, mindfulness, flavor appreciation, the ritual, etc.) with its potential degree of risk and then strikes some sort of compromise that reassures them (and possibly others).

Low To Mid Frequency: The ‘I Smoke When I Feel Like It But Don’t NEED Them’ Cigar Smoker

Approximate Cigar Intake: 20-50 Cigars Per year

This cigar smoker likes to emphasize that he is the master of his own domain and does not possess an addictive personality. He may go on a cigar binge over a cottage long weekend and smoke upwards of 7 or 8, but also may go about not touching another one for weeks, maybe months afterwards. He may enjoy 1-3 cigars per day on a trip to Cuba, but may hit the pause button on the practice entirely when back on home soil.

This type of cigar smoker may own a desktop humidor, or may simply reply on lounges and brick and mortar shops to grab a few sticks at a moment’s notice.

Mid Frequency: The Weekend Warrior Cigar Smoker

Approximate Cigar Intake: 50-200 Cigars Per Year

The Weekend Warrior Cigar Smoker is a popular type of cigar enthusiast. He may occasionally smoke a cigar or two during the workweek, but also may miss a weekend here and there. This cigar smoker averages about .75-4 cigars per week, which are typically enjoyed on weekends.

This smoker often views the weekend as a finish line, with the prize generally being a good cigar (or few) and possibly some libations to boot.

If moderation is the key, the weekend warrior is among those striving to uphold that motto.

Cottage weekends are a popular time for a cigar

Mid Frequency: The Seasonal Cigar Smoker

Approximate Cigar Intake: Varies Substantially

Like myself, some Brothers of the Leaf live in colder climates which may impact their cigar intake and/or cigar enjoyment during the colder months.

To some, this is an accepted and possibly even welcomed reality, as some use it as a seasonal period to consciously reduce intake and reduce spending.

For many, smoking comfortably outdoors is the sole objective, and if this cannot be achieved, they simply wait.

Though many in colder seasonal climates do have ample cigar-friendly resources at hand (preferably warm well-ventilated ones like a local lounge or a solid man cave space), others aren’t as lucky. Some may live in an apartment or a housing unit that lacks a proper space for refuge. In addition to this, certain localities and even entire countries (like Canada for example), forbid public smoking lounges and possess strict smoking laws.

Some seasonal cigar smokers see intake dip only slightly during colder months. Torontonian Tommy Stamatopoulos goes from two cigars a day during the summertime to 5-6 a week during winter.

The seasonal cigar smoker accepts this reality (either whole-heartedly or begrudgingly) and makes adjustments in either cigar frequency and/or location until the warmer season returns once again.

High Frequency: The Daily Cigar Smoker

Approximate Cigar Intake: 350-450 Cigars Annually

To many enthusiasts, cigars are simply an integral part of each day. Many have their own ideal ‘moment of the day’ that they typically choose to enjoy a cigar. After breakfast is a popular one. After work is another.

“I love an 11 am cigar,” states Taylor Matthew, “it’s a time shortly after I have eaten and I’m in a great space where there are few distractions which leads to really recognizing the flavor and enjoying the smoking experience to the fullest”.

To Canadian enthusiasts like Matthew, colder months don’t really affect cigar consumption as he simply implements a change in location to continue enjoying his 1-2 daily cigars. “Warmer months outside, colder months inside” states Matthew. Though Matthew may go an entire day without a cigar here and there, he says with a big smile, “I generally try not to”.

For some Daily Cigar Smokers, weekends will see a slight uptick, to others it remains the same whether it be a Monday or a Saturday.

Daily Cigar Smokers typically always have cigars on hand and may also own multiple humidors, ranging from small travel-sized ones, to desktop, to coolidors to wall cabinets, to actual walk in humidors.

High Frequency: The Daily Multiple Cigar Smoker

Approximate Cigar Intake: 720-2000+ Cigars Annually

The Grand Daddy of cigar smokers. He who generally has one lit or is thinking about the one he will soon light.

Historically, many Daily Multiple Cigar Smokers come to mind; Sigmund Freud, Sir Winston Churchill and Mark Twain to name a few. Some of these names were purported to have smoked between 15-20 cigars per day (yes, you heard correctly, I said per day).

This means a cigar would almost constantly be burning at all hours of the livelong day.

Seldom photographed without a cigar, Sigmund Freud typically smoked around 20 cigars a day

The Daily Multiple Cigar Smoker is often an obligated multitasker.

The first thing to consider here is time. The Daily Multiple Cigar Smoker must have the luxury and accessibility to be constantly smoking a cigar. Decades ago, when smoking laws were in their infancy or entirely non-existent, such cigar smokers were practically free to smoke where and whenever they choose.

Today times are different, and indoor smoking is practically a requirement to be able to post numbers as high as The Daily Multiple Cigar Smoker.

The second prerequisite here is having the financial means as well access to cigars with relative ease.

Cigar smoking is a potentially expensive habit, especially if one chooses to smoke hand rolled, higher end cigars. Some must resort to finding a bundled value brand (possibly machine rolled) to stock up on and comprise the majority of their cigars. Others who are fortunate enough to have the means, may possibly smoke upwards of 5-10 premium hand rolled cigars daily.

Having cigar boxes on hand to draw from is often a necessity for he who smokes multiple cigars daily

Regardless, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and the Daily Multiple Cigar Smoker will somehow always find it.

This type of smoker views the cost/benefit ratio of cigar smoking much differently from the low to mid frequency smokers. As with The Daily Cigar Smoker, this type of high frequency enthusiast sees life as a being a relatively short existence that is meant to be enjoyed, and smoking cigars is one of the major means he uses to feel like he’s living it to it’s fullest.

Conclusion

Cigar smokers come from all different walks of life and from all corners of the globe.

We’ve arrived at our conclusions in this piece through observations of largely a North American and European-based audience. I’m certain there is a tobacco farmer out there living in, say, Indonesia for example, who has the means to smoke product that has been cured and assembled from his crops each day and at a very low cost to him. This situation certainly isn’t all that common here in North America.

Though it’s very difficult to be statistically exact within the categories we’ve created, it’s safe to surmise that we’re certainly on to something here. Almost all of the cigar smokers we know fall into one of these aforementioned categories (if you feel we’ve left a certain ‘type’ out of this piece, feel free to comment below and kindly clue us in).

Regardless of what cigar smoker type you may be, we hope the hobby brings you great pleasure. As time progresses, you’ll continue to discover more about your cigar likes and dislikes as well as that magical ‘sweet spot’ number of cigars that you feel serves you best.

-Kurt Bradley