With most smoking activities, such as vapes, cigarettes, and other ways to imbibe that shall not be named, you generally inhale the smoke for the full experience. With cigars, however, you should be doing the exact opposite. You should not be inhaling smoke from a cigar, and there are several reasons why, the most pertinent being that cigar smoke is much richer, hotter, and fuller and will most definitely make you cough and hurt your lungs. It is a common prank that some will play, encouraging others to inhale cigar smoke on their first try, but I would not recommend doing so. Don’t listen to those pranksters, either. Sorry, folks.
How do you smoke a cigar, then?
Do you inhale a cigar? No.
Instead, you puff gently by drawing smoke into your mouth, swirl it around your tongue to experience the flavors, and then exhale. For the best possible experience, you want to retrohale. Retrohaling involves drawing a little smoke through your nostrils and blowing it out. You do this without inhaling, and it takes a little practice, but it’s an absolute game-changer. You’ll pick up more nuanced flavors, and with a peppery or spicy smoke, you’ll get a nice little kick.
The trick is to draw a regular puff, release a little out of your mouth, then take the lighter smoke and pull it through your nostrils. It can be challenging if you’ve never retrohaled before, but once you get the hang of it, it improves the experience. It’s similar to how a Sommelier might experience wine using all their senses, including smell and taste. Your taste buds can only pick up so many flavors, so when you pull the smoke through your nostrils, that’s where you’re getting a lot of the nuanced tones.
Slow and steady wins the race
Okay, truthfully, there is no race, and it doesn’t matter how fast you smoke a cigar, even when you’re with friends. But the old saying does make a lot of sense here. You want to puff slowly, taking a draw every minute to two minutes, just enough to keep the cigar from going out. If you’re puffing too often, it makes the cigar burn faster, which can ruin the experience sometimes. The cigar might burn hotter, ruining the blend, certain cigars may fall apart, and you’re not going to pick up a lot of the best flavors — even in expensive smokes.
Take it slow, puff gradually, and the smoke will be lighter and more flavorful.
What happens if you do inhale a cigar?
It depends. The side effects can vary from person to person based on the type of cigar and how big the inhale or draw is. For example, if you draw a long, extended puff and inhale the entire batch of smoke, you’re going to have a bad day. If you gently puff and inhale, it might not be such a big deal, especially with a lighter cigar (in strength).
As a more broad description, inhaling cigar smoke will make you cough, may hurt your lungs, and may also make you sick. I have done it myself and been around others who have. Afterward, I felt sick to my stomach, and although I didn’t throw up, I sure felt like I was going to — I know, I know, rookie mistake. Others that I’ve watched go through the experience have thrown up.
That is also why I strongly advocate putting down the cigar and calling it a day exactly when you’re ready. I hate seeing cigars wasted, but they’re meant to be pleasant and relaxing. If you’re straight-up not having a good time, then put the cigar down and let it go out. No one will mind, except maybe your wallet.
Savor the flavors
The more prominent notes will be similar to what everyone else tastes, but the nuanced notes will vary. That’s because everyone has a different experience and may recognize flavors differently. What I would consider a milk chocolate you might liken more to a coffee or sweet flavor. You might also label what I perceive as leather or a baking spice differently. That’s why many cigar reviews talk about flavors you may never pick up. Sure, sometimes they could be making stuff up, but it’s more likely they have a different palate.
That’s also true of the cigars you’ll like or don’t like. You may find that your palate varies between your friends, family, or peers. That’s okay. That’s also why I recommend experimenting and trying out a variety of cigars, especially when you’re first getting into it.
Once again, for good measure. Do you inhale cigars? No, never.
Get to know our expert
Why should you listen to me? It’s a valid question. I smoke cigars all the time, and I have many recommendations and plenty of advice to share with others. But none of those things qualify me as an expert. Instead, it’s the years of experience, the time I’ve invested in the world of cigars, the excellent connections I’ve made with cigar makers and sellers, and the vast wealth of knowledge I’ve gained during that time. I know what goes into an excellent cigar, and I’ve certainly earned the right to recommend some to others, whether you’re a beginner and this is your first time smoking or have your own cabinet humidor stocked and maintained. Instead of waxing poetic, I’d rather let my recommendations speak for me.
