Cigar-Etiquette

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If you are new to the field, cigar smoking can seem like a complex and thankless task. Thousands of potential pitfalls line the way, ready to trap the unwary smoker and make him do something wrong that will expose him in front of all his fellow smokers as a cigar neophyte.

But just as there are certain rituals that must be followed when lighting and smoking a cigar (information on these can be found in our article How to Smoke a Cigar), there are a number of seemingly unwritten rules which tell you how to conduct yourself and your cigar through the difficult world of cigar etiquette.

Zino Davidoff's guide to cigar etiquette

In 1967, a man called Zino Davidoff published a now-famous essay for cigar connoisseurs. It includes a charter and code for cigar smokers everywhere, telling them how they should behave when smoking or preparing to smoke their cigars. As to his reasons for publishing what is effectively a guide to cigar etiquette, Davidoff has this to say:

“The important thing to remember is that we cigar aficionados should present ourselves as considerate and understanding individuals. Changing people’s preconceived notions and giving the growing numbers of aficionados a good name is well worth that little extra effort.”

Davidoff featured the following Dos and Don'ts for smoking cigars in public.

Do:

• Warm the foot of the cigar slightly before starting to puff on it.
• Remove the band carefully after lighting the cigar.
• Take your time in smoking it; a puff a minute is about right.
• Hold the cigar between your index finger and thumb.
• Let the cigar die a dignified death. After it's smoked half way, it will go out on its own.
• Dispose of the dead cigar discreetly and quickly.
• Wait at least fifteen minutes between cigars; anything less indicates obsessive behavior.

Don't:

• Use a penknife to cut or a lance to pierce the end of the cigar.
• Touch the flame directly to the foot of the cigar: Instead, simply rotate it around the edge till it starts to burn, then puff lightly.
• Ask someone else for a light (the lighting of a cigar should be a personal affair).
• Light your cigar too quickly or too slowly.
• Indulge in exhibitionism in lighting or any other aspect of smoking.
• Relight your cigar if less than one quarter of it is leaf.
• Put the cigar in your mouth to relight it. Just scrape off the ash and turn it in the flame for several seconds till it relights.
• Clench it between your teeth. Likewise do not get the end of the cigar wet, chew it, or slobber on it.
• Smoke too quickly.
• Use a cigar holder, or worse, stick a toothpick or matchstick in the end of the cigar to help hold it in your mouth.
• Dunk your cigar in port or brandy, a habit attributed to Winston Churchill.
• Smoke while working.
• Hold a cigar between your index and middle finger.
• Smoke when you're walking.
• Smoke more than half the cigar.
• Put the cigar out by crushing it in an ashtray.
• Chain-smoke cigars.

As you can see, there are a lot more Don'ts than Dos! However, most of Davidoff's directives are things most people already do naturally, and you will soon get used to the others as you build up more smoking experience. Practice at home, where you can relax and learn to enjoy every aspect of the ritual of cigar smoking, and only then, when you are confident, should you have a go at smoking in public. It’s not a difficult thing to do, but there are a number of things to think about the first time you do it. Keep practicing however, and they'll soon become second nature.

OldGoat

Quite a few 'rules' to argue there.

The biggest dissagreement I'd have amongst them is this 'Only smoke half the cigar' that he mentions twice. Most cigars change character into the last third of the smoke and often that is where the best of the cigar is.

Removing the label is a point of argument too. I have seen wrappers torn by smokers eager to remove the ring from the cigar. My personal prference is to wait untill the cigar has warmed enough to loosen the gum of the ring so I can slip it off.

Only hold a cigar between thumb and forefinger? Is there a reason for this of is it just fopishness? Over the course of a large cigar, double corona or similar I constantly move the cigar around, holding it betwen thumb and all four fingers, between index and middle finger and between thumb and index finger.

My name is URL

I think most of the 'rules' are foppish

I've met a few people that are very snobbish about cigar smoking and it's one of them that drew my attention to this.

Personally, I don't follow most of the Do's & Dont's, makes it seem more like a chore than a delight

I just thought it'd be good to share =p

MediaTank

I've a copy of the book this came from. To me it's very old fashioned - who can affort to smoke only half a cigar for example? If I'm smoking outdoors there is no alternative but to touch the flame to the cigar, it makes no difference to the flavour, despite what Davidoff thinks. I love to smoke while working

BeerNut

MediaTank wrote: »

who can affort to smoke only half a cigar

Why it's... it's almost as though Mr Davidoff has some kind of financial interest in the cigar industry.

Do

Buy more cigars than you can ever smoke

Don't

• Wait until you run out before buying more cool, refreshing, Davidoff cigars