If you’re new to cigars, flavoured cigars provide a sweeter, milder, and more approachable experience than traditional full-bodied smokes. With aromas of vanilla, cherry, coffee, honey, and even rum, they offer an easy entry point into the cigar world while still giving you a taste of Cuban-inspired ritual.
In the UK, you’ll find a wide variety of flavoured cigars, often with colour-coded packaging to make choosing easier. Whether you’re drawn to sweet berry notes, creamy vanilla, or rich coffee blends, there’s a flavoured cigar to match your palate. At Simply Cigars, we stock some of the most popular brands, perfect for beginners and casual smokers alike.
What Are Flavoured Cigars?
Flavoured cigars are infused with natural or artificial flavourings, giving them a sweeter and more aromatic profile than traditional cigars. They are usually:
- Made with milder tobacco for a smoother draw.
- Produced in smaller formats (cigarillos, petit coronas) ideal for shorter smoking sessions.
- Designed for accessibility, offering variety without the strength of a large Cuban.
For many beginners, flavoured cigars are the first step into the world of premium tobacco.
How Flavoured Cigars Are Made
The process of creating flavoured cigars varies by brand and quality, but most fall into one of three categories:
1. Tobacco Selection
Flavoured cigars typically use short-filler or homogenised tobacco. Air-cured rather than long-fermented, this lighter tobacco forms the perfect base for flavour infusion.
2. Flavour Infusion Methods
- Spraying or Dipping (Most Common): Cigars are sprayed or dipped with extracts such as vanilla, cherry, or coffee.
Examples: Café Crème, Al Capone. - Barrel-Aging (Premium): Tobacco aged in rum or whiskey barrels for natural sweetness.
Examples: Drew Estate Acid, Deadwood. - Flavoured Wrappers or Fillers: Infused tobacco leaves used in filler or wrapper.
Examples: Java by Drew Estate.
3. Rolling Process
- Machine-made flavoured cigars (Café Crème, Signature) are rolled quickly, with flavour added after.
- Handmade flavoured cigars (Tatiana, Acid) use infused leaves for balanced flavour.
4. Drying & Setting
Cigars are dried or aged in infused rooms to lock in aroma.
5. Packaging
Individually wrapped or tubed to preserve freshness, often with colour-coded packaging for quick flavour identification.
Natural vs Artificial Flavours
- Mass-market flavoured cigars often use artificial flavourings for consistency.
- Premium brands lean on natural extracts and oils, producing subtler, more complex flavours.
Why Purists Dismiss Flavoured Cigars
Traditional smokers often prefer the natural complexity of tobacco. They argue that flavours mask the raw leaf quality. But flavoured cigars aren’t about competing with a Cohiba—they’re about accessibility, variety, and enjoyment.
Flavoured Cigar Colour-Coding in the UK
Most flavoured cigar brands use colour-coded packaging:
- Blue → Vanilla, Cream (Café Crème Blue, Backwoods Blue)
- Red → Cherry, Berry (La Aurora Principe Chicos Red, Backwoods Honey Berry)
- Green → Menthol, Mint (Signature Action)
- Yellow/Gold → Honey, Sweet (Al Capone Pockets, Backwoods Authentic)
- Brown → Coffee, Chocolate (La Aurora Chicos Brown, Java by Drew Estate)
- Purple → Grape, Fruit Mix (Backwoods Purple, Principes Corona Grape)
Top 10 Flavoured Cigars in the UK
Looking to try the most popular flavoured cigars? Here are 10 customer favourites available in the UK:
- Café Crème Blue (Vanilla) – A mild, creamy cigarillo with smooth vanilla notes.
- Al Capone Pockets Original (Honey) – Sweet, aromatic mini cigars with natural honey flavour.
- Backwoods Honey Berry (Berry & Honey) – Rustic cigars with bold berry sweetness and a hint of honey.
- La Aurora Principes Chicos Red (Cherry) – Smooth Dominican cigarillos infused with rich cherry.
- Tatiana Vanilla Mini Cigars – Handmade flavoured cigars with a natural, creamy vanilla taste.
- Java by Drew Estate (Coffee Infused) – Premium hand-rolled cigar with cocoa and espresso flavour.
- Deadwood Sweet Jane (USA Blend) – Rich, aromatic handmade cigar with sweet mocha and spice.
- Villiger Black Mini Vanilla – Swiss-made, mild cigarillos with subtle vanilla notes.
- Backwoods Purple (Grape) – Bold, fruity flavoured cigar with a unique grape aroma.
- La Aurora Principes Brown (Chocolate/Coffee) – Smooth mini cigars with cocoa and espresso hints.
These are excellent starting points for beginners looking to explore the sweeter side of the cigar world.
Tips for Beginners
- Start with vanilla or coffee flavours before moving on to stronger berry or rum infusions.
- Pair with drinks like coffee, rum, or cola to bring out flavours.
- Store properly in a humidor or humidified pouch to keep cigars fresh.
- Experiment—variety is part of the fun.
Conclusion
Flavoured cigars are a fun, approachable introduction to cigar smoking, offering sweetness, aroma, and variety without the intensity of full-bodied Cubans. Whether you want a quick café-style cigarillo or a premium hand-rolled infusion, the UK market has something to suit every palate.