Cigar Fundamentals Archives - Page 5 of 9

Six Things a New Cigar Shop Owner Should Do

Posted on October 11, 2021 by Staff

Cigar shipments are up and some in the industry are hinting at a second Cigar Boom following the original boom in the 1990s. The U.S. economy, despite a global pandemic, has been in a decades-long bull market creating unprecedented wealth for many. Borrowed money is cheap and easy relative to historical norms. More Americans are working remotely, giving them greater schedule flexibility. Together, you have the perfect recipe for a lot of very green, wannabe new cigar shop owners to enter the market. If this sounds like you, then there are a few things you must know to reap rewards and create your own cigar shop success story. Here are six basic business fundamentals you need to know to stay smokin’ happy and in business.

Who Opens New Independent Cigar Shop?

The owner of a typical new, independent cigar store* is someone with a mid-to-high income full-time job that loves cigars and thinks it would be fun to own a place. Obviously, these operators want the store to be financially viable and don’t overtly go into it thinking about it as a hobby, but the reason they’re in the cigar business is because they want to be in the cigar business. Income from the cigar store is not typically what pays the family’s monthly expenses. Variants on this include several individuals, typically friends, partnering on a store or a recently retired mid-to-high income individual that opens a store as a retirement business. A commonality here is that while they love cigars, have spent a lot of time in humidors, and (may) have some business experience outside of cigars; most of them have never really been in the cigar business before.

Find a Cigar Shop Mentor

“Mentor” has become a buzzword or cliché over the last decade or so but find someone or a small group of individuals that have successfully run retail cigar stores/bars/lounges and will share with you some of the marketing and operational keys to success. This person may or may not be in your market and may or may not be in a competitive situation with you. Focus on individuals that have a track record of success, have run similar scale operations (e.g., transferrable lessons), and similar backgrounds (e.g., outside work demands, family demands, shared values).

This isn’t a formal “mentoring relationship” like you read about in big corporate America. Your mentors may not even know you view them as mentors, per se. You don’t run an ad or post on LinkedIn that you’re looking for a cigar mentor. Good mentoring relationships develop organically because the parties genuinely like each other. Mutual cigar friends might be very helpful in making introductions. Spending some time at national or regional events is a great way to identify potential mentors.

Keep Regular Shop Hours

Some of you will think this is obvious, and it doesn’t need mentioned. Yet, for too many cigar shop operators, not opening the doors happens too often. Anyone who has regularly visited different cigar shops will tell you they are no longer shocked when they arrive at a locked door. You can’t sell anything if your doors are closed. Nothing frustrates regulars and potential new customers alike more than arriving to find a closed store. The potential new customers won’t give you a second chance.

Despite our social media- and Yelp-driven world of round-the-clock feedback, most potential customers won’t admit you’ve lost out. You never hear about the sales you missed; you can only guess. Not only do you lose the direct sales you could have made that day, but the value of a long-term customer. Obviously, genuine emergencies rarely occur, but it shouldn’t be the norm that the store doesn’t open on time. The most likely reason for the store not opening is a staff call out or no show.

As a side note on your hours of operation, while you don’t technically own the posted hours for your store on Google, Facebook, and other online websites, your customers rely on them. You can always blame Zuckerberg, but listing the wrong hours costs you money. Task someone with checking listed hours on Facebook and Google at least weekly and correcting any mistakes.

Hire Cigar Shop Staff

As the new owner of a shiny new cigar store, you may think there’s nothing you’ll love more than spending much of the week in the store. Even if you’re used to spending over 20 hours per week in the lounge as a patron, everything changes once you step behind the counter. As a patron, you can get up and leave any minute. If you’re working, you’re there. Unless you decide you’d rather be somewhere else and you to close the doors, which isn’t a good idea either (see “Keep Regular Hours” above).

You’re a high-income earner in your day job. That’s how you got the money to buy the cigar shop! Your time is more valuable than what the prevailing wage is for most of the cigar shop jobs. So, hire staff where it makes economic sense, which is most of the time. You should know how to perform all the roles and be a substitute, but for your quality of life, don’t make yourself live behind the counter. If the only way your budget works continuously is with very low labor costs because your staff primarily includes you, your partners, or family members working unpaid, then you don’t have a business. Instead, you have a hobby. Hope you’re enjoying yourself!

Keep Cigar Shop Humidors Stocked

You’ll hear all kinds of excuses for a light humidor, most notably “It’s not our fault! Manufacturer is out of stock!” In reality, that’s often a partial truth. It’s not unusual for a couple of items on back-order. However, if most are out of stock in the store, it’s because they weren’t reordered. Out of stocks directly cause lost sales in humidor. They also send a bad vibe to your customer base. It’s a message suggesting you don’t care or that you won’t be here long. A light humidor is often a precursor to a store closing. According to A.T. Kearney, out of stock levels are a critical item for nearly all retailers.

Focus on Cigar Shop Location

You’ve heard the mantra, “location, location, location” all your life. So, there’s no need to beat it to death. You get the importance of location on the success of any brick and mortar retail establishment. Yet, there are a couple of things to consider. Be cognizant of any current or potential future legislation risk affecting tobacco or alcohol sales. Second, be wary of a location that’s too good to be true. These are often home to multiple successively failed businesses. Don’t let your ego get in the way. Remember, many other operators that came before you failed in that space. Some locations just are not good for retail.

