How to Smoke a Cigar: A Complete Beginner's Guide

Learn the proper way to smoke a cigar with this comprehensive guide covering selection, cutting, lighting, and smoking techniques. Master cigar etiquette and avoid common beginner mistakes.

Quick Reference: How to Smoke a Cigar in 8 Steps

Choose your cigar based on strength and size preferences
Cut the cap with a sharp guillotine cutter
Toast the foot by rotating above flame without touching
Light evenly with slow, gentle draws
Smoke slowly – one puff per minute
Don’t inhale – taste the smoke in your mouth
Let ash build naturally up to 1 inch
Let it die naturally – never stub it out

What Makes a Good Cigar Smoking Experience?

There are two types of men who smoke cigars.

The first does it for the photo. He bites down on a Cuban, posts it with a quote from Scarface, and doesn’t even finish the stick. He wants to look powerful.

The second? He lights up because he already is. He knows a cigar is not a party prop — it’s a ritual. A pause. A command over time, tension, and taste.

If you’re here to learn how to smoke a cigar properly, this isn’t just about puffing without inhaling. This is about mastery. And mastery begins long before the flame touches the foot.

Understanding Cigar Basics: What You’re Actually Smoking

A cigar isn’t just dried tobacco rolled in a leaf. You’re holding:

Months of aging
Years of tradition
Centuries of craftsmanship

From Churchill to Castro to Carnegie, cigars have always belonged to those who made decisions when others flinched.

Before you smoke, understand what you’re holding. Not just the brand — but the intention behind it. A cigar isn’t smoked for a buzz. It’s smoked for presence.

How to Choose Your First Cigar

Most websites will tell you to start with a “mild Connecticut” or go small with a Robusto.

Here’s better advice:

Choose Based on Your Smoking Experience

Complete beginner: Mild Connecticut wrapper, smaller ring gauge
Occasional cigarette smoker: Medium-bodied Robusto or Corona
Experienced smoker: Full-bodied Toro or Churchill

Consider Your Available Time

30-45 minutes: Robusto (5″ x 50)
60-75 minutes: Toro (6″ x 50)
90+ minutes: Churchill (7″ x 48)

Popular Beginner-Friendly Cigars

Macanudo Café
Arturo Fuente Hemingway
Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real
Montecristo White Series

How to Cut a Cigar Properly

The cut is your first decision, and it sets the tone. Fumble here, and the cigar will punish you with a bad draw.

Best Cigar Cutting Tools

Guillotine cutter (most common)
V-cutter (creates a wedge)
Punch cutter (creates a hole)

Proper Cutting Technique

Hold the cigar firmly but gently
Place the cap end in the cutter
Cut quickly and confidently about 1/8 inch from the end
Never bite or use scissors

Pro tip: A clean cut prevents the wrapper from unraveling during smoking.

How to Light a Cigar: The Toasting Method

Most men torch the end like they’re branding cattle. That’s not how this works.

Step-by-Step Lighting Process

Toast the foot: Hold at 45° angle, rotate without touching flame
Even the burn: Ensure entire foot glows orange
First draws: Take 2-3 gentle puffs while lighting
Check the burn: Look for even cherry across the foot

Best Lighters for Cigars

Butane torch lighter (most reliable)
Cedar spills (traditional)
Matches (avoid sulfur taste)

Never use: Candles, paper matches, or Zippo lighters (they add unwanted flavors)

Proper Cigar Smoking Technique

Here’s what most guides never tell you: the way you draw from a cigar reflects the way you deal with life.

The Correct Way to Smoke a Cigar

Don’t inhale: Draw smoke into your mouth, not lungs
Taste, don’t swallow: Roll smoke around your palate
Exhale slowly: Let flavors develop
Pace yourself: One puff per minute maximum

What to Expect During Your Smoke

First third: Often peppery or strong
Second third: Flavors mellow and develop
Final third: Most intense, requires slower draws

Common Cigar Smoking Mistakes to Avoid

Rushing the Experience

A proper cigar takes 45-90 minutes. Puffing too fast overheats the cigar and ruins the taste.

Inhaling Like a Cigarette

Cigar smoke is meant to be tasted, not inhaled. Inhaling can cause nausea and ruins the flavor experience.

Cutting Too Much

Remove only the cap. Cutting too deep can cause the wrapper to unravel.

Using the Wrong Lighter

Avoid fluid lighters that add chemical flavors to your cigar.

Cigar Etiquette: How to Smoke in Public

Essential Cigar Manners

Never blow smoke toward others
Ask permission before lighting in shared spaces
Don’t ash frequently – let it build naturally
Keep conversations quiet – cigars are for contemplation
Never stub out a cigar – let it die naturally

What Not to Do

Don’t ask someone what cigar they’re smoking unless you genuinely care
Don’t compare cigars or prices
Don’t remove the band until the cigar is halfway finished
Don’t relight a cigar that’s been out for more than 30 minute

How to Properly End Your Cigar

Never stub out a cigar like a cigarette. Let it die slowly, quietly, on its own.

The Natural End

Smoke to the final third
Place in ashtray when too hot to hold
Let it extinguish naturally
Don’t relight a cold cigar

That’s how men exit rooms, too — with grace, not noise.

After Your Cigar: What Happens Next

The ritual echoes. The aftertaste stays. The scent lingers. And what you think about in that post-cigar silence? That’s the part that defines you.

This is the time to:

Make important decisions
Reflect on the day
Simply sit in stillness

That’s why powerful men smoke cigars. It’s not for the tobacco. It’s for the clarity that comes after.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cigar Smoking

Do you inhale cigar smoke?

No, cigar smoke should never be inhaled. Draw the smoke into your mouth, taste it, then exhale. Inhaling can cause nausea and defeats the purpose of cigar smoking.

How long should a cigar last?

A typical cigar should last 45-90 minutes depending on size. Smaller cigars (Robusto) last 45-60 minutes, while larger cigars (Churchill) can last 90+ minutes.

What’s the best cigar for beginners?

Start with a mild Connecticut wrapper cigar in a smaller size like Robusto. Popular beginner options include Macanudo Café, Arturo Fuente Hemingway, or Montecristo White Series.

How do you know when a cigar is done?

A cigar is finished when it becomes too hot to hold comfortably or when you’ve smoked it down to about 2 inches from the end. Never smoke a cigar to the very end.

Can you relight a cigar?

You can relight a cigar if it’s been out for less than 30 minutes. Beyond that, the flavors will be compromised. Gently blow through the cigar before relighting to clear stale smoke.

How do you store cigars?

Store cigars in a humidor at 65-70% humidity and 65-70°F temperature. Without proper storage, cigars will dry out and lose flavor.

Why don’t you remove the cigar band immediately?

The band can tear the wrapper when the cigar is cold. Wait until you’ve smoked about halfway through when the heat has loosened the glue.

Final Thoughts: Smoke to Sharpen, Not to Escape

So many men treat cigars like a cheat day. A detour. A social excuse to feel luxurious.

But if you’re reading this — you’re not “so many men.”

You’re here to reclaim the lost art of slow power. The type that doesn’t need validation or noise.

A cigar, properly smoked, is the opposite of chaos. It’s a weapon of patience. A moment of clarity. A declaration that you control your time, your breath, your presence.

So the next time someone asks you how to smoke a cigar, tell them:

“You don’t smoke it. You respect it. And in that respect, you learn something about yourself.”

Ready to start your cigar journey? Remember: choose quality over quantity, patience over speed, and respect over performance. The best cigar is the one you smoke with intention.