Smoking a cigar is a different affair than smoking a cigarette. There are etiquette concerns regarding when and where it’s appropriate to light up as much as there are etiquette concerns regarding how one lights up. Following both is certain to make the experience more enjoyable for everyone involved.

While lighting the cigar will be a large part of the experience, a cigar is enjoyed even before it is lit. If the host presents a cigar from a humidor it’s likely a pricey one. The smell of cigars, even before they’re burning, can be quite enjoyable. Go ahead and run it under the nose before lighting up or cutting it. The host will likely offer some information about its origins and the tobacco used. Cigars, unlike cigarettes, are much more than brand names.

The host will generally offer a cutter. This is used to cut away the sealed end of the cigar so that it can be smoked. Make sure to hold the cigar over an ashtray when doing this. The scent just after cutting can be quite enjoyable, as well, so enjoy the aroma! Next comes the actual lighting which is something of an art.

One starts by warming the cigar. This is done by holding the match, lighter or cedar strip below the cigar without touching the wrapper and rolling the cigar around in one’s mouth. Once the wrapper is warm, it is ready to light. Test the wrapper with the fingers to ensure that it is warmed up.

The goal when lighting a cigar is to achieve a temperature sufficient for combustion but not one that is so hot that it ruins the flavor of the tobacco. The cigar should not be plunged into the flame. One simply holds the flame below the wrapper and employs the same technique as was used to warm the cigar excepting that one puffs hard enough on the cigar to draw the flame to the tobacco. This may take a few seconds and, after the cigar is mostly lit, there will likely be some spots that haven’t ignited fully. Take the cigar out of the mouth and blow on it to get it burning evenly.

When done properly, lighting up a cigar exhibits a great deal of refinement and shows an affinity for the finer things in life. Puff the smoke into the mouth, don’t inhale, and remember to take enough time to enjoy each puff. Unlike a cigarette, cigars burn for a long while and there’s no rush to finish them. If one wishes, they may stub it out and finish it later.