While smoking a cigar looks pretty straightforward, you can never go wrong by learning the most common rules that cigar smokers follow.

  1. Picking a cigar

Cigars come in different shapes, sizes, flavor profiles and types. Like wines, they also come from different country origins and these factors can play a role in the quality of the cigar you’re buying. To choose the right cigar:

  • Ask for recommendations. Ask friends who smoke a cigar for some of their favorites and work your way from there. It’s really about trial and error in the beginning, but you can save money by buying cigars that other people already like. You can also seek the advice of a cigar specialist from a good retailer in your area.
  • Learn about the different cigar varietals. The six most common varieties of cigar include the shortest cigar Robusto, the sharply tapered-head Belicoso, the highly popular Corona, the lighter Lonsdale, the long Panetela and the thick and heavy Churchill named after the British prime minister.
  • Do the rolling technique. Another great way to pick out the right cigar is to roll them between your fingers. Experts say that a good cigar should have a firm texture, so if you feel any soft spots or lumps, move to the next cigar.

  1. Cutting a cigar

There should be a perfect time for smoking a cigar. If you’re a new smoker, it’s best to enjoy a short, light cigar after breakfast and slowly move your way to the longer and fuller cigar after dinner.

But before you can smoke your cigar, you need to cut the cap or that small piece of wrapper leaf at the tip of the cigar first, so you can draw through it. Here are some tips:

  • Never bite a cigar cap. You’ll only end up tearing the wrapper leaf and getting bits of tobacco stuck in your teeth.
  • Invest in a good cutter. You can either go for a punch, V-cut or guillotine depending on what you prefer.
  • Don’t cut too low or high. Be careful when cutting your cigar to avoid unraveling the wrapper while you smoke. Cut near the small seam at the extreme end of the cigar’s head to keep the wrapper together. Also, don’t cut too slowly because it will only cause the wrapper to tear.

  1. Lighting a cigar

Before lighting your cigar, you need to take what smokers call the “first draw,” which is basically puffing on the cigar before it’s lighted to get a feel of what it will be like when you smoke the cigar. When you’re ready to light the cigar after the first draw, here are some tips:

  • Never use matches and lighters. Using candles, fluid lighters and cardboard matches are believed to affect the overall taste of the cigar. You can use long, wooden matches but wait until the sulfur burns off before lighting the cigar.
  • Invest in a good butane or torch lighter. Most cigar smokers prefer these lighters because they offer a more intense flame that’s perfect for lighting cigars.
  • Begin by toasting the foot. Prepare the cigar’s body while keeping the flame at a distance.
  • Ignite the filler and release the draw. Bring the flame closer as your draw it in with your mouth and release a final puff against the lighter to create the flame. Finish by blowing on the cherry to make sure that the cigar’s foot is evenly burned. It’s also very important to rotate the cigar while lighting it to avoid getting an uneven burn.
  • Take your time. The most seasoned cigar smokers always advise beginners to never rush lighting or smoking a cigar. It’s all about taking things slow so you can really enjoy every step of the process.

  1. Holding a cigar

How hard can it be to hold a cigar, right? But holding can actually feel awkward at some point, especially with the different shapes and sizes of cigars. Here’s how to get it right:

  • Get a comfortable grip. The most preferred way to hold a cigar is between your thumb and index finger. If you’re smoking a longer cigar, holding it this way allows you to rest your other fingertips across the body for a more comfortable grip.
  • Hold thick cigars properly. If you’re smoking a thicker cigar, it’s best to curl your index finger on the band so the head sits on the hollow of your thumb. You see this in most movies and it’s like you’re holding a gun where the cigar is the trigger.
  • Never hold the cigar between your index and middle fingers. This is an unstable grip and you could easily waste your cigar by dropping it.
  • Keep your hand still. Unlike the movies, avoid pointing using your cigar or doing different hand gestures while holding it because it causes the ash to drop off. Keep your hand as still as possible.
  • Avoid chomping on a cigar. Some people hold their cigar between their teeth, but this is considered bad practice because it doesn’t only cause tobacco to get stuck on your teeth but it also damages the wrapper, which destroys your smoking experience. If you need to rest your cigar, don’t be shy to use an ashtray.

