9 Dos and Don’ts of Properly Smoking a Cigar
When you’re new to smoking cigars, you second-guess your every move. You wonder am I lighting this right? Am I holding the cigar right? What do I do when it goes out? To make sure you don’t break the rules of basic cigar etiquette, here are some dos and don’ts you can follow next time you think you are being judged on your smoke.
DO Warm the Foot of Your Cigar
Before you begin puffing on your cigar, it’s best to slightly warm it up by gently rolling the foot between your fingers.
DON’T Touch the Foot of Your Cigar Directly to a Flame
You aren’t trying to light your cigar on fire, just get it to begin to burn. The ideal smoke can be achieved simply by rotating the cigar in the flame so that the edges begin to burn. Once you can puff on it lightly, you’re good to go.
DO Take Your Time Smoking
Smoking a cigar is not meant to be something you have to do but rather something you want to do as a way to relax. And as with any relaxing pastime, smoking a cigar is not to be rushed. The ideal pace is about a puff a minute.
DON’T Relight Your Cigar After Halfway
If your cigar extinguishes after you’ve smoked approximately half of it, you really should let it die. Relighting it will only harshen your smoke and diminish the quality of your experience.
DO Hold a Cigar Between Your Index Finger and Thumb
We cannot stress enough how different smoking a cigar is from smoking cigarettes, so don’t hold your cigar like you would hold a cigarette. That means holding the cigar between your index finger and thumb, not your index finger and middle finger. Aside from the smoking differentiation, this form also just looks more elegant.
DON’T Clench your Cigar Between Your Teeth
This behavior just makes you look unsophisticated. Gentlemen smoke cigars, and this is a most ungentlemanlike way to smoke. This “don’t” includes avoiding talking with a cigar in your mouth as this action will likely require your teeth to clench the cigar in the process. It’s just good etiquette to remove your cigar before speaking.
DO Wait Between Cigars
Unless you want to appear obsessive, wait at least 15-20 minutes between cigars. Typically, smoking multiple cigars will accompany multiple courses in a meal. So if you smoked one with your dinner, you can smoke another with your dessert. But as your stomach will thank you for holding out a bit for dessert, so will standard etiquette for not immediately lighting up a second cigar too soon.
DON’T Smoke While Working
Smoking a cigar is meant to be relaxing. It’s meant to be enjoyed thoroughly and not have to compete for your undivided attention against stressful tasks. With that in mind, hold off on lighting your cigar until after work so you can fully enjoy the experience.
DO Discreetly Dispose of a Dead Cigar
No one wants to see your dead cigars lying around just as they don’t want to see cigarette butts lying around. As smoking a cigar is for gentlemen, act like one and dispose of your dead cigar as soon as possible.
These guidelines are only the beginning to properly smoking a cigar but are definitely worth learning and following. Next time you sit down for a smoke, keep these dos and don’ts in mind, and you won’t have to worry again about looking foolish or being judged on your lack of experience or etiquette.
If you know of any other super important guidelines that are crucial to properly smoking a cigar, let us know in the comments below!