Non-Traditional cigars are a huge segment in the cigar industry.  They are a beast of their own.  Love them or hate them we cannot deny that they have a huge following.

In the past, we have never reviewed or rated “Non-Traditional” cigars since they really can’t be compared to any other “Traditional” cigars.

Still, we have decided that they need their own category of ratings so those who enjoy these types of cigars can still read reviews, see ratings and get an idea of what they may be able to expect from them.

What Classifies “Non-Traditional?”

A Non-traditional cigar is any cigar that utilizes tobacco that has been infused, whether that be smoke pipe tobacco, or actual flavorings such as chocolate, vanilla or oils.

Ratings and Reviews

If you come across a cigar that has an “NT” after the ratings, such as “89NT,” it is a Non-Traditional cigar.

In the reviews you will find basic tasting notes of what the cigar offered and how it performed overall, just like any other review on the site.

What about Barrel Aging?

While people could technically count barrel aging in this category – we don’t.  The cigars from this process aren’t typically thought of when thinking of an “infused” or “flavored” cigar.   There are many cigars in the market that do use barrel aging in the process of making cigars, but they could hardly be considered Non-traditional (infused/flavored).

What About Fire Cured Tobacco?

Fire Cured Tobacco has a major influence on a cigar.  One could argue that in some cases or countries, that this is a very traditional technique when making cigars and has been around for a very long time.  Even though some could consider this a non-traditional cigar, we are leaving them out of this category, for the same reasons as Barrel Aging.

Personal Opinion

With few exceptions, we lean towards non-flavored or infused cigars.  Some things work and some things don’t.  That goes for traditional and non-traditional alike.  The NT ratings and reviews are geared towards people who enjoy them.