Know Your Numbers – Invest in a Point-of-Sale System

Many small retailers will think they can initially get away without a point-of-sale system and they probably can on the productivity side. They think if sales volume is slow enough, then they don’t need the operational efficiencies generated by a POS system. Unfortunately, this initial thinking drags on. The loss you experience in going without a POS system is not knowing what’s going on in your business. Your inventory management and profitability at the unit level reflect that loss. The data is the difference between guessing and knowing.

*Author’s note: This description of a “typical” store and owner is an archetype. It represents insight from interviews with countless cigar shop owners. Obviously, all owners will not fit this description in background or mindset. It also assumes a small cigar shop composed of usually 1-5 employees. That includes the store owner and employees.

Photo credit: Unsplash

Candela: “Those Green Leaf Cigars!”

Posted on October 3, 2021 by Staff

Cigar wrappers come in many shades and colors. There are almost as many wrappers as there are shapes. The most we’re familiar with are the light tan of Connecticut shade wrappers, the medium browns of Habanos, and the oily dark Maduros. Walk into a cigar store’s humidor and you’ll most likely see hundreds of selections sporting one of these wrappers. Occasionally, especially around St Patrick’s Day, you’ll see green leaf cigars. You might even think that maybe they need more time in the tobacco barn. Or, you might wonder whether cigar makers dye the wrapper green like green beer or a Shamrock shake. You might find a stick wrapped like a barber pole with a Connecticut, Maduro, and a pale green leaf wrapper.

These rare verdant cigars go by a few different names: American Market Selection, Double Claro, and Candela. Spanish for “Candle”, Candela cigars offer a milder taste than Connecticut shade cigars. Yet, they are still full of flavor and can add something different to a humidor. They offer sweet vegetal notes like grass and fresh hay or dried herbs and green tea leaves.

The History of Candela Cigars

Legend has it that back in the ‘40s, Cuban tobacco farmers accidentally created Candela wrappers when there was excess humidity in the curing barns. To combat this, they used heat to help dry the tobacco leaves. Instead of coming back to brown Habanos, they opened the barn doors and discovered that some leaves stayed green. Thus, the Candela wrapper was born.

The green wrappers brought in a lot of green money for tobacco farmers in the late ’50s. For a while, Candela green leaf cigars were the most popular type of cigar to come out of Cuba for American cigar smokers. They were so popular that they became known as American Market Selection cigars outside of the US. Almost every red-blooded American had a green stick in their mouth. The milder taste and aroma of a Candela were preferred to the strong, full-bodied cigars from Havana. After President John F. Kennedy (who was a huge fan of Candelas) enacted the embargo on Cuban exports, Candela cigars were harder to come by. By the early ‘70s and ’80s, Candela wrappers fell out of favor and gave way to Connecticut shade wrappers as America’s choice for a mild tasting cigar.

How Cigar Makers Create Candela Cigars

Much like Maduro, Candela refers to the curing process rather than the type of wrapper leaf used. There’s a process to create these emerald wrappers. Tobacco leaves are picked before reaching full maturity. Then, they hang in sealed curing barns to dry. Vents on the floor and barn roof allowed for a full flow of air to breeze through. When the heat slowly rises in the barn from 90 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit, it locks in the Chlorophyll, which colors a leaf green. Essentially, the leaves bake until fully dried. At this stage, the leaves grow fragile to the touch and require rehydration for leaf pliability. After that, cigar makers store Candela leaves in a cool place instead of the usual pylons.

This is faster than curing regular cigar wrappers. Normally, green leaves from the tobacco plant are taken and hung in curing barns for 30 to 45 days. Slowly, the combination of heat, humidity, and time turns the tobacco leaves from a bright green to the rich brown shades that we see today. By quickly heating the leaf and controlling the humidity, you cut the time of making Candela wrappers to about 72 hours, instead of waiting a month.

Today’s Candela Green Leaf Cigars

Nowadays, Candelas only take up a small space on shelves of cigar store humidors. Names like Arturo Fuente, Camacho, and Macanudo offer green leaf cigars, but they can be hard to find at your local brick and mortar store. However, newer cigar makers, like Alec Bradley, Illusione, and Acid by Drew Estate, have a few Candela cigars in their lineup for smokers to puff on. These emerald beauties are worth having a stick or two in your humidor. The light, clean tasting notes of Candelas go well with good rye on a golf course or sitting on the deck after mowing your lawn.

Photo credit: Davidoff/Jeff Elkins

How to Cleanse Your Palate Before Smoking Cigars

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Staff

Have you ever had your favorite cigar and enjoyed the nuanced tasting notes only to have it taste completely different or even bland the next time you try it? Perhaps the aroma has changed and something seems off about your smoke. You may be the victim of palate or olfactory fatigue! To get the fullest flavor out of your premium hand rolled cigar, cleanse your palate so the flavors of the smoke roll over your taste buds and waft through your nose. What you eat, drink, and smell from the environment you’re smoking in can affect the nuances of your cigar to some degree.

The Science About Taste and Smell

The human tongue is made out of receptors we call taste buds which look like small bumps. These bumps contain papillae that are specifically shaped to receive only certain structures. Think of them as shaped containers that can only contain one shape. If a container can only hold a square object, then a circular object will not fit in. When the papillae acclimate to a specific structure they send a signal to your brain telling it something is sweet, sour, salty, bitter, or savory (or umami). With all of these combined, we receive the signal of what the brain perceives as flavor.

