A cigar lounge may be considered one of the last bastions of manners and etiquette. In a world where anything goes and “prim and proper” is synonymous with archaic, cigar lounges are still associated with a certain degree of decorum and propriety.

Cigar Smoking Etiquette

(Pixabay / wunderhase)

There may not be one official way to correctly smoke a cigar, but firmly established practices and traditions dictate the following norms:

Prepare your cigar

Cut the cap of your cigar using a genuine cigar cutter such as the cigar punch, the double blade cutter, or a V-cutter. Do not bite off the cap or use a pen or kitchen knife, as you will risk mutilating your cigar.
Keep your flame far from the foot of the cigar but close enough to be able to char the tobacco. Holding the flame too close will ruin your cigar. Make sure to hold the cigar with your hand instead of your mouth during this process. Doing so will enable you to see what you are doing. Blow gently on the foot of the cigar when you notice that it begins to glow red. This will extend the heat to the entire foot.

Never put your cigar in your mouth and light it the same way you light a cigarette. This will result in a bitter, unenjoyable smoke.

Take your time

Don’t try to finish your cigar in record time. Cigar smoking doesn’t require frequent puffing. Tap on your cigar every couple of minutes. Giving the cigar time to cool down a little bit will enable you to maximize the blend of aromas and flavors. Cigar smoking should be relaxing, not a race to the finish.

Ash Properly

Some cigar smokers like seeing how long they can keep the ash hanging off the end of their cigar. Keeping some ash is important as it helps the smoke become cooler, but it must not be longer than an inch.
Once your ash exceeds an inch, gently tap your ash into an ashtray. Never tap your ash onto the floor.

Put out the cigar

Some cigars are good until the very end, but most cigars will become acrid in the last two inches. When you detect a trace of bitterness, you can put your cigar out by laying it in the ashtray. It will extinguish on its own.
Smoking a cigar properly will not only help you look like a pro, it will enable you to enjoy your cigar smoking experience even more.