How to Smoke a Cigar – Full Guide, Tips & Tricks

Smoking a cigar is a completely different experience from smoking a cigarette. There’s a lot more that goes into just picking one up and lighting it. In this guide, we’ll go over how to smoke a cigar, and cover everything from cutting and lighting it, to tips on how to get the most out of your cigar.

Puff the Cigar, Don’t Inhale

One of the most important aspects of smoking a cigar is puffing it. This can’t be stressed enough – do not inhale it. Inhaling cigar smoke can make you extremely sick and cause you to vomit profusely. Not only that, cigar smoke can be harsh on the lungs. One puff on a cigar produces much more smoke than you’d get from a cigarette.

To actually puff on a cigar, secure your lips around the end of the cigar, and suck on it like a straw. For beginners, this can be a difficult process, and can even leave your jaw muscles sore. Overtime, it gets easier as your jaw muscles will grow stronger over time. If you’re struggling to get any smoke, try widening your cut to allow for more airflow.

How to Cut Your Cigar

There are three different types of cuts:

• Straight cuts
• V Cuts
• Hole Punches

Straight Cuts

Straight cuts are the standard cut, most popular among cigar smokers. When you look at the end of your cigar where it rounds (this is called the cap), you want to cut between the very tip and where it reaches full width

Where you actually make the cut will depend on personal preference. Some prefer a tighter airflow, so they’ll cut closer to the top and get a smaller hole. For more airflow, you can cut further down towards the bottom of the cap. It’s generally not recommended to go past the cap, because too much airflow can prevent the cigar from staying lit.

This diagram from Cigar Country perfectly displays where to cut your cigar.

V Cuts

You also have V-Cutters. These provide a V-shaped divot into your cigar. These provide a tighter airflow, and can help bring out the notes of the tobacco and make them more prominent.

Cigar Punch

Some cigar enthusiasts who prefer a tight airflow will go with a cigar punch. This is a tool used to punch a hole in the end of your cigar, rather than making a cut. Some cigar lighters will even come with one built in, in case you forget your cutter.

How to Light Your Cigar

Now that your cigar is prepped and ready to smoke, you just need to light it. This can actually be more difficult as a beginner than you think. Trying to light a cigar while puffing on it and avoiding lighting it on fire by accident can be a challenge. 

Unlike a cigarette, you don’t just put the lighter directly up to it to light. Instead, you want to keep the flame about an inch from where you’re lighting. This will prevent you from burning the tobacco and ruining the flavor. It also keeps you from lighting the cigar on fire, which is something many do unintentionally. 

When lighting, don’t light the center of the end, rather light the edge of the cigar and slowly rotate. 

How to Smoke Your Cigar

Below, we’ll cover a few tips on how to actually smoke the cigar.

Puffing

To keep your cigar lit, you should take a puff about every minute. If you puff too frequently, it can cause you to feel a bit nauseous. If you find that under a minute for every puff isn’t keeping it lit, this could either be an airflow problem, or that the cigar has too much humidity.

Rotating

Heat rises, so the top part of the cigar will burn at a slightly faster pace. Because of this, it’s important to rotate every few minutes. And of course for a very uneven burn, just bring your torch up for a second to add a little heat to the part that’s struggling to burn.

Ashing

You don’t want to ash your cigar too frequently. Wait until you have about an inch of ash build up, then gently tap your cigar on the ashtray. Don’t flick it like you would a cigarette. 

Storing Your Cigars

Properly storing your cigars is crucial to a good smoking experience. You don’t want your cigar to be too dry or too humid. The sweet spot is around 72% humidity, plus or minus about 4%. To know the humidity, you’ll need a hygrometer.

You’ll need to store your cigars in a humidor. These are generally wood, but can come in acrylic and plastic. Wooden ones look much more appealing, and they’re generally what people use. However, acrylic and plastic ones are lower maintenance, because they don’t require you to check on the humidity as frequently.

With wood, humidity will escape over time, especially in dryer climates. So, you have to add more humidity every so often. In addition to keeping the cigars and hygrometer in the humidor, you need something to produce that humidity. You can either use a humidity sponge, gel, or a humidity packet. Humidity packets are the easiest option, as you don’t have to worry about adding too much or too little humidity.

Avoiding Nausea

The reason people get sick or nauseous from cigars is because of the amount of nicotine in them. Even though you don’t inhale, they still have enough to make you throw up if you don’t have a tolerance. Cigars don’t affect everyone the same way, so it depends on the person as far as how it will affect you as a beginner – or even as a frequent smoker.

One way to avoid nausea is to have a little bit of sugar before your cigar. A small chocolate bar or a sugar cube should be enough. Additionally, avoid alcohol if you’re a beginner and concerned about getting sick. Alcohol mixed with nicotine can be a bad combination for beginners as well. 

Pairing Your Cigar

When it comes to selecting a beverage to pair with your cigar, there are a few popular choices. What you drink with your  cigar can heavily influence your smoking experience. The right drink can enhance your cigar, and the wrong ones can ruin the flavor and leave a bad aftertaste in your mouth.

Whiskey is a popular choice among cigar enthusiasts. Scotch is a decent drink to pair with, but bourbon is usually the go-to for pairing. Bourbons often complement the notes of the cigar very well.

Beer is another drink that is often paired with cigars. Darker beers like stouts and porters are perfect for darker cigars, but still go well with just about anything. However, lighter beers such as lagers generally are best suited for lighter cigars and not dark ones.

For those looking for a non-alcoholic option, a glass-bottle coke is an excellent option. The flavor fits perfectly with cigars, and the feeling of the classic glass bottle Coca-Cola is very fitting for a cigar smoke.

Getting the Right Accessories

Getting the right accessories is essential to cigar smoking. It’s crucial to have a quality humidor to keep your cigars fresh and in perfect condition, and to have a cigar cutter that provides a smooth cut and won’t cause your cigar to unravel. Shop our selection of cigar accessories to find the right tools for a quality smoke.

Cigar Smoking FAQs

How do you properly smoke a cigar?

Start off by cutting the cap off your cigar, then bring the end to your mouth and draw as you light it, holding the lighter from a safe distance to not light it on fire. Remember, do not inhale; rather suck on it like a straw. Slowly rotate the cigar as you light it.

Do you inhale a cigar when you smoke it?

No, you do not inhale. Cigar smoke is much stronger and more potent than a cigarette. Instead, you puff on the cigar by sucking on it like a straw.

How do I store my cigars?

You’ll want to store your cigars in a humidor to keep them from drying out. To properly do this, you’ll need a humidity packet or foam sponge to add humidity.