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Mr. Bill's Pipe & Tobacco Company

CIGAR ETIQUETTE

Cigar Etiquette Never light someone else's cigar; instead, offer your lighter or matches. The smoker usually draws in too hard to get a light quickly from someone else, and that can be bad for the cigar. Don't puff too rapidly on a cigar.  It will bum hot and acquire unsavory, burned flavors. A puff a minute is considered more than adequate to keep a cigar lit. If you're in an area where your cigar smoke offends someone, put it out or move to another location if asked.  If you're in an area that allows cigar smoking, stand your ground.  Then, it's a management problem! Don't play architect with the ash.  If you wait too long to knock it off, it will end up on your pants or on the tablecloth.  Watch for a small crack in the ash, and then tap it off. There are no rules for how far down to smoke a cigar.  Some people smoke it only halfway.  Others burn their fingers with a stub.  Simply stop if the cigar starts to taste bad. Never grind your cigar out in an ashtray.  A cigar will self-extinguish itself quite rapidly. In fact, by grinding out your cigar, you'll release more odors into the air than by leaving it alone. A man should never light another man's cigar because it is a very personal experience; however it is acceptable for a man to light a woman's cigar only if it is one of the smaller type cigars, otherwise it is not permitted. As for the women libbers, it is not acceptable for a woman to light a man's cigar. Don't smoke in someone else's home unless you are offered a cigar by the host/hostess.  Don't smoke during a meal, only after desert has been served. At cocktail parties try to smoke a thin panatela or cigarillo.  Cigar smoking at weddings is accepted and encouraged. When offering a cigar to a guest, it is not proper to pick up the cigar from the box for them. It is a sign of respect to offer the cigar by holding the box open to them.   Cigar Store Etiquette   S    S     Shopping for cigars has become a full-time hobby for some people. Here are some simple rules to consider following: To test for moisture, cigars must be lightly grasped.  But if you squeeze them too hard, they will crack.  There has been an increase in broken cigars in stores because buyers have not been gentle enough with them.  Remember, cigar wrappers are fragile; treat them that way. Smelling a cigar is frowned upon in most cigar stores.  It is better to test its quality by lightly grasping it - but take care to not hold it too tightly or else you'll crack it.

This article was published on Wednesday 13 September, 2006.