In addition to that, when you chew food or, in our case, smoke a cigar, these structures also travel their way up to your olfactory sensors in the uppermost part of your nose. These sensors also send signals to your brain and when mixed with the signals from your taste buds they tell the brain what flavor you’re experiencing.

So whether you get cocoa notes while smoking a maduro or sweet cream notes from a Connecticut your taste buds and olfactory sensors are receiving certain structures and telling your brain the closest thing akin with which you’re most familiar.

Taste, Smell and Smoking Cigars

If you’re smoking the same cigar day after day or even different cigars one after another your sense of taste and smell can become overloaded. Tasting similar things over and over again may cause your brain to become dull to the signals your tongue or nose are sending.

For example: if you burn toast you will smell it immediately and your brain will tell you something is burning. After throwing the toast in the trash, the smell will linger but after a while your brain will forget or block out the signals that say something is burning. If you leave the room and come back, the smell of bad cooking will be fresh in your mind.

Thankfully, there are a few tips and tricks that can help you freshen your palate and experience your favorite cigars as if you were experiencing them for the first time.

Cleanse Your Palate and Taste Buds

Water

Room temperature water helps hydrate and refresh your taste buds. If you drink cold water, it will shrink your receptors and impede the papillae from grabbing on to flavor particulates. The more they can grab, the more intense the flavor.

Sparkling Water

Not only does sparkling water help to hydrate your mouth, the carbonation can stimulate the tongue, allowing your taste buds to get ready to receive more flavors.

Coffee

The acidity in coffee helps cut through flavors lingering in the mouth. Black coffee is best as cream or milk can coat the tongue in fats that can mess with what you’re tasting in your smoke. The bitterness in coffee can also help contrast certain flavor notes. Sometimes a brew can overlap with the coffee notes in cigars and highlight other flavors like cocoa or caramel. The aroma of coffee can also clear out your olfactory senses. You will often find coffee beans in a jar at cologne stores to help freshen your sense of smell.

Tea

Much like tobacco, tea leaves are grown in similar conditions and left to dry and age like cigars. It’s the same with coffee. The acidity improves your ability to taste cigars. Try pairing the color of your tea with the color of your cigar wrapper. The two complement each other’s taste. If you’re smoking a bold maduro, go for some black tea. A fun combination to try is light green tea with candelas. Again, the smell of tea can freshen the old sniffer right up.

Citrus

Similar to coffee and tea, drinks with lemon or lime help freshen your taste buds. Citrus preps your taste buds to take in more flavors. You can also add a slice of lemon or lime to your water, sparkling water, or tea. This improves the palate cleansing power.

Ginger

That pile of pink pickled ginger on your sushi plate isn’t just for show. Eating pickled ginger in between bites of your nigiri washes the palate. It prepares your tongue to taste the subtleties of the fish you’re eating. If eating pickled anything sounds gross while smoking, try ginger ale or ginger beer instead. The spiciness can complement the pepper notes in a Habano wrapped cigar.

Sparkling Coffee

Apparently, mixing espresso or coffee with sparkling mineral water is a thing. Is it a good thing? That’s subjective. However, it makes for an interesting experience when puffing on a good cigar. The fizzy acidity works wonders on the taste buds. Again, the aroma of coffee helps with the ol’ olfactory sensors. Speaking of which…

Cleanse Your Palate and Olfactory Senses

Eighty percent of taste is mostly what we smell. Something that comes to mind is retrohaling. Retrohaling is when you take a puff and let it roll around your mouth for about 10 seconds. Then, you blow it out through your nose. When you retrohale, you find different aromas that aren’t as pronounced on the tongue. Here are two sure fire ways to cleanse your nostrils of stagnant smoke that aren’t already mentioned above.

Cleanse Your Palate with Fresh air

If you’re in a lounge or a smoking den, no matter how well ventilated it is, the scent of cigars will still linger in the air. This can be especially true with flavored or infused cigars. Remember when you burnt your toast earlier? It’s the same idea. Simply get up and get a little breather outside. Getting some fresh air resets your brain from the constant stimulation it’s getting when sitting in a room.

Cleanse Your Palate with Your Own Skin

Another easy way to refresh your olfactory sensors is to smell your own skin, but only if you’re not wearing cologne. If you’re in a lounge or smoking in a room you shouldn’t smell of cologne anyway as the scents can horribly affect your cigar experience as well as others who are present. Don’t be “that guy”. This is another good way to ruin your cigar experience. If you’re not that guy, smelling the crook of your elbow or the skin on your arm provides your brain with what it’s already familiar with: your own scent.

Cleansing Your Palate When All Else Fails…

If you’ve tried everything and your cigars taste bland, then your palate may be burnt out. To help repair your senses, eat bland tasting foods for a week or two. Unsalted water crackers are good for this and, for this reason, many often pair them with cheese and wine. Plain oatmeal or whole grain bread also helps your taste buds refresh. Plus, you should be eating these anyway as they’re good for you and heart healthy.

