Stuff You Should Know: Smoking a Cigar
Cigars have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity over the past decade or so, and for good reason — a quality cigar smoked properly is an experience like no other. But cigar smoking isn’t something you should just dive into blindly. Everything from making the right purchase to the way you light a cigar can make or break the entire deal.
Here are eight things you should know about smoking a cigar…
Choose Wisely
If you don’t remember anything else, at least remember this: All cigars are definitely not made the same. If you’re looking for a quality cigar smoking experience, picking up a two dollar box of Dutch Masters will not do the trick (unless you’re planning to tear them open and fill them with weed, in which case those are exactly what you want).
At the very least, find something handmade. White Owls, Phillies, Dutch Masters and anything else sitting behind the counter at your local bodega are machine rolled trash. If you’re looking for the good stuff, find a tobacconist in your area. They should have their cigars nicely stored and displayed in a humidor, which will likely be a large cabinet with glass doors or, even more awesomely, an actual room. You’ll know it when you see it.
If the place you’re buying your cigar from doesn’t have a humidor, you’re in the wrong place. Pick us up a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos and get the hell out of there.
The Colour and the Shape
So you’ve found a humidor. Excellent! Now what?
Cigars come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Instead of bombarding you with information about what differentiates a Churchill from a Lonsdale and such, we’ll try to make this part as basic as possible. If you’re looking for a full-bodied smoke with lots of complex flavors, go for something with a dark wrapper (maduro). If you’re more the born to be mild type, go for a lighter colored wrapper.
The ring gauge of the cigar (exactly what it sounds like, think finger size) also plays into the complexity of the smoke. A larger ring gauge allows for a more complex mix of tobaccos, more smoke, etc.
It’s not a scientific method by any means, but think about how you drink your coffee. Do you order the medium roast or the dark roast? Cream and sugar or black? Your cigar preference probably isn’t too much different. If you find yourself at a loss to decide, ask the tobacconist for help. That’s what they get paid for.
Don’t Hesitate
See, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Now that you’ve selected your smoke, by all means, smoke it. Like, right now if possible.
Here’s the thing, cigars are a delicate beast. They have to be stored in ideal conditions or they go right to shit. Unless you have a perfectly calibrated, cedar lined humidor at home to store your cigar in, you want to leave as little delay between purchase and light up as possible. A few hours shouldn’t be a problem, but make sure you keep your cigar sealed in a ziplock bag or something.
Whatever you do, just don’t let the thing dry out, or you’ll ruin it. The contraption pictured above is a water pillow cigar humidor bag. If a few days will pass between purchase and smoke, spend a couple bucks and buy one. You’ll be glad you did.
Drink Up, Johnny
Pairing a cigar with a drink is a great idea, but not mandatory. There really isn’t a firm set of rules for what drinks go best with a particular type of smoke, no matter what your friend with the slick-backed hair and expensive cuff links may claim.
If booze is your thing, most people go for cognac, single malt scotch or rum. If you’re on the wagon, go with coffee, preferably a dark roast or even espresso if you can stomach it.
But honestly, you can drink whatever the hell you want and still enjoy a nice cigar. They don’t need any outside help.
Cut With Care
You’ve got your smoke, you’ve got your drink, you’ve surrounded yourself with a group of people you hope to deceive into thinking you’re wealthy because you have a Cohiba dangling from your mouth…it’s time to begin the process. Before you can fire up, you’re going to have to cut the end off. Some people refer to this as “creating an aperture.” Those people are pretentious dickfaces.
There are all sorts of fancy implements that will do the job, but those in the know stick with the reliable old guillotine. There’s one pictured above, you can buy them literally anywhere that fine cigars are sold. They’re cheap. Buy one.
Cut right above the cap line just before the curved end of the cigar.
Don’t use scissors and, for the love of God, don’t just chomp the end off like Boss Hogg. That’s amateur shit and you run the risk of damaging the cigar before you even get to enjoy it.
Light It Up
Lighting your cigar is a bit more complex than you might imagine. It’s not like a cigarette. Lighting it like one will have dire consequences for your smoking enjoyment.
