Lit Etiquette - Cigar Smoking 101

Choosing a cigar can be intimidating, so the first step for a novice is to get to know your local shops and find the right dealer. Cigar specialty shops can assist you in obtaining the proper taste for cigar smokers of all experience levels. Whether it's being given as a gift, smoked to celebrate the birth of a newborn, for after dinner enjoyment, or even just at cocktail hour, it also helps to match the proper cigar with the occasion.

A great cigar appropriate for most occasions is the Macanudo, which is claimed to be "the ultimate cigar." Produced in the Dominican Republic, it is the number one selling cigar in the world. It is inexpensive as well, typically costing about $5-6. Non-smokers may want to start with a lighter, cheaper gas station cigar, such as a Swisher Sweet or Black and Mild, both of which are tipped and need no cutting preparation before smoking.

The first step you take in smoking a traditional cigar is to take it out of it's wrapper or airtight storage tube, and run the length of it under your nose to fully inhale the bouquet of the tobacco. Common cigar flavors/notes include: spices, cocoa, coffee, nut, and wood. Know what flavor your cigar is so you know what notes you'll smell and taste. The second step is to clip the end with a cigar cutter, which is called "guillotining." Most cigars are 'parejo'-shaped with one end flat, and the other slightly rounded. You want to cut the flat side, or 'foot'. Next you light the foot, but you want to warm it first so that the end is toasted, which gives the tobacco a full flavor from the beginning. A good cigar ash will last until about an inch and a half before needing to be tapped off. Puff the cigar to draw the smoke into your mouth, experiencing the flavor. DO NOT INHALE SMOKE. This is extremely hazardous to your lungs. Instead savor the flavor of the smoke in your mouth for a few seconds and then exhale.

Finally, you want to make sure that your smoking is not inappropriate or disturbing those around you. Whereas some restaurants and bars have an area equipped for smoking cigars, most restaurants don't allow it, even in the bar area, because of their powerful aromas and second-hand smoke hazards.

Sources: George Liggertt, owner of Grand Cru Restaurant and The Nostalgia Shop located in Columbia, MO.