If your sticks are starting to taste samey samey, these tips and tricks will help out. Your tongue and nose will thank you and those cigars will taste better with a cleansed palate. Try some of these methods before smoking your after-dinner cigar! Protip: if you ate something fatty, like a good steak, try to order a lemon sorbet if you can. It’s a good dessert as well as a good palate cleanser.

Photo credit: Unsplash

How to Cut a Cigar Without a Cigar Cutter

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Staff

It’s a beautiful day outside and you’re enjoying yourself. The sun is shining. There’s a slight breeze in the air, and you think to yourself, “Wow, what a perfect time for a cigar!” You pull out the cigar that has been waiting for you to light it at this very moment. You grab your cigar poker to loosen the tobacco, but disaster strikes. You realize that you left your cigar cutter at home! If this has ever happened to you, then fear not. Thankfully, there is more than one way to cut a cigar. With a little creativity and resourcefulness, we’re going to teach you how to cut a cigar and turn this rough situation into a win.

How to Cut a Cigar Using your teeth

Back in the day, good cigar cutters were a luxury. Many cigar-smoking veterans have developed the tried-and-true method of clipping their cigars with their teeth. While this takes practice and experience to get right, it is still one of the most effective ways to clip your cigar in a pinch.

While holding your cigar, place the cap of the cigar between your front teeth. Start by slowly bringing your teeth together like a good cigar cutter. This helps break through the cap. Then, bite swiftly to cut the rest of the way through. Take care, though. You don’t want to bite off too much of the cigar.

How to Cut a Cigar Using a Knife

If you’re the type of individual who carries around a pocketknife, then it’s your time to shine. Before cutting, sharpen your blade. Remember, you want your blade to slice through the tobacco, not tear it. A dull blade can deal more damage to a premium cigar than anything else.

Upon pulling out your cigar, place your blade about 1/12 of an inch from the top of the cap. Now slowly rotate your cigar in the direction of the wrapper until you have completed a circular slice the entire way around the cigar. If you’ve done this correctly, the cap should pop off on its own. If the cap has not yet come off, then try to find a flat surface you can set your cigar on. If you can’t find a flat surface, make sure to hold the cigar firmly. Place your blade within the cut you have just made and quickly press the blade through your cut.

Punch a Hole

When you use your teeth or a knife to cut a cigar, you always run the risk of cracking the outer layer of tobacco. If your cigar is too precious to take those kinds of risks, then your next best option is punching a hole in the cap. Punching a hole in the cap allows you to smoke the cigar without completely removing the cap. The only thing you have to worry about is making sure you get the correct airflow.

First, find a sharp-pointed object. This can be anything from a screwdriver to a fishing hook. If you have matches, you can even use a dull knife to sharpen the end of a match as a makeshift hole puncher. We’ve even used a thorn from a wild rose bush before. Now the best way to accomplish this is to take your sharp object and poke it directly through the top of the cap. Once the hole has been punched, put the cigar in your mouth and test the draw. Widen the hole with your tool of choice until you get the desired airflow.

While we hope you’re never in a situation without your good cigar cutter, it’s good to have the ability to get by without it. Check out the rest of our cigar articles to discover more useful tips on cigar smoking, like how to select a great cigar humidor. There’s a lot of culture that comes with cigar lifestyle!

Photo credit: Pixabay

Six Things Your Cigar Bartenders Wish You Knew

Posted on August 22, 2021 by Staff

The cigars are only one aspect of the experience at the cigar lounge. By and large the cigar bartender at your local cigar bar appreciate the job they have, certainly relative to other bar gigs. Yet, there are a few things you as a patron ought to know. So, we reached out to the community of cigar bar staff to get the scoop from their perspective. Here’s what your cigar bartenders wish you knew:

Cigar Bartenders Work for Tips

Like other bartenders and servers, most of our incomes come from tips. The hourly wages we get won’t cover our Uber rides or childcare for our shifts. But we like working in cigar bars. On whole, cigar folks are good tippers, relative to other places we work. That’s a big reason for us to stick around.

Some cigar folks can do better, though. We’re talking about some members or a regulars who receive many freebies such as coffee, soft drinks, or etc., or who don’t purchase from the humidor, often as a result of membership fees. Cigar bartenders still must serve you even though we didn’t get paid on your annual membership. Throw us a little something now and then or don’t tip as a percentage of your check. If you’re here all afternoon and buy a coffee, we might refill your cup six times. But when it comes time to pay, even 50 percent on your $3 check is way light for the service we provided.

Also, we genuinely appreciate small gifts, like the gift of a cigar from your personal humidor. But that cigar doesn’t pay our bills. It’s better to tip appropriately. Then, if you want to give us something in addition to that, it’s perfectly fine.

Cigar bartenders are also realistic. We understand when you purchase a box of cigars or make a large purchase out of the humidor and pay via one credit card tab. If that tab is co-mingled with your small bar tab, we don’t necessarily expect you to tip 20 to 25 percent of the entire tab. Of course, if you do then we certainly won’t complain either.

Cigar Bartenders Don’t Want to Date You

You want to date us, too? Seriously, guy! You’ve probably got kids older than us! Besides, we’re more than likely married or seeing someone. Just because we’re not wearing a ring or talking about our significant other doesn’t mean we’re on the market. And even if we were, you aren’t what we’re looking for. Yes, we’re attractive. Yes, we might be dressed somewhat provocatively. We might also flirt with you a little or are happy to see you. But we also work for tips. That doesn’t give you a license to be a creep.

