Expert: James Yee - 4/28/2008

Question
Dear James
Sorry to ask you so many questions however i love to do things the right way and be educated from someone with your expertise
Is it courtesy to remove the Cigar ring (paper with its name and if limited edition ..)
I heard that in england in cigar clubs its is offensive to have the ring (it is like braging about what you smoke)
howver when i try to remove before ligting the cigar it sometimes ruins the construction ,i remove it in the middle or near the end the cigar then diamter is reduced (dont know why)and the ring is a bit lose so i can remove it without any problems
what do you think

Answer
Hi Amr A Seoud,

Whether or not you should remove the band is now optional.  You're right, in some parts of the world, there are some establishments (cigar clubs/lounges) that say it's polite to remove the cigar ring but they will not get angry if you leave it on.  Many people are now very relaxed and understanding if you want to keep the band on or not.  Fellow cigar smokers understand that cigars (especially Cuban cigars) can be quite expensive so if you want to leave the cigar rings on your cigars while you smoke them, it is your right to do so.

Many people also experience the same problem of damaging the wrapper leaf when they try to remove the cigar ring so it's perfectly fine to tear the band off instead of sliding it off.  Sliding the ring off may damage the construction but it is a more polite method of removing it.  However, sometimes a cigar ring can not slide off easily so it's perfectly fine to tear or peel it.

Removing the band during smoking is also fine as long as you do not leave the band on the cigar and allow it to burn.  Many people don't make this mistake but I've seen some people that have accidentally left the band on the cigar as it burned.  Not only is this bad courtesy and a sign of disrespect but the smell of burning paper also ruins the cigar aroma for you and other cigar smokers in the room.

Hopes this answers your question.  Don't worry, please feel free to ask questions. I am happy to help.

Kind regards,
James