Cigar Etiquette
While I'm on the subject of cigars, let me comment on the elitist hoity-toity cigar culture. One hundred years ago, many men smoked cigars. Cigarettes were largely unheard of. If you look at ads and boxes from the old days the main selling point was how cheap they are for a decent product, not how they are some high-falutin' accessory to impress people. Every average joe smoked cigars because they liked them, men wanted a good smoke at a good price - 5 or 10 cents a stick usually. Now we have something called a 'cigar lifestyle', and the internet is filled with ridiculous forums where people ask 'when do I ash?', and 'how much of the cigar do I smoke?'. Who gives a damn? It's a bunch of effing leaves. There is no 'cigar lifestyle', if you like and can afford nice things, then you like and can afford nice things...this doesn't have shit to do with whether you smoke cigars or not.
Even today, 95% of the cigar market is plain old machine-made things or bundles, not Gurkha Warlords. Things like White Owls and Dutch Masters prop up the entire industry, so don't hesitate to fire one up. You have a lot more in common with 99% of the cigar smokers of yesteryear than a guy with his nose in the air lighting up a $5 stick. Wanna find out about 'cigar lifestyle'? Find an old Jewish guy in the park smoking El Productos like he has since the 40's, not some 'cigar aficionado' who concerns himself with the length of ash that his ridiculously overpriced cigar will make before it falls off. I even read one blurb where they describe a long ash as 'sexy'...wtf? Now there is a man that needs to get laid very badly...all the women I've been acquainted with enjoy length, but not of a cigar ash by any means.
Let me turn to Zino Davidoff's cigar etiquette guide from 1967, I will number each and post my personal advice:
Do:
1)Warm the foot of the cigar slightly before starting to puff on it.
2)Remove the band carefully after lighting the cigar.
3)Take your time in smoking it; a puff a minute is about right.
4)Hold the cigar between your index finger and thumb.
5)Let the cigar die a dignified death. After it's smoked half way, it will go out on its own.
6)Dispose of the dead cigar discreetly and quickly.
7)Wait at least fifteen minutes between cigars; anything less indicates obsessive behavior.
Don't:
8)Use a penknife to cut or a lance to pierce the end of the cigar.
9)Touch the flame directly to the foot of the cigar: Instead, simply rotate it around the edge till it starts to burn, then puff lightly.
10)Ask someone else for a light (the lighting of a cigar should be a personal affair).
11)Light your cigar too quickly or too slowly.
12)Indulge in exhibitionism in lighting or any other aspect of smoking.
13)Relight your cigar if less than one quarter of it is leaf.
14)Put the cigar in your mouth to relight it. Just scrape off the ash and turn it in the flame for several seconds till it relights.
15)Clench it between your teeth. Likewise do not get the end of the cigar wet, chew it, or slobber on it.
16)Smoke too quickly.
17)Use a cigar holder, or worse, stick a toothpick or matchstick in the end of the cigar to help hold it in your mouth.
18)Dunk your cigar in port or brandy, a habit attributed to Winston Churchill.
19)Smoke while working.
20)Hold a cigar between your index and middle finger.
21)Smoke when you're walking.
22)Smoke more than half the cigar.
23)Put the cigar out by crushing it in an ashtray.
24)Chain-smoke cigars.
The true shit:
1) This is actually good practice, it prevents the cigar from 'tunneling', where the filler burns inside the binder/wrapper.
2) I remove the band (since my Dad used to rag me with 'Listening to the music?'), apparently it is a matter of personal preference in the States though. So, up to you.
3) Smoke it however you like. It's your cigar.
4) You can hold it between your arse-cheeks if you like. Doesn't matter.
5) True, let it go out by itself.
6) Dispose of it however you like, though preferably not on the damn floor. How about just leave it in the ashtray and dump the ashtray later?
7) Smoke however many you like whenever you like when cigars are permissible. 'Obsessive behaviour' is adhering to a bunch of silly rules.
8) Who cares. If I've got an expensive cigar that's plugged I'll put a friggin' coat hanger in there if I have to.
9) Sure. When it's windy though, I stuff the foot straight into the flame...and lo and behold it lights. Who gives a crap.
10) For heaven's sake. It's a bunch of rolled up leaves that you burn, not a self-induced orgasm.
11) ?? What would constitute 'too quickly' or 'too slowly'? How vague is this? Light your damn dog rocket however you like.
12) Exhibitionism? If you're a hot chick by all means take off your clothes as you light up a cigar.
13) Relight your cigar if you're not done smoking it. Blow out the stale smoke and fire it up again if you like.
14) Light it however you want.
15) Meh.
16)What constitutes 'too quickly'? Smoke it however you like, it's yours.
17) True. Unless it's packed with weed or something.
18) Some cigars are extremely pleasant with the cap lightly dipped in brandy. I did this in the Caribbean with a Cuban Cohiba...it was exquisite. Churchill has an entire type of cigar named after him and was a cigar smoker of the first order. So he probably knew what he was doing. As far as I'm concerned you can dunk it in a cup of urine if that's the way you like it. Uh huh, uh huh.
19) Oh for God's sake. George Burns did!
20) See #4
21) No. Don't smoke when you're swimming in gasoline.
22) Smoke however much you like. Many cigars actually have a better flavor past the halfway point. If I'm spending the money for a good cigar and am enjoying it, I'm smoking that bastard til it burns my fingers.