Bartenders and Servers Talk About You

Ever wonder whether secret conversations about you are happening among us? They are, but that’s usually a good thing, not a bad thing. If you’re a creep or an awful tipper, then we’ll tell other staff members and probably a few of the regulars. We’re not priests, doctors or lawyers. There is no such thing as cigar bartender or smoker confidentiality. Alternatively, if you’re a good guy or gal, then we’ll share that informally with the rest of the staff and our favorite regulars, too. This is kind of news enhances your status within the bar, though.

You may not realize that we refer business all the time, but we do. In fact, you’d be amazed how many referrals we give. We consider it a win-win. If you’re a business professional and a cigar bar regular, then let me know what you do once we’ve become acquainted. Don’t do it in an obnoxious way, though. We’ll choose who to refer you to and if it’s appropriate. Of course, if you don’t make a positive impact on us, that referral opportunity will probably not happen. You’d be amazed how many conversations in the bar we take part of. People are always looking for referrals.

Don’t Be a Seat Hopper

One of the great things about the bar is that it is informal with open seating. Don’t abuse it. We understand that you might move seats occasionally. We also understand that you might want to talk with a friend who’s visited. The problem is every time you get up, that’s a seating area we must clean. That’s particularly now that we live in the COVID-19 era. Now, our work also involves sanitizing seating areas for the next person. Some regulars dirty half a dozen seats within a two-hour span and it drives us nuts!

Cigar Bartenders Not an Expert on Cigars

Are cigar bartenders also cigar experts? Maybe, but the odds are that we don’t even smoke cigars! We’re bartenders, not a tobacconists. We might not even know the difference between a Corona and a Connecticut. And we certainly might not know that a cigar can be a Corona as well as a Connecticut. Unless you know differently, we’re probably not the one to geek out with about minute cigar details. Stick to regular bar room conversations with us like sports, current events or etc. If you want to talk cigars then everyone else in the bar is probably a better candidate than us. There is one expectation, though. We won’t complain about the smoke or cigar smokers in general. If we didn’t want to be around smoke we wouldn’t be working here.

Know What Time It Is When We Interact

Part of our job as a bartender, even if it is unwritten, is chopping it up with you and other regulars. In fact, that’s one of the best parts of working in a cigar bar. The cigar crowd is usually a joy to be around and we learn a lot about life from you. You might not know this, though, because we haven’t said as much. Some of your suggestions and advice benefit us greatly in our personal lives and sometimes even our non-bartending professional endeavors. We grow as individuals from some of the smokers we meet this place.

Hard stop, though: When we’re slammed with work, our job is to make drinks, not be your conversation companion. Look around and read the room. Read our body language. Then, let us do our job get those drinks out! We had a great chat an hour ago, but it’s prime time now.

As a side note, if you’re here watching the big game and you know you want to leave as soon as it’s over, clear your tab in the middle of the fourth quarter. We go through this every Saturday and Sunday. You know it and we know it. Everyone wants to close out tabs at the same time. If you don’t want to wait, then close out early so you’re free to leave sooner.

Hopefully all of this was helpful. Be good to us and we’ll be better to you. We really do appreciate you and your patronage. Additionally, we also realize that customers like you pay our bills. We just ask that you treat us with the same respect we offer you. We can’t wait to see you again tomorrow.

The Final Word

Working as a cigar bartended isn’t always easy, as you can see. In fact, sometimes it’s downright challenging. Cigar Life Guy has had the priviledge of speaking with many cigar bartenders to gather this important information for you. Not only does this advice help your friendly bartenders, it also helps you, as a cigar enthusiast, elevate your status while visiting your favorite cigar lounge. If you’re new to cigar lifestyle, then might not know the conversations and other things that go on behind the scenes of the cigar bar. We hope you enjoyed this post. More importantly, we hope you’ve gleaned something valuable to level up your cigar lifestyle.

This blog reflects conversations with many bartenders in cigar bars who wished to remain anonymous. It includes some generalizations as well. Certainly, some bartenders are true cigar aficionados and love the leaf more than anyone in the room. You might also find a bartender who wants to date you, but good luck. Regardless, don’t be a creep, but do enjoy cigar lifestyle.

Photo credit: Unsplash

Five Things You Should Know Before Beginning Cigar Lifestyle

Posted on August 8, 2021 by Staff

Beginning a cigar lifestyle is not for everyone. In fact, if the thought of drawing in the rich flavor and aroma of a fine cigar doesn’t appeal to you, click away. However, if you ever thought about smoking cigars or you currently enjoy an occasional stick, then this is the article for you. Cigar lifestyle is one of comaraderie and the ultimate enjoyment of some of the finest cigars created. However, there are a few things you should know to help you decide whether beginning cigar lifestyle is for you. So, kick back in your chair, light that stick, and read on.

Research the Cigar Lifestyle

Before you begin the cigar lifestyle, do a bit of research. It’s as simple as perusing the internet on your phone. With so much information available, you’ll want to discover the benefits, disadvantages, costs, and more. As a matter of fact, you’ll find a lot of useful information browsing the articles section of CigarLifeGuy.com.

