How To Smoke A Cigar

Here's The Right Way To Smoke A Cigar

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Smoking a cigar is one of the most manly activities one can do. It is not that you lack manliness if you don’t know how to smoke a cigar, but if you can smoke a cigar and do so like a true pro, you are given a man card that simply cannot be revoked.

Cigars are meant to be smoked in moderation. This is good for your health but not so good for practicing at getting good at it. So if you aren’t a cigar aficionado, the chances are good that you have never smoked one for fear of looking the fool, or you have attempted to smoke a cigar and failed badly.

We are here to help. You might think that the whole thing is easy, and in one way it is. You put one end in your mouth, light the other end, and it is game on. But let's be honest, everyone is going to know if you are an amateur. Your buddies know, and even worse, you know. It isn’t your fault, though; everyone had to learn the basics. What follows is a quick guide that will not only help you choose the right cigar and enjoy your it more, but will also clue you in on how to do it in a way that is not only cool, but civilized, which is actually what smoking a cigar is all about.

How to Choose a Cigar

Before you smoke your cigar, you actually have to get your hands on one. If you are in a store and looking to buy, don’t just empty out your wallet and buy the most expensive cigar in the place. Just like anything else, the most expensive is not always the best, and, since you are a total noob, you aren’t going to be able to tell the difference anyway. Buy something in the medium price range; you don’t want to go too cheap, because while expensive is not always the best, the cheapest is almost always the worst.

Size does matter when it comes to a cigar. The diameter and the length of the cigar lets you know how intense it is going to be. If you are a new kid on the cigar block, then you want to get something that is on the long and thin side of things, and those tend to be more mellow — one that is short and fat will almost certainly mess you up because it is so harsh. You also want to roll the cigar between your fingers to check it out. It should be firm throughout; if you feel any lumps or any weak spots, don’t buy it and move on to the next.

There are numerous different types of cigars out there. What follows is a basic primer, but know that there are more kinds out there than shown here. As a scrub, though, this is most of what you need to know. Cigars are measured by ring gauge, which is the diameter of the cigar: the higher the ring gauge, the fatter the smoke.

Robusto

This cigar is one of the shortest types you can buy, and you can find these pretty much anywhere. It is a very reliable type of cigar. These usually have a ring gauge between 40 and 50.

Belicoso

This word means “warlike” in Spanish and it is easy to see why. This is the cigar for bad boys, but don’t play with one until you know you can pull it off, as there is nothing worse than a bad boy poser. They have a ring gauge of around 54.

Corona

Corona cigars, are rather long and thin, come in many flavors and have a ring gauge of 42 or so. This is a light cigar and is good for those who are just starting out.

Lonsdale

Lonsdale cigars are in the same basic class as Corona. They are long and thin, about the same diameter as coronas, but might be a tad longer. The ring gauge is around 42 on these.

Panatella

These cigars are quite long, and also very slim, with only a 38 ring gauge, because they are so long, they might take two whole hours to smoke.

Churchill

Yeah, you know who these are named after, and if you don’t then you need some serious lessons in cigar history. Just like the former prime minister of the United Kingdom, these cigars don’t mess around. They have a ring gauge of around 47 and are known for their heavy smoke.

Cutting Your Cigar

You are going to need to clip off the end of the cigar before you light up. Don’t bite off the end! Seriously, just don’t. You can use a knife if you have to, but it is best to have a cigar cutter. You want to be decisive when you clip, and cut off the end with authority in a powerful and rapid motion; this will keep the cigar from tearing, which not only will give you a better smoke, but will also not make you look bad.

Cutting it with a knife is acceptable only if you don’t have a clipper handy, and biting the end off should be avoided at all costs. For best results, snip the end off with a quick, strong motion. This will help you avoid tearing, and ultimately lead to a better smoking experience.

We Recommend:

Xikar Xi1 Cigar Cutter, $39.96 at Amazon.com

Lighting Your Cigar

All right, now you are going to have to light it. People mainly fall into two categories: those that can easily light cigars, and those that have an incredibly hard time with it. If you fall into the latter category, you want to make sure you have the right equipment for the job. Don’t even start with a book of matches — just get out of here with that. Wooden matches are fine, except for the fact that they don’t stay lit for long, so if you are a rookie, these should be avoided. You could go with a regular old cigarette lighter, but true cigar hardcores will tell you that may affect your cigar’s flavor.

Go with a torch lighter. They not only work well, but make you look like you know what you are doing.