First of all, use wood matches or a butane lighter. It doesn’t matter which one you choose, just steer clear of paper matches or gas lighters. They contain chemicals that will alter the flavor of your smoke for the worst. Once you’ve settled on your fire of choice, do this:
- Before actually lighting the cigar, warm the tobacco in the foot of the cigar (the part you light) by holding the flame underneath the foot, but not actually touching it, and rotating the cigar a few times. This will soften the tobacco up and make it more available to your warming flame. It’s like liquoring up your date, sort of.
- Next, hold the flame (use a new match if needed) in front of the cigar, but not actually touching it. Inhale softly and rotate the cigar to ensure an even light.
- If necessary, lightly blow on the foot of the cigar to get everything burning evenly.
That’s it! Trust us, it reads a lot more complex than it actually is. The gist is that you don’t want to get the flame too close to the cigar while lighting it. The excessive heat will make for an overall less pleasurable smoke.
Blaze Up!
Finally, we’ve come to the good part. It’s time to smoke. There’s not much to know here. The most important thing to remember is DON’T INHALE. Just let the smoke waft around in your pie hole for a bit so you can savor the various flavors and aromas, and then open up and lightly push it out with a small exhale. Very small. Feel free to make a few smoke rings if you’d like everyone to hate you.
If you’re among a huge group of experienced smokers, you’ll probably want to remove the cigar label. Leaving it in place so everyone can see what brand you’re smoking is considered showboating. If you’re just sitting on your deck with a couple friends, it shouldn’t be an issue, unless your friends are total jerks.
DO Half-Ass It
Again, we can’t stress this enough, you aren’t smoking a cigarette. Cigars aren’t meant to be smoked to the point that you can barely hold them without burning your fingers. Once you hit the halfway point, you’ll begin to notice that things are getting progressively less pleasant on the smoking front. That means it’s time to let it die.
When that time comes, let it die is exactly what you do. No need to bash its face into the ashtray or throw water on it like some kind of out of control inferno. Just set it down and will go out on its own.
Repeat steps 1-8 as needed.
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9:10 am on April 19th, 2011
Excellent post!
You deserve a cigar!
I like mine on ‘the dark side’.
Palpatine Maduro Robustos, of course!
9:54 am on April 19th, 2011
Good advice.
So far my favorite smoke is 5 Vegas Gold
1:09 pm on April 19th, 2011
A good cigar should be pleasant right down to the nub. There is no golden rule that says all cigars start getting worse in the second half. Plenty of my favorite cigars really pick up in body and flavor in the final third. A good cigar should be flavorful and smooth from the moment you light it to the point where you decide to put it down be that half way or when you smell your fingers cooking.
1:57 pm on April 19th, 2011
Wow, excellent tips indeed. Very good read.
http://www.total-privacy.int.tc
2:57 pm on April 19th, 2011
I agree with Paul, good cigars get better the closer to the nub you get (the ‘cabo’, for those of you from countries where the really good tabaco is actually from). That also means more bang for your buck, if that is an issue.
Otherwise, very much on the spot. The bottom line is that cigars are like wine, past a certain point (the $20 mark, for most folks), you can’t tell the difference, but the difference between a $3 “cigar” and a $7 one can be immense.
Find one or two types and brands you really like first, then spend a little money here and there exploring other options and just have fun with it. Also, never walk into a store and ask for “the most expensive cigar” in stock, not only will you lose the respect of anyone within earshot, but you will also end up overpaying for a cigar that was bad even before it spent 6 months on a shelf.
Since we seem to be putting down recommendations, I like Partagas Black Label Robustos (dark). Otherwise, I pretty much have an exclusive with http://www.jfctobacco.net/ – give them a try.
3:02 pm on April 19th, 2011
I didn’t realize we had gone back in time to 2002..during the cigar fad.
Just know that if you are smoking a cigar, everyone that sees you, especially women, knows that you are using that cigar as a stand in for your first love, a big fat penis in your mouth.
4:34 pm on April 19th, 2011
The color of a cigar is NOT a reliable indicator of how strong or robust it will be. Dark maduro cigars are usually quite mild.
Some of the strongest cigars you can buy have light brown or tan wrappers but puffing on them for just a few minutes will knock your socks off.
