Apr 16, 2016 3 min read

Cigar smokers are a selective, finicky, and discriminating bunch. You have those who smoke machine-made cigars, and those who only smoke handmade premiums; those who prefer strong cigars, while others enjoy mild cigars, or somewhere in-between. Some drift toward cigars made only with tobaccos from certain countries, or cigars rolled in specific cigar wrapper leaves…and the list goes on. Then you have those who smoke ACID Cigars. This latter group, which has also been likened to a cult, are deeply devoted to the brand, and most of them rarely, if ever, smoke anything else.

Arriving on the scene in 1998, ACID Cigars are unlike any other premium cigars; a fact that is reinforced by their slogan, “The rebirth of cigars.” Although they are handmade in the same Cuban cigar tradition as the myriad other brands sold today, ACID’s are infused with herbals & botanicals that give them their singular fragrance and character. Over 140 of these essences are used among the dozens of blends that makeup the ACID legacy.

Many “traditional” cigar smokers tend to view the ACID brand as flavored cigars, a common misconception. As Jonathan Drew, founder of the brand, has said: “We are not ‘flavored’ cigar blenders. Premium cigars come in two distinct classes: ‘Premium Traditional,’ and ‘Premium Infused.’ Both are premium, and that’s what you have to keep in mind.”

It’s important to understand the differences, too. Flavored cigars are usually made with short fillers and homogenized wrappers that are flavored with natural and/or artificial flavors like cherry, rum, apple, grape, etc. Premium Infused cigars are made with long-filler tobaccos and naturally cured & aged wrappers that have been infused with herbal and botanical essences. ACID’s proprietary infusion method has always remained a secret, but the key to understanding them is, when you smoke an ACID cigar you don’t taste the herbal/botanical essences; you taste tobacco. The true difference lies in the spicy aromas that emanate from the tobaccos as the cigar burns. Moreover, every ACID cigar is handmade using only choice Nicaraguan filler and binder tobaccos rolled in high-grade wrapper leaves of virtually every type available.

Each ACID cigar series has a specific bouquet that is differentiated by the color of the band. Blue bands signify that the smoke will be mild to medium in body and highly aromatic, like the Acid Kuba Kuba. Red bands suggest the smoke will have a higher intensity level like the Acid Nasty. The gold banded series offers a smoke with even more distinctive aromas like the ACID Cold Infusion, while the series with purple bands yields more complex, aromatic hybrids like Extra Ordinary Larry.

ACID also makes a line only for select retailers under the “Subculture” moniker. These limited edition cigars have custom blends and names like the Subculture Progeny, Mantra, and Tri-Borough, which are sold exclusively at Famous Smoke Shop. Yet, regardless of the vendor no two ACID Subculture cigars are alike.

So, who is the typical ACID cigar smoker? Actually, there is no “typical” profile. Although they are often associated with younger cigar smokers, the demand for ACID cigars spans every demographic, and they continue to be as popular as ever.

By Gary Korb