Cigar Etiquette

There are a few quite important and "common sense" cigar etiquette sets of rules. Its all to do with the respect of others and the value of oneself. If you're a regular person...lol

Cigar etiquette is polite behaviour when smoking cigars. For example, in 19th century Havana, it was considered an insult to give another smoker a light from your cigar without first knocking off the ash from the cigar. Another breach of etiquette was to pass on a cigar to a third-party for them to light up too - loaned cigars should instead be returned with a polite flourish. (wikkipedia)

The Swiss tobacconist and creator of the Davidoff cigar, Zino Davidoff devised the "Zino Davidoff Guide to Cigar Etiquette". The essay calls for cigar aficionados to smoke the cigar only halfway, let it burn out on its own, while it sits in the ashtray. Never ask another smoker for a light, refrain from smoking while walking, and so on. Davidoff dismisses the elaborate rituals of lighting, says that removing or leaving the band are equally correct, and insists that a gentlemen never relights a cigar that is more than two-thirds smoked.

So lets see....

The Dos

• LIght the foot of the cigar slightly before starting to puff on it.
• Remove the band carefully after lighting the cigar (or not).
• 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 while sitting in the ashtray.
• Dispose of the dead cigar discreetly.
• Wait at least fifteen minutes between cigars; anything less indicates obsessive behavior

The Don'ts

• 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 squashing it in an ashtray.
• Chain-smoke cigars.

Cigar Aficionado

Cigar Aficionado's book "Cigar Companion" suggests two sets of rules: one when among non-smokers, and another when among cigar smokers. One should never smoke except where smoking is appreciated, and care should be taken to minimize criticism from non-smokers from the smell of smoke in one's home or on one's clothes. Among other cigar smokers, it suggests rules governing sharing, cutting, lighting, humidors, women cigar smokers, and gifts. It concludes with one ironclad rule: never give a prank exploding cigars, and do not associate with anyone who does.

Believe me its worth knowing and practicing these rules. People will appreciate your care and tact. And will give us cigar and pipe smokers a feather in our caps.

Long ashes.....

Jim