Fine hand rolled cigars are like fine wine. One of my favorites Punch Monarca is aged for 7 years before even being put into boxes and sent to market for sale.
As with fine wine, you need to take the time to find out what you like. Once you’ve tried one or two ask your tobacconist to reccommend brands that have the qualities you find appealing and
to help you avoid those you don’t like.
Fine cigars, like fine wine and cognac are not for the great unwashed. And you’ll discover rather quickly that just like fine wine and fine cognac they’re expensive.
Enjoy!
8:14 pm on April 19th, 2011
I have found that I lose all interest in the opinion of those that use phrases like “not for the great unwashed”.
9:19 pm on April 19th, 2011
If you keep lighting them incorrectly as you suggest in this article, and forget to purge the cigar, then you indeed won’t enjoy the second half of the cigar.
1) DO NOT inhale air through the cigar while lighting it. This takes the superheated air of the lighter into the cigar and with it the bad tasting chemicals from a superheated burn. Toast the foot until it is completely lit. Give a gentle exhale on it to expel the lighting smoke. Wait a few seconds for it to cool. Then enjoy.
2) you forgot to mention to take your time while smoking. If you’re huffing the cigar down too quickly you again will start to super heat the tobacco and things will taste bad sooner.
3) Purge your cigar! Notice that little bit of a bite to the flavor? Things not tasting right anymore? It’s time to purge. Get out your lighter and fire it up just at the very tip of where the cigar is burning. Now gently exhale and check out how your cigar turns into a flame thrower. All that flame is coming from the bad tasting elements that have collected as the cigar has burned and you’ve drawn them into the cigar. Exhale gently purging the cigar until the blow torch effect stops. Wait 30 seconds for it to cool. Enjoy the flavor of your cigar again without the nastiness. That’s how you can enjoy a cigar past the half way point.
6:05 am on April 20th, 2011
I’m still pretty new to cigar smoking. Its cool to read some of the tricks of the trade from some of you vets.
3:26 am on April 21st, 2011
“First of all, use wood matches or a butane lighter. It doesn’t matter which one you choose, just steer clear of paper matches or gas lighters.”
Huh? Gas lighters ARE butane lighters, that’s the gas they use. What did you mean to tell us?
7:09 am on April 21st, 2011
A nice little article, gentlemen.
7:14 am on April 21st, 2011
P.M.Lawrence,
I think the author is suggesting to avoid “Zippo” type lighters. You are correct that butane is a gas, but the author most likely is referring to the naptha (white gas) fluid filled Zippo as the one to avoid. Butane burns quite cleanly, but naptha, at least under atmospheric burn conditions doesn’t burn anywhere near as cleanly. Your nose will confirm this.
8:39 am on April 21st, 2011
Che Guevara?? Couldn’t you come up with a more positive role model than a communist and mass murderer to display in your article?
9:31 am on April 21st, 2011
I second Wiglaf’s motion. With everyone from Winston Churchill to Groucho Marx as exemplars, you had to go with this piece of garbage? The first thing on your list was Choose Wisely – perhaps you should take your own advice.
5:39 pm on April 21st, 2011
You featured a picture of the muderious, sadistic killer CHE GUEVARA. That’s the only cigar smoker you know???
12:55 pm on April 22nd, 2011
Che a murderer? Are you nuts? How successful the rep. brainwashing is…
Btw. Winston Churchill is responsible for the death of 150K germans killed in the last days of war in Dresden for the only reason of revenge and hate.
But that article is not about death/murder/politics but CIGARS.
Good points and even better comments from real cigar lovers.
5:25 am on April 28th, 2011
Actually, a good cigar comes wrapped in cedar, and you should light the cedar then use it to light your cigar. That way, you never worry about any undo chemicals entering your smoke.
I completely agree with the other commentators that a good cigar can be smoked to the nub. A great cigar won’t get harsh; rather the flavors will be more complex as you cross the halfway point.
My 2 favorites are Romeo y Julieta (Cubans are best, buy Dominican are very, very good), and Arturo Fuente Opus X (Dominican, better than any Cuban IMO).
5:28 am on April 28th, 2011
And yes, Che had death squads roam Cuba and kill all opposition. Look it up. Churchill was, “defending our island, whatever the costs shall be…” Big difference.