Just a general research and browsing the web provides a ton of information to help you decide whether cigar lifestyle is for you. For example, you willdiscover that a cigar is nothing like cigarettes or chewing tobacco. It’s 100 percent handmade, long-leaf tobacco with no additives or fillers. The nicotine buzz you get from cigars is nothing like that of cigarettes or chewing tobacco, either. The important takeaway is that by doing some research, you’ll know what you’re getting into.

Expect to Spend Some Cash

Everything you’re going to smoke turns into ash. In the end, you won’t hold anything because cigars are consumable items. They are not a necessary item. They are a luxury, which is probably why you don’t often see 20-year-olds enjoying a fine cigar. Typically cigar lifestyle is occupied by those who have an established life and disposable incomes. Good cigars and cigar accessories cost money and lead to an overall better experience.

Don’t be the bargain hunter. You’ll end up smoking the cheapest cigars and using the cheapest cutters. All these combined lead to a horrible cigar experience and no one enjoys a cigar that tastes bad. It’s better to save some cash and buy some mid-range cigars. It’s also better when you can invest in a cigar humidor, lighter and a quality cutter. Overall, be prepared to spend some cash in the cigar lifestyle. You’ll thank yourself for it later.

Have Cigar Lifestyle Smoking Buddies

Everything is easier when you smoke with friends. You can learn from them, relax, and enjoy the cigar together. Socializing is a big part of the lifestyle and it’s even better when you do it with friends. Friends that can show you the ropes in the lifestyle or buy bundles together. Plus, smoking cigars gives you a good excuse to hang out with your buddies.

Yes, there are many smokers that enjoy cigars on their own. However, it’s better to start out with friends. You can learn from them so that you don’t repeat mistakes that would make you hate cigars. Also, you can always check out a cigar shop or lounge. You’ll make friends simply by visiting and hanging out at the lounges and shops. You will find that people in the cigar lifestyle love talking about cigars.

People Around You May Not Like Cigars

Cigar smoking can make you unpopular with certain people. There are going to be people who don’t like the smell or smoke of your cigars. People close to you will express concern about your health and start suggesting you quit the lifestyle. The last thing you want is your spouse to have problems with you because of your new cigar lifestyle. In any case, smoking cigars gives you a good excuse to leave your house and enjoy a cigar outside on your patio or in backyard.

American culture tends to be very anti-tobacco. A lot of people think anything related to tobacco is bad and evil. Try smoking in a public area you’re not familiar with and you’ll probably catch some dirty looks from random strangers. You’ll have random people asking cynical questions about cigars and reminding you of the hazards of smoking cigars.

Don’t Just Stick to One Cigar

If you’re beginning the cigar lifestyle, don’t just stick to one cigar. Smoke a variety of cigars and find out what you like. The first couple of cigars may not taste good to you or you may have smoked them the wrong way. Eventually, you’ll find that one cigar you enjoy and have a good experience with. Don’t be afraid to try different brands. If you’re not sure, buy samplers. If expanding your palate is something you can’t do or something you don’t have time for, perhaps the cigar lifestyle isn’t for you.

These five things should help you consider whether the cigar lifestyle is for you. The cigar lifestyle may seem a little complicated at first. Yet, if you have a good group of friends to smoke with and a nice cigar, you’ll find yourself in cigar lifestyle for a very long time.

Image by Pixabay | Ben Kerckx

Why You Should Never Smoke a Cigar With a Hangover

Posted on July 25, 2021 by Staff

If you Google search for the top 10, 20, 30, or 100 hangover cures, you will never find cigars anywhere close to that list. What you will find are liquids, vitamins, more alcohol (hair of the dog), carbohydrates, over-the-counter medicine, Pedialyte, coffee, and many others. Cigars? Nope. When you’re hungover, your body is begging for liquids for a return to normal. The nicotine in cigars dehydrates you. Instead of helping you, cigars are going to worsen your symptoms.

The best hangover cure is to not drink any alcohol. Yet, there will be times when that’s difficult to avoid. Here’s why you should never smoke a cigar while rocking a hangover.

Cigars Worsen Your Hangover Symptoms

With a quick visit to the Mayo Clinic website, you’ll find that a hangover starts when your blood alcohol level drops to zero after a night of drinking. At this point, you will start feeling the common symptoms such as an awful headache and nausea. Other symptoms include fatigue, weakness, muscle aches, stomach pain, shakes, rapid heartbeat, and irritability.

You get all these hangover symptoms because your body is trying to return to normal. These same symptoms worsen when you smoke a cigar. The nicotine from the cigar causes your blood vessels to constrict. And decreased blood flow to your brain worsens your headache and amplifies your nausea.

Hangovers Ruin Your Cigar and Experience

If there’s one thing to add to our recent article, “Four Things That Ruin Your Cigar Experience,” that’s a hangover. With a hangover, you already feel like crap. You think, perhaps a cigar will help you relax. You get some coffee ready and light up a Padrón you picked up the day before. A couple of minutes go by and you slowly take in the smoke. Suddenly, your head starts spinning. Your headache worsens and your mouth gets super dry. You put the cigar out and decide to lay down to recover.

Does that sound like a relaxing cigar experience? No, and it’s going to happen every time you smoke with a hangover. You’re not going to be in a mood to sit back, take in the cigar, and let your thoughts go away. Instead, your mind is going to be on the hangover and how you wish you didn’t chase Jack Daniel’s with a Corona Light.