23) Good advice. Crushing out a cigar is what causes noxious smells and is really ineffective. It's not a cigarette. Let it just go out by itself.
24) Unless you want to.
Even today, 95% of the cigar market is plain old machine-made things or bundles, not Gurkha Warlords. Things like White Owls and Dutch Masters prop up the entire industry, so don't hesitate to fire one up. You have a lot more in common with 99% of the cigar smokers of yesteryear than a guy with his nose in the air lighting up a $5 stick. Wanna find out about 'cigar lifestyle'? Find an old Jewish guy in the park smoking El Productos like he has since the 40's, not some 'cigar aficionado' who concerns himself with the length of ash that his ridiculously overpriced cigar will make before it falls off. I even read one blurb where they describe a long ash as 'sexy'...wtf? Now there is a man that needs to get laid very badly...all the women I've been acquainted with enjoy length, but not of a cigar ash by any means.
Let me turn to Zino Davidoff's cigar etiquette guide from 1967, I will number each and post my personal advice:
Do:
1)Warm the foot of the cigar slightly before starting to puff on it.
2)Remove the band carefully after lighting the cigar.
3)Take your time in smoking it; a puff a minute is about right.
4)Hold the cigar between your index finger and thumb.
5)Let the cigar die a dignified death. After it's smoked half way, it will go out on its own.
6)Dispose of the dead cigar discreetly and quickly.
7)Wait at least fifteen minutes between cigars; anything less indicates obsessive behavior.
Don't:
8)Use a penknife to cut or a lance to pierce the end of the cigar.
9)Touch the flame directly to the foot of the cigar: Instead, simply rotate it around the edge till it starts to burn, then puff lightly.
10)Ask someone else for a light (the lighting of a cigar should be a personal affair).
11)Light your cigar too quickly or too slowly.
12)Indulge in exhibitionism in lighting or any other aspect of smoking.
13)Relight your cigar if less than one quarter of it is leaf.
14)Put the cigar in your mouth to relight it. Just scrape off the ash and turn it in the flame for several seconds till it relights.
15)Clench it between your teeth. Likewise do not get the end of the cigar wet, chew it, or slobber on it.
16)Smoke too quickly.
17)Use a cigar holder, or worse, stick a toothpick or matchstick in the end of the cigar to help hold it in your mouth.
18)Dunk your cigar in port or brandy, a habit attributed to Winston Churchill.
19)Smoke while working.
20)Hold a cigar between your index and middle finger.
21)Smoke when you're walking.
22)Smoke more than half the cigar.
23)Put the cigar out by crushing it in an ashtray.
24)Chain-smoke cigars.
The true shit:
1) This is actually good practice, it prevents the cigar from 'tunneling', where the filler burns inside the binder/wrapper.
2) I remove the band (since my Dad used to rag me with 'Listening to the music?'), apparently it is a matter of personal preference in the States though. So, up to you.
3) Smoke it however you like. It's your cigar.
4) You can hold it between your arse-cheeks if you like. Doesn't matter.
5) True, let it go out by itself.
6) Dispose of it however you like, though preferably not on the damn floor. How about just leave it in the ashtray and dump the ashtray later?
7) Smoke however many you like whenever you like when cigars are permissible. 'Obsessive behaviour' is adhering to a bunch of silly rules.
8) Who cares. If I've got an expensive cigar that's plugged I'll put a friggin' coat hanger in there if I have to.
9) Sure. When it's windy though, I stuff the foot straight into the flame...and lo and behold it lights. Who gives a crap.
10) For heaven's sake. It's a bunch of rolled up leaves that you burn, not a self-induced orgasm.
11) ?? What would constitute 'too quickly' or 'too slowly'? How vague is this? Light your damn dog rocket however you like.
12) Exhibitionism? If you're a hot chick by all means take off your clothes as you light up a cigar.
13) Relight your cigar if you're not done smoking it. Blow out the stale smoke and fire it up again if you like.
14) Light it however you want.
15) Meh.
16)What constitutes 'too quickly'? Smoke it however you like, it's yours.
17) True. Unless it's packed with weed or something.
18) Some cigars are extremely pleasant with the cap lightly dipped in brandy. I did this in the Caribbean with a Cuban Cohiba...it was exquisite. Churchill has an entire type of cigar named after him and was a cigar smoker of the first order. So he probably knew what he was doing. As far as I'm concerned you can dunk it in a cup of urine if that's the way you like it. Uh huh, uh huh.
19) Oh for God's sake. George Burns did!
20) See #4
21) No. Don't smoke when you're swimming in gasoline.
22) Smoke however much you like. Many cigars actually have a better flavor past the halfway point. If I'm spending the money for a good cigar and am enjoying it, I'm smoking that bastard til it burns my fingers.
23) Good advice. Crushing out a cigar is what causes noxious smells and is really ineffective. It's not a cigarette. Let it just go out by itself.
24) Unless you want to.
Some of that crap is so absurd that it's actually comical. Life has way too many rules already without worrying about how you smoke cigars. And way too many grievous displays of absolute lack of consideration. Be considerate and enjoy yourself, don't get wrapped up with anality. And remember, a 'good cigar' is one you personally enjoy - whether it's a Marsh Wheeling or a Perdomo.
Labels: cigar etiquette
posted by Soulend at 10:33 AM
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