Cigars/cigar smoking
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Question
What is the proper way to smoke a cigar? Does it include blowing some of the smoke through your nose and mouth? I just want to make sure I am enjoyng the cigar properly and not wasting them. Thanks
Hi Anthony,
There's actually two ways of smoking a cigar. For beginners, it's encouraged that you do not inhale but instead, take a draw of smoke into your mouth and let it linger for a few seconds before slowly expelling it through your lips. Not inhaling the cigar smoke is perfectly fine. Because cigar smoke is very thick, heavy and has been known to make people sick, beginners are actually encouraged to not inhale cigar smoke until they can comfortably handle strong, full-bodied cigars. If you're comfortable with strong, full-bodied cigars right now, you can skip straight to the expert method.
For expert cigar smokers, a more experienced and recommended method of smoking a cigar is to slowly take a draw of smoke into your mouth, let the smoke "trickle" down your throat a tiny bit and then expel it either through your mouth or nose. This allows you to fully assess both the cigar's flavour and strength.
Both methods are perfectly fine and widely accepted by both beginner and advanced cigar smokers.
Hope this answers your question. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.
Regards,
James
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James Yee
Expertise
My main area of expertise is Cuban cigars but I can also assist you with cigar etiquette, humidor maintenance and troubleshooting. Unsure of a certain cigar brand? Wondering what a certain cigar tastes like? Have any questions about Cuban cigars? Just let me know! I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. (NOTE: My main focus is on premium, hand-rolled cigars and not cheap, machine made, convenience store cigars.) IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE CIGAR OR CIGAR-RELATED APPRAISALS. If you have a vintage cigar item and you want to know if it's worth something, please contact an antique dealer that specializes in "TOBACCIANA".
Experience
I currently have 19 dedicated years of cigar smoking and counting. I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. For 5 years, I studied with Cuban torcedores (rollers), catadores (taste testers) and revisadores (inspectors) on every aspect involving the production of the Cuban cigar and I am currently writing a book that will help beginners understand everything they need to know about cigars and cigar smoking.
Publications
Maple Leaf Gardens: Memories & Dreams 1931-1999 (1999; ISBN: 0920445616)
50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do (2006; ISBN: 0452286654)
The [London] Times (October 8, 2009)
Education/Credentials
B.A. University of Toronto
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