Guides for cigar smokers
Plain-spoken guides on smoking, cutting, lighting, and storing cigars — plus the etiquette and culture of the lounge itself. Every guide links back to our nationwide directory so you can put the advice to use tonight.
Cigar Basics
How to smoke a cigar properly — cutting, lighting, puffing pace, ash, and how to put it down. A plain-spoken beginner's guide with no snobbery.
How to cut a cigar with a guillotine, V-cutter, punch, knife, or scissors — plus how to cut a torpedo, and what to do when you have no cutter at all.
The best cigars for beginners are mild-to-medium, well-constructed, and affordable. Here's what to look for, which styles to start with, and what to avoid.
How to light a cigar properly: toast the foot, rotate, and puff — with a torch lighter, matches, or cedar spill. Plus what never to use and how to fix an uneven burn.
Gear
How long cigars last in a humidor, in their wrapper, and with no humidor at all — plus the right humidity and temperature to keep them fresh for years.
How to choose the best cigar humidor for your collection — desktop boxes, electric humidors, and cabinets, plus the right humidity, seasoning, and sizing rules.
Lounge Culture
Cigar lounge etiquette, decoded: buying house cigars, cutting and lighting politely, ash rules, conversation norms, tipping, and what never to do.
Whether you can bring your own cigars to a lounge depends on the house policy — BYO rules, cutting fees, and the etiquette of outside cigars, explained.
What to expect at a cigar lounge on your first visit — dress code, cover charges, how to buy a cigar, where to sit, and how long to stay. A complete walkthrough.
What to wear to a cigar lounge — from casual cigar bars to members-only clubs. Dress codes, smoke-and-clothing tips, and how to keep the smell out of your jacket.