How to Smoke a Cigar Without Going Up In Smoke

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We get a lot of questions from cigar aficionados who are just starting out. This is why I wrote this comprehensive guide for newbies planning to learn how to smoke their first cigar.

Smoking a cigar is a timeless sign of class: Winston Churchill smoked cigars. So did Babe Ruth, Mark Twain, and King Edward VII. Modern celebrities and politicians who enjoy lighting up a stogie include David Letterman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bill Clinton. If you want to look as classy as these gents when you are smoking your first cigar, though, you’re going to need to do some reading first. Fortunately for you, everything you need to know to get started is outlined below. Not only will reading this brief guide ensure that you won’t look like a fool when you light up, but you’ll also enjoy your first cigar if you don’t make common newbie mistakes!

Let’s get started!

Buying Your First Premium Cigar

The word “premium” may send you running for the hills if you’re new to the world of cigars, but don’t mistake “premium” for “expensive.” A lot of premium cigars are very reasonably priced, and you can buy a great beginner stogie for three to five bucks. Ignore that impulse to purchase your first cigar from the checkout counter at the liquor store. If you do that, I guarantee you will not enjoy it.

Go to a tobacconist, and pick a cigar out of a humidor which has been properly taken care of and kept at the right temperature and humidity. I suggest a cigar which is mild or medium; while some newbie smokers enjoy full-bodied cigars right off, many find the experience overwhelming. Don’t forget that a cigar is a slow, leisurely experience, very different from a cigarette. It will probably take you about an hour to smoke your cigar. Here are some recommendations for your first cigar:

  • Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente. This is a medium-bodied cigar with a natural or maduro wrapper. Both are excellent, and retail for around $4.00.
  • Brickhouse. This cigar is also medium in body and has flavors of honey, nutmeg, and cedar. It retails for around $5.00.
  • Torano Master Series. This cigar sells for around $6.00, and is perfect for a dessert lover; flavors and aromas include butterscotch, gingerbread, dried fruit, and nuts.
  • Flor de Oliva. This cigar is very cheap, only about $2.50 per stick. The quality is excellent, with great construction and a simple, but pleasant flavor profile both woody and sweet.

Flor de Oliva Presidente

I also suggest you ask the tobacconist for suggestions. Many tobacconists are very friendly, knowledgeable people, and your local tobacconist can probably provide you with some outstanding advice.

Parts of a Cigar

There’s no point trying to explain how to cut, light, and smoke your cigar until you know the basic terminology. The body of your cigar has three components. The outermost leaf is called the wrapper. It’s the part you see. Inside it are the binder and filler leaves. The binder, as you might guess, contains the filler leaves. All three contribute flavor (check out our cigar flavor wheel) to the cigar, and the quality of the binder usually determines how even the burn will be.

The body of the cigar is enclosed by the head at the top and the foot at the bottom. The foot is the part of the cigar where ash will form (it’s also where you light the cigar). The head is the part you smoke, and it will be covered by a cap when you buy it. The cap is a round piece of tobacco that has been attached to the head to keep the wrapper from falling apart. If you look closely, you will see a clear line here. Finally, the label which names the cigar company is called the band. You generally should remove this, but only if it will not damage the cigar (generally not a problem).

Cutting and Lighting Your First Cigar

Another thing you will have to buy before you smoke your first cigar is a cutter. There are a number of different types of cutters on the market, but I recommend you get a simple guillotine cutter. You’ll see a wide price range, but look at the lower end and you can get a perfectly efficient cutter for under $10. To use the cutter, put the cutter flat on a counter or table, and then insert the cigar vertically. The area you are aiming for is just before the cap, which you’ll find at the head of the cigar, not the foot:

Cutting your first cigar

If you overdo it, your cigar might start to fall apart. So if in doubt, be conservative at first. If you need to cut more, you can, but you can’t undo a cut you already have made. You want the head of the cigar to be open, but not loose. Note that cutting torpedo shaped cigars (the ones with the pointy ends) is more challenging than cutting standard parejo shaped cigars. So you may not want to purchase a torpedo on your first go. Another tip is to try wetting the cap with your lips before you cut. This usually makes the cap come right off with minimal effort, resulting in a cleaner cut.

At this point, you’re ready to light your first cigar! Avoid cigarette lighters, because the fluid can taint the flavors of the cigar, and you don’t want that. Some smokers use standard matches, while others opt for butane torch lighters. Do not try to light the cigar with the head in your mouth. You may eventually learn how to do this, but you won’t want to try on your first go. You’re bound to do an uneven job of it if you can’t see what you’re doing. There’s also a chance you’ll make the burn too hot. Hold up the cigar in front of you and pay attention to what you’re doing as you light the foot. Get the burn nice and even. You can do this by rotating the cigar.

