If only smoking cigars were that easy, every whisky lover would go for cigars. Just kidding, but it’s not that easy to pass that smoke on your palate and stop it from going down your throat for the first time. Smoking is not like drinking beer. You have to be keen when you light the cigar and ensure you take the puff like a pro.
How you handle your cigar can say a lot about your personality. An experienced cigar smoker can tell whether you’ve been smoking for a week or years just by looking at how you hold your cigar.
In this article, Bottle and Ash has gone this far as to highlight all about cigar etiquette. We take you back to the days when cigar aficionados like Zino Davidoff would smoke it the right way.
Mistake #1: Expecting all cigars to smoke at the same rate
Your favorite cigar goes through a lot before you can hold it. Although most premium cigars are handmade from agricultural shops, this does not guarantee that they will have the same taste and smoking rate.
There are some slight variations in cigars’ blending, such as the type of tobacco used and the wrappers.
This makes it almost impossible to predict if the cigars will be smoking at the same rate. If you’ve been smoking cigars for some time, you will embrace the slight variations in every pack of cigar your buy.
Mistake #2 – Using a penknife to cut the cigar
Cutting the end of the cigar with a penknife just looks pathetic. There is nothing that serious about it, but you don’t have to do this.
If you’re going to enjoy your cigar, you have to be smart when you smoke it. You don’t have to mutilate the cigar with a penknife. Instead, you can use a cigar piercer, cigar punch, or a double blade guillotine to cut your cigar the right way.
Mistake #3 – Smoking at work
Well, not everybody likes the taste of cigar smoke. So one reason you should not smoke at work is that it is not ethical. Another reason why smoking while you work is dangerous is that you will not enjoy the smoke at all. It is not easy to pair stressful situations with smoking cigars.
Yes, smoking cigars can relax your mind. However, doing it during a stressful activity is not the best you can do. You can save the stick when you are back home. Pour some whisky cocktail, light your cigar, sit back, and enjoy smoking.
Mistake # 4 – Dipping the cigar in the liquor
Cigars come with their unique taste and notes. When you dip the cigar in a glass of liquor, you spoil the taste and make it taste different from what the manufacturer intended. While it is advisable to smoke when you drink some beverage or alcohol, you should never dip the stogie in the drink.
Sure, if your cigar manufacturer wanted some cognac alongside the cigar, they would put it there for you.
Mistake # 5 – Sticking to one brand of cigar
The best types of cigars are Cuban, but not every quality cigar should come from Cuba. There are also the likes of Nicaraguan you can stick to. There is no problem in choosing one brand of cigar to smoke all the time. However, this can always limit you to sampling other brands.
When you become loyal to one brand of cigar, your hands are tied, and you can hardly reach out to the net brand on the shelf. One brand of a cigar can have several cigars, and trying all there is one way of learning the different tastes and notes in cigars. Give yourself some time to sample all the cigars you can get before choosing your favorite.
Mistake # 6 – Smoking what others are smoking
When you are out with friends, you should not smoke what everyone else is smoking. Instead, you can ask the experts what might be the best cigar for a beginner like you.
If you’re a novice in cigars smoking, those brands may be challenging to smoke. You don’t want to waste a penny on some cigars. You will not be able to smoke to the last puff. Take your time and ask around for the best brands of cigars you can start your smoking experience.
Mistake # 7 – Holding cigar in your mouth
You can tell that someone has been smoking a cigar for a week if you notice them holding a cigar in the mouth. Come one. A cigar is not something you hold between your teeth and lips and suck.
You should hold the cigar in your hands and bring it forth to your mouth for the puff, then bring it back down between your fingers when you take a rest. Holding your cigars the right way helps them burn slowly, putting every pinch of tobacco into use.
Mistake # 8 – Inhaling the smoke
Unless you are a beginner, you should never inhale when you are smoking cigars. Cigars are not cigarettes, and inhaling the smoke can cause more harm to your lungs. The tobacco in cigars is stronger than that used in cigarettes.
If you want to taste your cigar, instead of inhaling the smoke, you should allow it to settle in your mouth for some seconds before blowing it out. Take a puff and rotate your cigar every 30 seconds. Bring some cold alcoholic beverages to enjoy the cigar or some water to clear your palate as you smoke.
Mistake # 9 – Expecting your cigars to taste different every year
Unlike wine that changes in taste from year to year, cigars are quite different. Even when you store your cigars in a humidor for years, the taste will not differ. In most cases, cigar manufacturers will often ensure that their cigars taste the same from year to year. They will add to and tinker the cigars with some tobacco to ensure they taste the same with some slight variations only experienced smokers can detect.
The cigar model’s taste will change over time, but this change is quite negligible in the short term. So, thinking that your favorite cigar will change its flavor from year to year is one hell of a mistake you can make.
Mistake # 10 – Smoking to the foot of the cigar
What makes cigars different from cigarettes is the fact that you don’t smoke them to the foot. Once you smoke your cigar halfway, it will go out on its own. Some people smoke the cigar until it’s 1/4, yet they are not designed to be smoked this far. Smoking cigars become a bit harsh when you get closer to the foot.
If you love smoking cigars, you should only do it the right way. Do not:
- put the cigar in a flame
- ask someone to light your cigar
- rush when lighting up your cigar –take your time
- clench the cigars between your teeth
- wet the end of your cigar by dipping in liquor
- inhale your cigar
- use a cigar holder
Final Thoughts
You should follow cigar etiquette if you want to enjoy smoking the best brand of cigar. In this article, we have highlighted all the mistakes most cigar lovers make when smoking. Follow this cigar-smoking etiquette guide if you want to look like a pro when you are smoking at a friend’s party.
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