Even worse, the cigar will go to waste. Re-lighting a smoked cigar at a later time is a big no-no because the cigar won’t taste and smell the same. The flavors and aroma taste like tar on the second go. As a matter of fact, never let a cigar go unfinished. So, don’t smoke if you’re hungover.

Cigar Lifestyle Outliers

All that said, there are many, – a whole, hell of a lot of – smokers in the lifestyle who smoke after a heavy night of drinking. Just walk into a cigar lounge on a Saturday or Sunday morning. You’ll find a handful of smokers smoking their hangover away. These experienced smokers know their bodies better than their own doctors. They almost always have a cigar-hangover-ritual allowing them to relax and enjoy their cigar. It’s as simple as smoking a mild Romeo Y Julieta with bottled water on the side.

If you’re new to the lifestyle, it’s probably better for you to follow the traditional hangover cures. Smoking can hit you hard if you’re not 100% certain. The sooner you’re back to normal, the sooner you can enjoy a cigar without worrying about wasting it.

Photo Credit: Thom Masat

The After-Dinner Cigar: A Great Cigar Lifestyle Ritual

Posted on July 19, 2021 by Staff

One of the best ways to enjoy a cigar is after dinner. Smoking a cigar after a good, hearty meal is a must. With a full stomach, you’ll better enjoy strong, bold Partagas and not worry about getting sick. It’s a great and relaxing way to end your day, especially if you do it with friends or family. The after-dinner cigar is the perfect dessert. It’s full of flavor and contains zero calories. You will find that the after-dinner cigar is one of the most popular rituals in the cigar lifestyle. Smoking a cigar after dinner is one of the best lifestyle rituals.

After-Dinner Cigars Prevent Cigar Sickness

A cigar is enjoyable when you don’t have to worry about puking your guts out. Yet, one of the reasons you get cigar sickness is that your stomach is empty. It’s also a common newbie mistake. You get sick because an empty stomach absorbs nicotine faster. It’s like drinking alcohol on an empty stomach; only the nicotine punches you much harder. Every time you get cigar sickness, you waste the cigar. It would be best if you put it out, then return to it later, but it never tastes the same; this is why many folks enjoy smoking a cigar after dinner.

When your stomach is full, your body absorbs the nicotine slowly. Even the food onboard will help absorb some of the nicotine. So if you’ve been saving one of your stronger cigars in your humidor for a while, smoke it after dinner. You’ll enjoy the strong aroma and flavor without worrying about hugging your porcelain seat.

They Complement Socializing

A great way to celebrate something is with a nice dinner at a steakhouse. There’s nothing like going out for steaks after a big win, a work promotion, or your birthday. Then, the meal ends, and it’s time for everyone to head home. But why stop with the food? After a meal, cigars are a great way to extend the celebration.

After putting away the steaks, a robust after-dinner cigar with some bourbon is a total bonus. Smoking a cigar is a great way to have your friends join the celebration and relax. It’s also a great way to reflect on the celebration and only adds to the experience of eating a nice dinner.

After-Dinner Cigars Boost Metabolism

By replacing desserts with an after-dinner cigar, you’ll consume fewer calories. It offers an excellent, calorie-free way to feel satisfied after a meal. That’s a huge plus for your metabolism. Additionally, a nice dinner and a cigar combination mean you’ll consume less food later in the evening. That’s because the nicotine in the cigar helps to curb your appetite.

Additionally, the nicotine from the cigar binds to your digestive organs, which allows your food to move toward the exit faster. Specifically, nicotine induces peristalsis and moves the digestive tract, creating wavelike movements that push the food in the canal forward. Nicotine’s effect on your digestive system is why you’ll probably find yourself on the John after smoking a strong, after-dinner Cohiba.

Finally, you’ll find that smoking an after-dinner cigar is one of the best rituals in the cigar lifestyle. It relaxes you and your digestive organs after a long day. It helps with your metabolism. And it is a great way to add to your social experience after dinner.

Photo credit: Cigar Life Guy

Four Things That Ruin Your Cigar Experience

Posted on July 10, 2021 by Staff

No one ever talks about what can ruin a cigar experience. The last thing you want to do is spend over ten dollars on a high-quality cigar and not enjoy it. Perhaps you’re new to the cigar lifestyle? Maybe you make rookie mistakes such as smoking on an empty stomach or getting drunk? Heck, even hanging out with the wrong people or not relaxing can ruin any cigar experience.

These four things distract you from enjoying the aroma. They ruin the complex flavor notes. They prevent you from getting in a relaxed state. You might as well light your dollars instead of your cigar if you do these four things.

Smoke on an Empty Stomach

When you smoke a cigar on an empty stomach, you get cigar sickness. An empty stomach allows the nicotine from the cigar to enter your system faster. As a result, you get sick. Your head spins and you hover over a garbage can brimming with nausea. This is definitely not the enjoyable or meditative cigar experience you imagined.

If you make the rookie mistake of smoking on an empty stomach, first, put out your cigar. Get some sugar and water into your system to stave off the sickness. Return to your cigar later in the day. The cigar won’t taste as great as the first time you smoked it, but at least you won’t puke your guts out. Just know, if you ever get sick, it’s your fault. It’s not the cigars.

