Doesn’t matter if you are an occasional cigar smoker or an expert cigar aficionado or connoisseur; you should know the proper cigar etiquette of cigar smoking.
Celebrating fun occasions and unwinding with friends while smoking cigars turned into a tradition in the mid of 18th century.
With time passing, the practice became popular, and a few cigar etiquettes were formed regarding how one should smoke a cigar.
So please sit back, relax, and let’s explore the more delicate points of cigar smoking.
What is Cigar Etiquette
Cigar etiquette is a set of things you do and do not do while you smoke a cigar to display respect.
The list of etiquettes was first published by the famous cigar smoker Zino Davidoff back in 1967.
The Swiss tobacconist published Zino Davidoff’s guide to cigar etiquette to educate cigar aficionados on how to act while smoking cigars with a company.
The essay was well-received, and all the cigar lovers ensured they followed the etiquette mentioned in it.
Some of the rules from Zino Davidoff’s essay were to remove the band immediately after lightning, to hold the cigar between the middle and index finger, to take a 15-minute break between each stogie, to allow the cigar to embrace death, and to never light up a two-third smoked cigar.
The last rule was ruled out later as this caused waste of the product.
Cigar Etiquette: The Do’s and Don’ts
Zino Davidoff proposed several suggestions and rules on what an aficionado should and should not do while smoking cigars.
Some rules stayed the same, while others evolved with the changing time and trends.
Let us discuss a few dos and don’t rule by Davidoff for cigar smokers.
Don’t Bring an Outside Cigar Into a Lounge
A cigar lounge makes money by offering a place and cigars to smoke.
Bringing your cigars from home portrays you taking advantage of their services without return.
Don’t Stick a Cigar up to Your Nose
Never stick a cigar up your nose while cigar shopping.
Instead, if you are tempted to smell the aroma, the foot of the cigar is the best place. The outer leaf or the cap won’t deliver any scent.
Follow House Rules
Every cigar house has a set of rules they would like you to follow.
By following the rules, you can enjoy the smoking experience.
Don’t Flex the Brand You Smoke
Some people can afford a $50 cigar, while some can’t.
You should smoke a cigar for the experience and not show off wealth.
Don’t Take Freebies and Disappear
Never attend a cigar event for free services and disappear.
Instead, you should stay and show your gratitude by buying some cigars.
Do Develop a Preference
Cigars are available in many sizes, shapes, and varieties. And picking one depends entirely on a person’s preference.
These are some of the most loved cigars based on their size, shape, and taste to help you pick a favorite.
Robusto
A Robusto’s size is between 4.7 to 5.6 inches; the ring gauge is around 50.
The cigar is cylindrical with a flat foot, a proper figurado, which should be cut before lighting up.
Robustos are incredibly appealing, especially to people who have never smoked a cigar.
Because of how well their girth fits the hand while being manageably long. Compared to a Corona, a Robusto burns more slowly and cold.
It gives a strong punch in the beginning, but the taste changes later on into leather and wood.
Corona
When it comes to cigar shapes, many people think the Corona is the bee’s knees. Typically comes from 5.5 to 6 inches long with a ring gauge of 42 to 44.
The narrow cigar usually offers the smoker a gentle hint of rich yet subtle creamy caramel and a fine finish of coffee and almonds.
Do Perform a Clean Cut and Properly Light Your Cigar
Cutting a cigar has become less colorful as we become more elegant than in movie scenes.
Depending on the cigar cutter, you can pick the one that you prefer the most out of these four.
Straight Cigar Cutter
The most basic type of cut for any cigar is made using a single-blade guillotine.
For a cleaner cut, many enthusiasts use a double-blade guillotine.
Wedge or V-Cutter
It is similar to a guillotine cutter. But the blade, instead of cutting the complete cap, puts a wedge in the shape of a V in it.
Hole Punch
The punch cutter puts a hole in the cigar instead of cutting it.
If the hole is not sufficiently larger, it will impede the smoke’s path.
Shuriken Cutter
This cutter cuts six slits in the cigar cap with its sharp razor blades.
Most cigar smokers prefer straight or guillotine cuts to enjoy their cigar experience. We suggest you shouldn’t use another cutter if the cap is in your mouth.
You can light the cigar with a butane lighter. Ensure it’s lit evenly by gently toasting the foot.
Or make the experience more personal with cedar spills; always carry these accessories with you.
Do Pair Your Cigar with a Beverage of Choice
To quell the urge to spit while enjoying your cigar, we suggest you pair it with your favorite drink.
Alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages all matters to your wish.
You can never go wrong with a rum. Also, full-bodied cigars are paired well with dark rum or vintage cognac.
But if you are not an alcohol lover, pairing your cigar with coffee and tea would also help suppress the urge to spit.
Do Enjoy Cigars with Company
Be it drinking or smoking. You can’t enjoy the experience to its fullest if you are not surrounded by good company.
We suggest you call friends to share a cigar while recalling and recollecting good old times.
Do Ash Your Cigar Gently
Unlike cigarettes, it is not advised to ash off your cigar that often.
The ash on the cigars acts as an insulator.
It should therefore be allowed to fall off naturally.
Some cigars can hold on to a good amount of ash, and you could feel the urge to shake it off. But we suggest otherwise.
Place the cigar gently on the ashtray to wear off the excess ash but in no case, shake it off like a cigarette, as it may cause the cigar to turn too hot.
Do Hold Your Cigar Properly
To avoid biting on your cigar, you must hold it properly.
Smoking cigar is like no other leisure activity. You have to be elegant in your manners.
To support the weight of the cigar, you must grip it firmly between your thumb and multiple fingers. The cigar lovers call it “The Respectful Grip.”
Use all four fingers for long cigars, but you can grip the shorter or burned ones with three or fewer fingers.
Make sure you are not putting excess force on the stick and holding it firmly enough to move it back and forth in your hand.
Honestly, there are quite more masculine and sophisticated ways to hold a cigar.
Don’t Bother Removing the Cigar Band
Many cigar aficionados today consider removing the cigar band just after lighting it or before to avoid showing off. We advise against it.
The purpose of a cigar band was to hold it firmly between your fingers without discoloring your fingers.
But with the modern band design getting complex, the band does not seem to support any purpose except for marketing.
However, removing it early might risk damaging the cigar as the glue used to fix the band is attached to the cigar cover.
So, while smoking your favorite taste, we suggest you wait until about three-quarters length is left in front of the band.
If it does not slide off naturally, you can take it off without significantly damaging the cigar.
Don’t Smash Your Cigar in the Ashtray When Done
Another proper cigar etiquette is to put out your cigar correctly.
Once you are done smoking, if the cigar is still burning, you can keep it on the side of the ashtray, and it will go out in time on its own.
Smashing the cigar like a cigarette butt is not advised, as this act will cause a foul odor to permeate the surroundings. Thus making everyone around you uncomfortable.
Don’t Store a Half-Smoked Cigar Back in Your Humidor
Keeping a half-smoked cigar with the new ones in the humidor is a bad idea. It will ruin your beautifully stored cigars.
If you don’t plan on smoking it again within a few days, you should discard it.
But if you would like to use it again, it is better to let it extinguish on its own in an ashtray.
Once it’s out, you can neatly cut it and place it in an air-tight container or ziplock.
Don’t Dip Your Cigar in Your Alcohol
You can pair the premium cigar with an alcoholic beverage of your liking. Still, it is never advised to dip it in the drink.
Dampening the cigar by submerging it in alcohol will not improve its freshness nor make it moist.
On the contrary, wetting it can make it lose its original flavor apart from the fact that it will not be lit once it is wet.
However, Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks otherwise! He rather enjoys his fine cigars infused with alcohol.
In fact, he explains an exciting story while filming Total Recall in 1989. While in a fine 5-star restaurant, a Mexican taught him this extravagant technique.
Don’t Chew Your Cigar
It is common for the cigar head to accumulate some saliva when you are smoking. Still, it is against cigar etiquette to chew on it.
You might think that Winston Churchill used to chew on his cigars, so why am I not allowed to?
Simply because it is against proper cigar etiquette, and chewing might damage the construction of the stogie.
Don’t Smoke While Walking or Working
A cigar is a pastime activity that you should allow yourself to enjoy in a relaxing manner.
While walking or working, your breath is distracted, lessening the cigar’s flavor.
It is also a rule in Zino Davidoff’s guide to cigar etiquette that one should never smoke a cigar while walking.
Therefore, it is inappropriate for a cigar love to do anything other than smoke.
Don’t Chain-Smoke Cigars
Smoking cigar is a hobby, not a habit. Therefore, we suggest never to chain-smoke cigars.
Winston Churchill, known to smoke about 8 to 10 cigars daily, used to leave his cigars burning, not smoking constantly, to chew on them.
Some might wish to chain smoke, thinking they will enjoy the same flavor.
But they will be surprised by a different smoke as all handmade cigars cannot be 100% the same.
