Cigar Do’s and Don’ts

The sum and total of cigar knowledge, lore, etiquette and practical advice could fill dozens and dozens of books.  True cigar aficionados aren’t born; they’re bred with a body of knowledge that is the product of their experience.

But if you had to extract the essentials, it would look something like this:

DO…

• Neatly trim the end of your cigar with an appropriate device.

• Hold your cigar between the thumb and index finger.

• Take time to warm the foot of the cigar slightly prior to lighting it 

• Rotate the flame around the edge of the foot until it starts to burn, then puff lightly. 

• Cigar smoking is a LEISURE activity, not a race — a puff a minute is about right. 

• Let a cigar go out on its own, without excessive grinding in an ashtray

• Let it go out if there’s less than one quarter of its leaf remaining

• Re-light a viable cigar by scraping the ash and turning it in the flame for a moment or two until it catches again

Dispose of the dead cigar discreetly and quickly. 

DON’T …

• Use a penknife to cut, a lance to pierce, or your teeth to chew off the end of the cigar

• Touch the flame directly to the foot of the cigar: 

• Ask someone else for a light 

• Be a show off – no one wants to see a narcissistic cigar-smoker calling attention to himself/herself with an elaborate display of cigar smoking technique or accoutrements like cigar holders.  

• Put a dead cigar into your mouth and puff furiously while lighting to re-ignite it

• Don’t chew on your cigar, slobber on it, gesture with it or clench it between your teeth (unless you’re a 1930’s homicide detective)

Chain smoke.  Cigars are to be savored.

OPTIONAL

• Remove the band carefully after lighting the cigar

• Share

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