Lighting your first cigar

Text & pictures not very clear? Watch Penthouse model Aria Giovanni light a cigar:

Smoking Your First Cigar Like a Pro

First-time cigar smokers often make mistakes while smoking because they assume that smoking a cigar is similar to smoking a cigarette. These mistakes include:

  • Smoking too fast. Your cigar was designed to provide a pleasant, relaxing experience. Many cigars take around an hour to smoke, and some take even longer. So don’t try to rush it. Otherwise, the cigar will end up burning hotter than it is meant to, and that will ruin the experience.
  • Smoking too slowly. Don’t overshoot and smoke too slowly, because this will cause your cigar to go out. If it does, don’t worry about it. Just relight and start again. You’ll get the hang of it.
  • Don’t inhale the cigar smoke! This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Cigar smoke is potent, and if you inhale, you’ll feel like your lungs are on fire. The flavor and aroma of a cigar is meant to be enjoyed in the nose and mouth, not in the lungs. Many a newbie smoker who has inhaled by mistake has been put off of cigars—even though this was not the intended experience.

Extra Tips

Now that you know the basics of how to smoke a cigar, here are some additional tips which you’ll find helpful as you explore the world of stogies:

  • When you finish your cigar, don’t put it out by squashing it in an ash tray. You may tap off your ash into the tray as you smoke, but this is simply not how you put out a cigar. If you just set it down in the tray, it will eventually go out. This is basic cigar etiquette, but not something a beginner would necessarily know.
  • Have a glass of water with you. You can choose another beverage, but beverages all impact the flavor profiles of cigars (and vice versa). So I recommend you go with something simple for your first cigar. Later you can learn all about pairing cigars with drinks.
  • If your breath smells bad after you smoke, try eating some fennel seeds—a simple, natural cure for cigar breath!

Don’t expect to be smoking like a veteran cigar aficionado right from your first stogie, and if the experience suffers a few hiccups, try again and don’t get down about it. It takes most people at least several cigars to learn how to smoke comfortably and really get into the experience. Following these tips should get you off to a great start!

10 thoughts on “How to Smoke a Cigar Without Going Up In Smoke

  1. Simple basic info to get one their first enjoyable experience. I wish someone would have taught me to avoid the rookie mistakes.

  2. Yes, great guide and tips… I’m a beginning cigar aficionado, started in 2015. Now it’s 2016 beginning. Love the hobby, got a little/medium desktop humy humidor set up with Boveda pax (packs). Boveduh.

    I just cant wait to get some Butane Blue-Flame torches, I ordered many torches from a website. many cheap ones and one more expensive one. They are the best for cigar lighting. Basic colt lighter is OK but the cigar tends to go off, stop burning. Needs touch ups/relights often. Torch for cigars, and a yellow flame for cigarettes, I think.

  3. RE: Mark Lewis comment “How to smoke a cigar with Aria Giovanni.
    Mr Lewis REALLY Get a life!!!

  4. Excellent website and advice but in 2015 is outmoded sexism really needed? – see “Penthouse” model video above

  5. Good instruction, however as a cigar user of many years I have found it is quite easy to overheat the foot in lighting when using one of the more recently available butane ‘torch’ lighters. This because the flame can easily overheat the end of the cigar being lit leaving it heavily carbonized, effecting the draw of the cigar and often also its burn. I would suggest matches [after the head has burnt off] or the more gentle flame butane gas lighters. Lighting your cigar is all a part of the ritual and enjoyment. I have found the method of lighting while the cigar is supported and lightly held by the lips, very gently drawing and turning the cigar, with the non lighting hand, to serve me well. Perhaps I am an oddity but I do find many of the larger cigars [Churchill or double corona sizes for instance] take much longer than an hour to enjoy, and I cannot ever remember any ever going out while I smoked them!

  6. This is a fantastic resource. I’ve been looking for a good roll up of cigar smoking tips to share with newbies, and this is it! I’ll be sure to share.

    Forgive my ignorance, but is there a difference in “burn rate” between the various cigar qualities? Meaning, does a lower quality cigar “burn” faster or slower than a high quality stick?

  7. Think for this complete information for a cigar newbie. It’s really helpfull !!!

  8. Thanks, helpful information.

  9. Thank you taking the time to write cigar 101. Very beneficial for a newbie.

  10. It just wanted to tell you thanks and great job. I have been smoking for years and have recently had a close friend take up the hobby. This site will help him get started and everything is well put together. I have learned a lot from reading and I have referred my herfing buddies to your site as well.

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