  1. Putting out a cigar

After you’re done smoking, you need to put it out and dispose it properly. Here are some tips:

  • Never crush your cigar. Unlike a regular cigarette, crushing a cigar with your shoe will create a big cloud of smoke before it’s totally put out. Just imagine the embarrassment of making a room smell stinky because you crushed your cigar.
  • Use an ashtray. After you’re done smoking, let the cigar rest on the side of an ashtray until it goes out. But if you’re smoking inside a room, wait for the cigar to be cold before you dispose the stub and ashes. Never leave a cigar inside a room without putting it out because it will leave a strong smell that could stick to your furniture and carpet for a very long time.

How do you properly smoke a cigar?

Are you supposed to inhale cigar smoke?

Traditionally, cigar smokers don’t inhale.

Inhaling is uncomfortable and significantly increases the hazards associated with cigar smoking. And, there’s no reason to inhale cigar smoke! Unlike cigarettes, we absorb nicotine from a cigar within the mucus membranes of the mouth, not the lungs.

How do you smoke a cigar for beginners?

Do cigars give you a buzz?

Cigars & Nicotine

A cigarette contains one to two milligrams of nicotine, while a cigar contains 100 to 200 milligrams. The increased nicotine levels in a cigar are simply due to the fact that the average cigar is made from a lot more tobacco than a cigarette. Essentially, this relaxed state is the “buzz” in a cigar.

How long does Cigar high last?

The answer to this question is quite tricky. In general, after the nicotine buzz has kicked in, the “high” will start fading pretty quickly. However, if you’ve vaped or smoked a great deal to experience a stronger buzz, the nicotine buzz may last for about thirty minutes or more.

What are the benefits of smoking cigars?

Benefits of smoking cigars
  • Relaxation. Many cigar smokers and aficionados love the relaxation a cigar offers.
  • Togetherness.
  • Experience.
  • Light up with the experts of Cigar Stud.

Is one cigar a week bad?

One cigar also contains 100 to 200 milligrams of nicotine, while a cigarette averages only about 8 milligrams. That extra nicotine may be why smoking just a few cigars a week is enough to trigger nicotine cravings. Cigar smokers are at greater risk for oral cancers.

Why are Cuban cigars illegal?

Why Are Cigars Illegal in the US? The reason that Cuban cigars are illegal in the United States is down to the trade embargo that was put in place between the US and Cuba in February 1962. The embargo was established under John F. Kennedy’s leadership, and it put a stop to all imports from Cuba.

Why are cigars relaxing?

The nicotine in tobacco acts as a stimulant and a sedative. That’s why you feel calm and relaxed when smoking cigars. As a result, you can really control your mood with a few puffs. The more nicotine you inhale, the more sedated you become.

Is an occasional cigar OK?

Oral disease.

Although the health effects of occasional cigar smoking aren’t as clear, the only safe level of cigar smoking is none at all. Instead of trying to choose between cigarette smoking and cigar smoking, try to quit tobacco entirely. There is no safe form of tobacco.

How many cigarettes are in a cigar?

Large cigars can measure more than 7 inches in length, and they typically contain between 5 and 20 grams of tobacco. Some premium cigars contain the tobacco equivalent of an entire pack of cigarettes. Large cigars can take between 1 and 2 hours to smoke. Cigarillos are a type of smaller cigar.

What do u feel after smoking a cigar?

How much damage can 1 cigarette do?

Nicotine enters your bloodstream, increasing your pulse and blood pressure. Your sense of smell is reduced. Because nicotine is a stimulant, your brain will release feel-good chemicals or make you want to eat. When you don’t satisfy the urge, you will feel anxious and irritable.

Are cigars worse than cigarettes?

Since the average cigarette pack contains 20 cigarettes, the researchers expected that the risk of heart disease or stroke for a 1–cigarette-per-day smoker would be just 5 percent of that of a pack-a-day user.

Is 1 cigarette a day bad?

Contrary to popular belief, cigars aren’t safer than cigarettes. They’re actually more harmful, even for people who don’t intentionally inhale. According to the National Cancer Institute, cigar smoke contains toxic, cancer-causing chemicals that are harmful to smokers and nonsmokers.

Is it OK to smoke occasionally?

A study in the January 24 issue of The BMJ found that smoking even one cigarette a day carries significant health consequences, namely a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.

What is considered heavy smoking?

Key points. Nearly one-quarter of smokers have only a few cigarettes a day, or smoke only now and then. Light and intermittent smoking, or social smoking, is better for you than heavy smoking. But it still increases the risks of heart disease, lung cancer, cataract, and a host of other conditions.

Is smoking once a week OK?

Heavy smoker: a smoker who reports consuming 20 cigarettes or more per day.