How to Start Smoking Cigars and Not Give Yourself Away the First Time

There are things that don’t tolerate rushing. A good dinner, the right whisky, a conversation worth having. A cigar is on that same list.

A cigar isn’t a bad habit in the usual sense. It’s a ritual. And like any ritual — it requires understanding before you begin.

The first mistake almost everyone makes is reaching for something too strong. Either because they don’t know the difference, or because they want “the real thing.” The result is an unpleasant first experience and no desire to try again.

Start with a light cigar with a mild flavour. Good options for a first time — Macanudo Café, Arturo Fuente Brevas Royale, or Romeo y Julieta from their entry-level range. They don’t overwhelm, they give you a real sense of what good tobacco is, and they leave a pleasant aftertaste.

Size matters too. Starting with something in the middle — a Robusto or a Corona — is the right call. Not too long, not too thick. A cigar like this smokes comfortably and doesn’t tire you out.

A good cigar is bought in a specialist shop — not at duty free and not from a shelf where they’ve been sitting without humidity. A cigar needs to be properly stored — in a humidor at a specific level of humidity. If it’s dried out it will burn unevenly and taste bitter.

When you hold a cigar it should feel firm but not hard. A slight give under your fingers. If it’s stiff like a pencil — it’s dried out. If it’s soft and caves in — it’s over-humidified. Neither is right.

The wrapper is worth looking at too. It should be smooth, without cracks, with a pleasant smell. A good wrapper is a sign of quality throughout.

A cigar needs to be cut before you light it. There are different cutters for this — a guillotine, a punch, or a V-cut. For a beginner the guillotine is simplest. You cut the closed end — the cap — cleanly and evenly. Not too much — literally two to three millimetres. Cut too deep and the wrapper will start to unravel.

Don’t light a cigar with a petrol lighter — it adds an unwanted smell and affects the taste. Best options are wooden matches or an odourless gas lighter. Hold the flame near the end of the cigar and slowly rotate it over the heat without touching — to warm the foot evenly. Only then bring it to your lips and take a few gentle draws while keeping the flame close.

A cigar is not smoked like a cigarette. The smoke is not inhaled into the lungs — it’s held in the mouth, tasted, and released. This is the most important thing to understand from the very first draw.

The pace is slow. One draw every thirty seconds to a minute. Smoke faster and the cigar overheats, the flavour turns sharp and bitter, and the pleasure disappears. A good medium-sized cigar takes between forty minutes and an hour to smoke. This is time you’re giving yourself — unhurried, without your phone, with good company or in silence.

Ash is tapped when it’s ready to fall on its own — not frequently. A long even ash is a sign of good tobacco and a clean burn. No need to preserve it deliberately — but no need to rush tapping it either.

If the cigar goes out — that’s fine. Just blow the ash from the end and relight. The flavour may change slightly but nothing is ruined.

A cigar pairs well with drinks that complement rather than overpower it. For a light first cigar — coffee, a mild rum, a whisky with a soft character, or a good red wine all work well. Avoid anything too sweet or too strong — it will blur the experience.

Location matters too. Open air — a terrace, a garden, a balcony. A cigar isn’t for a closed room. It needs space and air — and when that’s right the whole ritual comes together properly.

A cigar isn’t about looking a certain way. It’s about knowing how to slow down and enjoy a moment. That’s what makes it part of a gentleman’s way of life — not status, but a relationship with time and with yourself.

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