How to Smoke a Cigar

First of all, there are no instructions. However, we are happy to give you a few tips to help you start your upcoming journey of enjoyment.

Time to enjoy includes everything around you and the cigar. Choose a suitable place to relax. Perhaps in your favorite armchair in front of the fireplace, in the garden on the terrace or in the open air in a café. With a drink of your choice.

Unlike the quick supply of nicotine from a quick cigarette, cigars are about enjoyment. Take your time and choose your cigar accordingly. For example, you can plan a Robusto format for half an hour to a whole hour, a larger format like the Churchill is around 90 minutes or longer. The length of enjoyment varies depending on your personal smoking habits.

But which one is the right one? There is no magic formula here either. However, it is recommended that inexperienced palates start with milder cigars. These often originate from the Dominican Republic or Honduras. In order to create a balanced relationship between draw, aroma development and strength, we recommend larger ring gauges. Well-known variants would be the rather small and thick Robustos or the long and thick Churchills.
Dominican Estates Churchill or Flor de Copán Linea Clásica Rothschild are examples, you can find more in our online shop. You are welcome to use the search filters on our website or let us advise you.

Is the place, time and object of enjoyment right? Now we come to opening the cigar to make it ready for smoking. Make sure you use a sharp tool so as not to damage the wrapper. A double-blade cutter is recommended for starters. The concentration of aromas becomes stronger the smaller the cut or hole is.

It doesn't matter whether you use one or more flames to light it, but it should be a gas lighter so as not to endanger the taste. Cedar wood shavings or cigar matches are also possible.
However, normal sulphurised matches, petrol lighters and candles are unsuitable. The taste will be massively changed.

Lighting, just like enjoying it, requires peace and quiet. If the tobacco is lit immediately and puffed at the same time, the cigar will be too hot and the aromas will be adversely affected.

Before lighting, we first toast the cigar, this serves to intensify the aromas. To do this, the lighter is held from a distance at a 45° angle to the cigar to heat it slowly by turning it. The cigar base is then made to glow, you can help it by blowing gently. When the base is completely glowing, you can draw. Any uneven burning that has occurred can be corrected by re-lighting.

Important - only puff, do not inhale. The smoke is drawn into the mouth cavity onto the palate and remains for a few seconds to allow the taste to develop. Give yourself and the cigar time so that it does not get too hot, the profile can take effect between puffs.
Tip - the resulting ash block has a cooling effect, so remove it as rarely as possible. It would be advisable to remove it in a rotating motion in the ashtray when the ash cone is about two centimeters long at the earliest.

The first and second third of the cigar have now passed in a relaxed and enjoyable manner. We are close to the belly band. A widespread rumor says that you should stop here, but this should not limit your enjoyment. Smoke the cigar as long as you like, then remove the belly band.

If you don't take a drag for a long time, the cigar's embers will go out. Putting it out is not the right way to do it, so let it go with honor.

If you don't get the desired enjoyment straight away after following these tips, be patient. Over time you will learn more and gain your own experience.