4:56 pm on July 1st, 2011
I smoke cigars often, and a good cigar will be good down to the very end. Cheap cigars taste bad fast, if your’s sucks half way through, you’ve wasted money.
Also, while you can ask the tobacco store owner for help in selecting a cigar. Don’t piss them off with it. Don’t say stuff like, “I want a cigar that tastes good.” Don’t wander in not knowing anything about cigars, read up a bit so you have an idea of what you want.
10:20 am on July 4th, 2011
@Guv’nor
“Don’t wander in not knowing anything about cigars”
Why not? If it is a reputable establishment and the owners are real cigar enthusiasts, they’d be more than happy to help. Let them know you are just starting out and want to try new things. Just be willing to listen to their advise. Having a conversation with someone knowledgeable is the fastest way to learn.
4:32 pm on July 13th, 2011
I agree with fotzenhobel. Brainwashed indeed. One mans terroist is another mans patriot. Read into Che a bit more and you will find a compassionate doctor who spent months living and volunteering at a leprosy clinic.
Great article thought. I dug the humor.
1:40 pm on July 15th, 2011
I think this article was written by someone who like a cigar a few times a year, and doesnt know much about them..
Wrapper color is NOT an indicator of strength.
Ring Guages and sizes do not pre-determine a flavor difference. Longer cigars tend to burn cooler, and smaller ring guage cigars tend to have more flavor of the wrapper. other than that, each cigar is different.
Toasting the foot of a cigar is kind of antiquated act that most serious cigar smokers dont do anymore. Dont use a zippo, but other than that, light it how you want, it wont affect the flavors.
You typically shouldnt remove the band until you get down near it. The heat eases the hold of the glue, and lets it come off easier. If you try to remove the band right away, there is a very good chance that you are gonna tear the wrapper. No one EVER thinks of keeping your band on as “showboating”.
Seriously, if you write an article, at least get the facts straight.
8:25 am on August 14th, 2011
There’s a lot of misinformation here. You sound like a novice yourself spouting dumbass shit like “The ring gauge of the cigar (exactly what it sounds like, think finger size) also plays into the complexity of the smoke. A larger ring gauge allows for a more complex mix of tobaccos, more smoke, etc.” More smoke sure, but more complex mix of tobaccos…hah, you tool.
8:23 pm on September 5th, 2011
I smoke cigars often for many years. I smoke mine down pretty far…why? Because I enjoy them like that…I do leave the label on through most of the cigar…why? Because I don’t want the wrapper to maybe rip or maybe unravel. The only thing I will not use to light my cigar is a candle. Hey….but that’s just me….
9:15 pm on November 12th, 2011
Che haters are so ignorant its not funny. And to suggest that Churchhill is some how a more fitting example of a cigar smoker blows me away.
If one took the time to examine the history of central america one can only conclude that Che was the ultimate hero.
5:57 pm on January 17th, 2012
Very well put, however I do have some reservations about the end of your post, one it isn’t always show boating when it comes to leaving the label on. In some cigars if you wait until you smoke to the band, (some people say you should put it out) to remove the warmth of your “cherry” will actually help the glue to warm a little bit. Which will make it easier to remove and for some cigars keep you from ruining your cigar. Second and final comment You say you shouldn’t “nub” a cigar, however there are several smokes out there that are good all the way down to the nub.. just saying. Other than that well done good sir and long ashes!
3:48 pm on January 26th, 2012
I like to smoke Cuban cigars are good;
I also like the Americans, Jamaicans.
Dutch, Canary Islands, among others.
After a good lunch or dinner.
accompanied with a good coffee or
a glass of brandy, run or pure malt Scottish .-
7:59 pm on February 8th, 2012
Dont crucify the guy so he spoke his opinion.
heres my opinion. light it with anything that will light it evenly and wont stink. i just hate cigars that get lit at a slant because i rush it. throwing it away atleast for me is like throwing away 5 out of the ten bucks i paid which is silly to me. i smoke till its all gone or nearly all gone. other than that find a brand you like and stick with it i like liva v series and cain habano 5500. some acid cigars when i first started and never a nasty swisher
5:26 am on March 3rd, 2012
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