Get Drunk During a Cigar Experience

You’ll also ruin your cigar experience when you drink too much. Your mind loses focus on the cigar. You don’t pay attention to the subtle flavor notes. You won’t reach that meditative state of relaxation. The cigar experience is about taste, aroma, and the relaxing effects it provides. If you drink enough to slur your words, you’ll savor the cigar experience less.

There’s a reason it’s advised to smoke half a cigar before you pair it with whiskey or other spirits. When you smoke half a stick and focus on the cigar experience, you’re less likely to drink too much. You’ll enjoy the experience of smoking a cigar. Once you’re midway through your cigar, pair it with a small amount of the alcohol of your choice for flavor enhancement. There’s nothing wrong with smoking a cigar while partying. Just don’t do it with a quality cigar you spent $10 or more for. A cheap cigar is a better choice here. It’s not like you’re going to remember the cheap flavor notes the following day.

Hang out with the Wrong People

Another way to ruin any cigar experience is hanging out with the wrong people. These are generally the no-smoke crowd. They may not like cigars but sit at your table. They complain about the smell. They’ll also complain about the smoke and tell you how bad smoking is for your health. They’ll dampen your mood leaving you in the opposite of relaxation.

There are also negative people. If you listen to them long enough, they’ll drain your energy. Your mood changes and it distracts you from enjoying the cigars.

Boring people are another group to avoid. They’ll make you want to put your cigar out and leave.

Sometimes, you cannot avoid the wrong people. When you find yourself in this position, you’ll have the perfect reason to go outside. There’s nothing like hanging out on your own and gaining some much-needed peace. In fact, it’s one of the great ways to enjoy a cigar.

Not Relaxing During a Cigar Experience

To fully enjoy the cigar experience, you’ll want to do nothing. That’s right, absolutely nothing. Activities such as golf or yard work can distract you from the cigar experience. You’re not going to relax or focus on your cigar. You won’t pay attention to the flavor notes or the aromas. There’s nothing writing with doing these things while smoking a cigar, but you’ll miss out on the rich experience you would’ve otherwise had. Pair activities with cigars that cost less than $10. That way, you’ll still enjoy a cigar without worrying about wasting your cash.

For new smokers, it’s better to avoid these four things. Focus, instead, on gaining the full benefits of your cigar experience. Don’t allow distractions to get in the way and waste a good cigar.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Why Cigars and Coffee Go Together in the Morning

Posted on June 19, 2021 by Staff

In Cuba, the traditional way to start your morning is with a cigar and a strong Cuban espresso. Bar none, cigars and coffee offer one of the best pairings you’ll find with cigars. Simply brew a cup, light your cigar and finish both before you get on with your day. The cigar and coffee go together not just in effect, but as a flavor pairing as well. It’s a great way to get in the right frame of mind before you fire off emails or stretch your limbs for a long day of manual work. It’s also something you can do on a lazy summer weekend morning.

Start Your Day with Cigars and Coffee

Many smokers you meet in the cigar lifestyle prefer a smoke in the evenings. The relaxation effects of smoking are a great way to end your day. Yet, a morning cigar paired with a coffee also offers an enjoyable experience. In the morning, cigars and coffee put you in a reflective mode while also jolting you into action. The smooth combination of nicotine and caffeine picks you up from the morning grogginess. It also gives you a let’s get ready kind of relaxation.

Think about those beautiful early morning days in the summer. There’s usually no one to bother you because everyone’s still slumbering away. It’s you, your cigar, and your coffee. It’s quiet, and it’s the perfect opportunity to organize your thoughts for the day. The perfect combination of cigars and coffee centers you. It lets you ease meditatively into the day without exerting yourself. It’s a quality experience only those in the cigar lifestyle can enjoy. Cigars and coffee are also the breakfast of cigar life champions, but like anything else, you must pair your flavors well.

Cigars and Coffee: The Perfect Flavor Pairing

For many smokers, cigars and coffee are the ultimate flavor pairing. They accentuate and balance each other out. This works because coffee has tobacco flavor notes and tobacco has coffee flavor notes. Both flavor notes are smokey, deep, earthy, and complex with spicy & tangy touches.

The flavors match because coffees are roasted to a specific shade of dark. This provides the coffee with the same heating by-products you get when you burn a cigar. Rich coffee is guaranteed to be full of flavor, bold, and intense. So, the richer the coffee, the better the pairing.

Coffee can go with any cigar due to the complimenting flavor combinations. There’s an endless variety of pairings as there are different types of coffees and cigars. The fun part is figuring out which combinations you enjoy the most. Like cigars, different coffees come from different regions of the world. Since it’s morning, you’ll probably prefer to start with a mild cigar, unless it’s a lazy Sunday morning, then go with a strong Maduro.

Coffee is Non-Alcoholic

Since coffee is non-alcoholic, this makes it perfect for mornings. Coffee is also a more comfortable pairing compared to whiskeys and other aged spirits this time of day. Getting drunk at 9 a.m. is never a great idea unless you’re on vacation.

Whiskey and other spirits pair well with cigars, but whiskey tends to overpower the flavor notes on a cigar. Alternatively, coffee goes with every cigar; whiskey pairings tend to “depend-on-the-type-of-cigar.”

You don’t have to be an expert to enjoy coffee. It’s a ritual that new smokers can enjoy as they get introduced to the cigar lifestyle. It’s also a ritual only those in the cigar lifestyle enjoy.

Photo credit: Cigar Life Guy