How To Smoke Cigars With Friends
Cigar smoking builds camaraderie. Fellow cigar lovers share an automatic bond because so many of us are accustomed to being told by the general public where we can and can’t smoke. Getting together with likeminded pals to fire up our cigars is pure heaven. If you’re new to smoking cigars, we’ve got some simple advice to follow before you invite a bunch of buddies over to your man cave or head out the door to your next herf.
Bring Enough Cigars
Get a headcount and get enough cigars for everyone. Don’t assume the folks who normally turn down a cigar will do so. You’d be surprised by the number people who change their minds when everyone around them is lighting up. It’s good etiquette to offer a cigar to everybody. No one wants to be the odd man out who didn’t get one.
Everyone Gets Their Own Cigar
Spare yourself the embarrassment. For seasoned smokers it’s almost impossible to conceive sharing a single cigar, but I’ve seen plenty of newbies fall victim to this frugal dilemma. I’m not talking about letting your girlfriend or significant other take a puff of your cigar. I’m talking about two or three guys deliberately deciding to share one cigar. Ninety-nine percent of the time, they’re novices and they’re unsure if they can handle a whole cigar on their own. Or, they’re trying to ease the economic pain of buying an entire cigar by themselves.
When you’re smoking with your friends, everyone should pony up and smoke their own cigar. The puff-and-pass-it strategy is best left to college students who snuck a cigar from one of their dad’s humidors. If you’re on a budget, no problem. You’ll find a bottomless supply of cheap cigars in our bundle and clearance sections.
Offer a Mix of Different Cigars
If you’re hosting a herf for your buddies, don’t limit your cigar selection to one brand or type of cigar. Include a few different blends, sizes, and strengths. Let your pals know who’s bringing what so you’ve got a nice variety.
While it’s diplomatic to offer everyone the exact same cigar, handing a strong and peppery Nicaraguan smoke to someone who’s a very occasional smoker is a recipe for someone to get sick. Pick up some mild, medium, and stronger alternatives for your friends. And mix up the prices. Hand out less expensive cigars to the guys who are new or might not know the difference between a good cigar and a bad one. Share the rare cigars with grizzled veterans who appreciate the good stuff.
Don’t Be Afraid to Trade
It’s easy to get attached to your cigars. Maybe you’ve been aging a special box for eons. We’re no strangers to coveting cigars. But don’t be afraid to trade cigars with a buddy if he’s got something interesting to smoke. Swapping cigars once in a while is an awesome way to discover a new favorite.
If You Take a Cigar, Smoke It
Nothing infuriates a cigar lover more than somebody who asks for a cigar and only takes one or two puffs before discarding it in an ashtray. It’s akin to emptying a beer down the drain the second it’s handed to you. If you really don’t want a cigar, or you don’t think you can handle one, don’t feel obligated. Politely declining is better than wasting a premium handmade.
If you need to get better acquainted with smoking cigars to decide if you like them, practice at home with your own cigars instead of burning through somebody else’s hard-earned stash. It’s courteous to smoke at least half of a cigar someone gives you, even if you don’t like it. At least it shows you tried.
Extra Lighters & Ashtrays
Pick up a batch of matches for your man cave and put out extra ashtrays when your pals come over to smoke. Waiting for twelve guys to pass around one torch to fire up is painstaking. Wooden matches are cheap and easy to hand out. Laying out some extra ashtrays prevents a mountain of nubs from forming in the middle of just one, or the precarious use of empty beer cans as ashtrays. Hospitality is often simple common sense.
