The proper way to smoke a cigar

Okay. So you've gone out and bought a couple cigars and decided that you wanted take up the popular pastime of cigar smoking. After all, this pastime has increased in popularity in recent years, spawning magazines and books and smoking bars. It's a fine, affluent, and cultured hobby to be a part of it. So what kind of accessories do you need, in addition to your cigars, in order to have an authentic cigar smoking experience? 

You'll want to get yourself a humidor. They come at a variety of styles and types but you should get one that is made of Spanish cedar, or at least contains Spanish cedar in it. Spanish cedar is often used to help keep cigars fresh for indefinite periods of time. And, a humidor kept at 70% will keep your cigars in an ideal state of humidity so that they'll be ready to smoke when you are. You can overcome problems in your humidor's humidity by making sure that it is full of cigars, since a nearly empty humidor will throw off the humidity. 

Before you can light up your cigar, you'll need to clip off the end. This will expose the inside leaves of the cigar which are the ones that impart the most flavor as you draw in the cigar smoke. While many people use any sharp object handy, like a pocket knife, you can really enjoy this cigar smoking experience before you even light up by getting yourself a little guillotine clipper. Usually they have three holes, two for your fingers and one in the middle for the cigar. You put the cigar in the middle one and pinch your fingers and a little blade snaps the cap off of the end of the cigar. 

The next thing you'll need is a good lighter. Cigar connoisseurs recommend that you don't use a regular lighter or a match, since the sulfur from the match or the fluid from the lighter will add an unpleasant taste to your cigar. A butane lighter is one popular way to light your cigar without the after effects of bad flavor. 

While not necessary, a smoking jacket was a traditional garment used by men to keep smoke from getting on their clothes. They are typically three-quarter-length coats of a very rich material and deep in color, with cuffs. While they may not be readily available in stores anymore, you may find them in secondhand clothing shops or you can get a tailor to make one for you. It is a fun way to add a level of authenticity in class to your cigar smoking experience.