Don’t put the cigar in your mouth and light it like a cigarette. Hold it in your hands and put the tip of the cigar above the flame, and not in it — once again, that is supposed to affect the flavor of the cigar in a negative way. At this point you may be panicking and just dying to get it lit, but take your time and do it right. You want to burn the end of the cigar to prime the tobacco. As you are lighting it, spin the cigar until it is burning evenly. When it starts to glow, it is go time.

We Recommend:

Moretti Vertigo Churchill Quad Flame Lighter, $25.99 at Amazon.com

Smoking Your Cigar

Look at you! Here you are, smoking a cigar. What do you know? Careful, though! Don’t inhale the smoke; that isn’t what this is about. If you do, you are probably going to cough like crazy and look the fool, and you aren’t going to get the full experience. What you want to do is fill your mouth with smoke and then blow it back out; if you do this five times or so you should start seeing some decent smoke, which lets you know things are good to go — the cigar has been lit.

Now it is time for you to chill out and enjoy the flavor of your cigar. It is going to burn on its own, up to a certain point, anyway. Take a drag off it every minute or two to keep it lit, as you don’t want to go through that whole process again. You should be good for anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours.

But you still aren’t out of the woods yet. Most pros tend to leave the cigar band on — if you take if off, you might tear the wrapper, thus messing up your cigar. Not only that, but leaving the band on offers an easy place to hold the cigar, and many smokers consider it not only something that should be shown off to others, but a collectible for when you are done.

Then there is the fact that your cigar is going to ash. You don’t want it to fall off on the rug, or on your lap, but you also don’t want to be flicking it constantly — this is a fine cigar, not a Marlboro Light. Once the ash gets to be about an inch, give it a light tap into an ashtray; if it stays on, let it be — all the means is that your cigar is doing what it is supposed to do, and you can try again in a minute or so.

Finally, never, and I mean never ever, just put out your cigar in an ashtray like you were stubbing out a cigarette. Just let it go out on its own.

So Which Cigar Should You Buy?

You are the only one that knows that for sure. What follows are a few suggestions to try out, but in reality it is going to depend on your personal taste. Try some different types of cigars, and figure out your own opinions on what is best. Once you have tried ten or so different cigars, you will start to hone in on what you are looking for. Here are a few you might want to check out.

La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull (Editor’s Choice)

This cigar from the Dominican Republic is simply excellent and is receiving rave reviews from cigar experts. It has a taste that is both bold and refined. There are hints of hickory, saffron and cumin, and is quite tangy to the taste, but this cigar still manages to bring the manliness to the table in a way that can’t be denied. Because of demand, it is difficult to get these in a box larger than 10.

$150.99 for 10 at Famous-Smoke.com

Padrón Serie 1926 No. 9 (Runner-Up)

Padrón is an extremely well-known name in the world of cigars. Based in Nicaragua, the company is still being run by its 90-year-old founder. Like other fine cigars from this company, this cigar is extremely rich, and it leaves you with a hint of cocoa, earth and coffee. One simply cannot go wrong with a Padrón cigar, and this one is one of the best.

$460.60 for 20 at GothamCigars.com

Rocky Patel Sun Grown Maduro Robusto (Best Value)

If you want a great cigar for under ten dollars a pop, then you simply can’t go wrong with this excellent smoke from Nicaragua. The combination is of Nicaraguan tobacco combined with earthy, nutty tones, as well as a bittersweet chocolate. Rocky Patel is an excellent name in cigars and this one does not disappoint.

$165.99 for a Box of 20 at Famous Smoke Shop

Storing Your Cigars

All right, so you bought some cigars and even smoked one — good for you. Now where are you going to put them? If you get the feeling that your sock drawer is not going to cut it, then you are probably right. The perfect condition for a cigar is 70% humidity at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. There are some DIY methods out there for storing them, such as putting your cigars into a plastic food storage container. For every 25 cigars in the container, put a damp sponge or paper towel in it, then store it on a shelf.

But if you are going to really get into the cigar game, you are going to need to drop some coin on a cigar humidor. These can run you anywhere from $100, which are horrible, to well over $2,000, which is ridiculous unless you are a serious collector.

Ambiente by Daniel Marshall

The best bang for your buck is probably the Ambiente by Daniel Marshall. While the price of over 300 dollars may seem high, once you do a little research you will realize how reasonable this humidor is. It doesn’t break the bank, looks sophisticated, and offers everything that you need to keep your cigars in perfect condition.

$325.00 at Amazon.com

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