Many new cigar smokers have no idea how to actually smoke a cigar properly and it usually takes years of trial and error to get it right. Smoking a cigar correctly can enhance the whole experience greatly and can make your cigars last much longer. Whether you are smoking Arturo Fuente Cigars or Swisher Sweets, being able to light and smoke them correctly will help you to enjoy cigar smoking even more than before. The following are a few tips on how to smoke a cigar like a professional.
Using Cedar Spills
In many of the best cigar factories around the world, the stogies that they produce are generally aged in a room lined with fine Spanish Cedar. This helps to increase the aroma of the cigar due to the blending of the cedar and tobacco. Spanish Cedar is also well known for helping the cigars retain their moisture, which is key in producing a quality cigar. Many of the top cigar manufacturers place thin sheets of cedar inside the boxes that their cigars come in. When you receive a box like this you should snap a piece of the cedar off and light it. You then light your cigars with the cedar, which will give you a bit of spice to your first couple of puffs off of your new cigar.
The Cigar Band
Many new cigar smokers have a hard time knowing what to do with the band that comes on most cigars. Most experienced smokers will tell you to leave the band on because trying to get it off can damage the wrapper and in some cases the cigar. The band will also give you a bit of guidance as to where to put your fingers when smoking your stogie. Most avid cigar smokers leave the band on so others can see the brand they are smoking and as a type of homage to the cigar maker.
Putting Out Your Cigar
Many inexperienced cigar smokers make the mistake of putting out their stogie like a cigarette, which is a mistake. The best way to put out a quality cigar is to put it in the ashtray and burn itself out. This will help to preserve the integrity and design of the cigar. After the cigar is out and cool to the touch, you need to put it in your humidor so you can retain the moisture.
