“Don’t do anything half-halfheartedly, even if it is a wicked and self-destructive avocation like smoking cigars”
Curtis LeMay.
The word cigar is originally derived from the Mayan Sikar that is ‘to smoke rolled tobacco.’ In 1400, Columbus first discovered tobacco in Cuban. By 1600, Cigar was started being produced commercially. Then Cuban’s Cigar Industry finally started in the 1800s. But even now there are certain things cigar smokers should never do.
Even though cigarettes are common, cigars are considered a luxury item due to their high price and quality. The most luxurious tobacco brands have their signature handmade cigars.
There are, namely, two types of cigars: light and dark. Both of them are quite similar except that the dark cigar contains criollo and Corojo.
10 Things Cigar Smokers Should Never Do
When I started smoking a cigar, I had many troubles and questions regarding what is to be done, especially what is not to be done, to stay healthy. With the course of time and years of experience, I have learned quite a lot regarding cigars. So here are 10 points which are not to be done by cigar smokers:
Give Unsolicited Advice
Everyone has their way of smoking a cigar and enjoying it in their way. Giving instructions on how to smoke, which is not asked for, can offend the person.
Hold cigars in your lips.
A cigar is not for holding in between your lips. It is to be taken in hand and slowly take a puff. Since cigars are to be enjoyed and cherish the flavors, they cannot be had in haste and waste the tobacco.
Inhale the smoke
A cigar smoker should never inhale as it has a high chance of forming mucus in your mouth or lungs. The cigar is all about the taste in your tongue and not for your lungs to inhale.
Sticking to one brand only
A cigar smoker must not stick to one brand or one type of cigar. Try different brands of cigars. Each brand has its flavor, and that varies greatly. So, sticking up to one brand is not a good idea.
Expect every cigar to taste the same
A cigar smoker must not expect a similar taste of two cigars. The taste of cigars varies from one another. The handmade cigars especially have different tastes as the cigar makers always try to achieve a greater taste and flavor.
Cutting your cigar excessively
One should never cut the cigars excessively. This can risk the filler falling off and waste the precious tobacco. Cut the cap to the rounded shoulder to avoid the binders loosen and the leaves fall-off. Check if you can cut a cigar in half here.
Using dirty fuel
Avoid lighting your cigar in dirty fuel. The fuel used largely determines the flavor or the taste of the cigar. Butane-based lighter is highly preferred since it does not affect the taste of the tobacco present in the cigar. Using any other fuel or a dirty fire might not let you enjoy the proper flavor of your cigar.
Bad burn
Avoid burning your cigar badly. A badly burnt cigar might not give you the same flavor and experience as it should have. Make sure that the cigar is burnt proportionately. Try and even out the burn if it starts forming a slant, and you will be amazed at how greatly it affects the taste.
Smoking too fast or too slow
There is a certain pace and rhythm in which a cigar should be smoked. You need to balance the temperature of the cherry (lighted part) of the cigar. Smoking a cigar too fast can cause excessive smoke and can cause a bitter taste in your mouth in due course. On the other hand, one should not smoke too slowly to keep the cherry part lit from all sides.
Smashing down the cigar
Never smash down a cigar. It causes a sour smell and can be extremely unpleasant for not only you but also for the people around you. Once you are done having your cigar, just leave it on the ashtray. The cigar will burn out eventually as it is rich in tobacco.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CIGARS
Parts of a cigar
Coming in different shapes and sizes, Cigars provides different flavors to smokers.
The top part consists of a cap. A costly cigar will have two caps, while a cheaper one will have a single cap. Sometimes the number of caps can go up to three depending upon the brand. This is the part where one needs to cut to smoke a cigar.
The middle/body consists of tobacco.
The foot is where you lit a cigar to start the smoke.
Components of a cigar
Cigars typically consist of three parts: Wrapper, Binder, and Filler.
- Wrapper– It is the outermost part of a cigar. Cigar makers, usually Viso and Seco, leave of a tobacco plant to wrap the cigar. A wrapper contributes a lot to the taste of the cigar.
- Binder– This is exactly used for what its name suggests. This part of the tobacco binds the tobacco leaves and lies just beneath the wrapper.
- Filler– There are mainly two kinds of short filler fillers and long filler. Short fillers are cheap and usually the leftover of the long filler. A cigar maker combines various fillers to provide certain flavors and make it luxurious. There is, however, adequate space in between these fillers for the air to pass. Yet, bundling of fillers might burn your cheeks.
Benefits of Cigars
Cigars are less likely to cause lung cancer or heart diseases compared to cigarettes. However, there are higher chances of cancer than a non-smoker.
Besides health issues, cigars are better because they are rich in flavor and contain pure tobacco, and are not mixed with harmful chemicals. The high amount of nicotine presence causes relaxation to the smoker.
CONCLUSION
A cigar maker aims to attain the best flavor. One must enjoy every puff on the cigar and avoid any distractions and have the full experience of the aroma, flavor, and resonance. I hope that the given points have been helpful for anyone who has started off having cigars and is facing problems. This might answer your questions so you can keep this in mind and follow these points while you have your next cigar and enjoy your cigar in a proper way.