There are three things you should consider when choosing cigars: flavor, body and aroma. They can be sweet, bitter, salty, and acidic. Bitter and sweet flavors are easy to detect but determining the level of saltiness and acidity can be a matter of personal taste.

Aficionados use terms like fruity, nutty, herbal, spicy and floral to refer to the combination and balance of tastes. They identify such flavor notes as pepper, wood, nut, cream, coffee, nutmeg, cinnamon, citrus, cedar, chocolate and leather. The degree of flavor is classified with the terms mild, medium and full and the aroma should be one that you find pleasing.

Manufacturers do not have a standard size for cigars, but the world's finest vary in size from about a 9X64 to approximately 4X30. The first number refers to the cigar's length in inches. The second number represents the ring gauge, which is the diameter or the thickness of the stogie.

Larger ring gauges allow manufactures to blend different types of leaves to produce full and unique flavors. To determine the level of craftsmanship, test it for smoothness by rolling it between your fingers.

The wrapper should be smooth with a slight shine, have no blemishes or rough stems, and the leaves should all spiral in the same direction. Inhale the scent to make sure that it possesses a rich aroma. If it doesn't, it's not a quality cigar.

Color also plays an important part in choosing your cigars. Usually the wrapper is described by its country of origin or color such as Claro (light tan) or Maduro (darkest brown). The darker the wrapper, the more full-bodied and sweeter they are likely to be.

However, the filler is what determines the flavor, so high quality tobacco is very important. When inferior quality filler is used, the cigar may have a harsh or musty taste and an unpleasant aroma. They taste bitter when smoked without proper ageing too. While you can keep them in a cigar box, it's best to store them in a humidor to prevent them from drying out.

A Cuban cigar may be the highest standard among fine cigars, but there are other brands that are comparable in quality. Many web sites offer valuable cigar ratings and reviews on a wide number of products.

If you're not yet a knowledgeable connoisseur of cigars, do a little research before you buy to make sure that your money doesn't go up in smoke.