If you are going to smoke Cuban Cigars - the upmost respected and highest regarded cigars for sale, it's worth learning a few simple tips to stop you from looking like a tourist in a cigar lounge. Before your eyes ever glance through the list of a cigar menu - often long and not very descriptive for a beginner, we advise you to head to a shop or spend some time online, reading through information on popular Havana brands and prevalent vitolas. At EGM Cigars, we have simplified everything you need to know. When clicking through the different names on our Regular Production Brands, you can find out key information. For example, under Bolivar Cuban Cigars, we have referenced that the brand is known for a full flavour. As a novice, this may not be first choice.
Most cigar aficionados will agree to the motto - 'practice makes perfect'. Becoming a Cuban cigar expert, doesn't mean the ability to smoke the longest Lonsdale or Double Corona Cigar. When starting your Habano smoking journey, consider size and strength. It's useful to know that a Demi Corona is mild and one of the smallest of large cigars, while a Demi-tasse is very easy to smoke, small and ideal for a cigar newcomer. Your initial cigar can make all the difference from you becoming an aficionado, or believing cigars are not for your palette. A Vegas Robaina Famosos Cigar is medium to full bodied, and with its 140mm length, will suit both cigar aficionados and novices. For those wanting a cigar small and light, a Por Larrañaga Panetelas Cigar is only 127mm long and with a 37 ring gauge size. This cigar is one of the lightest Cuban cigars to buy and is ideal for in-between meetings during the day.
Vegas Robaina Famosos Cigars - EGM Cigars
Once you have chosen or explored the type of Cuban Cigar you wish to smoke, it's favourable to grasp cigar etiquette. As Habanos are about the finest relaxation; a momentarily escape from daily burdens and tasks, it seems a faux-pas to attempt to multi-task when smoking. This includes walking, which many believe is poor form to do whilst puffing on a cigar. A Cuban cigar expert values the commitment they make after lighting, and delight in their cigar moment without distraction. We personally recommend you read more of our cigar etiquette tips on our Cuban cigar blog. An experienced cigar smoker contemplates time. They typically think about length and ring gauge, before any cigar selection. Now, a cigar expert will always have their favourites, but they might also have a couple of other choices depending on occasion. In spite of how difficult it is to give an accurate smoking time (how you smoke makes a difference), regularly, Robusto Cigars can take around 45 minutes to an hour to smoke, while a Cohiba such as a Cohiba Piramides Extra Cigar, can deliver satisfaction for just under two hours. In general, Habanos last up to an hour. The more you sample and smoke, the easier it is to acquire smoking duration.
Paratagas Lusitanias Cigar - EGM Cigars
If you are use to smoking cigarettes, it may take a moment to instinctively hold a cigar accurately
To get comfortable with Cuban cigars - and to smoke like an expert, it is imperative you know how to hold one correctly. The way you smoke a cigar, shouldn't be the way you puff on cigarette. A cigar is held between your thumb and index finger. Let a cigar stay in your mouth for a few seconds to puff, and then hold parallel to the ground. As smoking a Cuban cigar is a leisurely past time, devote yourself to staying in the moment. There is no need continually hold a cigar to your lips without taking breaks. Unlike cigarettes, cigars do not need to be inhaled. If you do start inhaling, the luxury and dignity of a cigar is easily lost with the noise of persistent coughing - this tends to happen after. As you smoke, you will start to witness your cigar ash increasing. We suggest letting the ash fall naturally, however tempting it is to tap. To really smoke a Cuban cigar like an expert, ensure your hands are clean of any odour before touching. Might we recommend washing your hands prior or using hand sanitiser.
Similar to how a delectable dessert comforts and unwinds an evening of good food, a Cuban cigar peacefully settles a meal
In theory, Cuban cigars can be smoked morning, noon and night. As each cigar is personal to its owner, we dislike the idea of time restrictions. Manufacturers have carefully crafted habanos to suit everything from office breaks to celebratory events. Having said this, Cuban cigars unwind beautifully in the evening. If you are smoking after a meal, a good rule of thumb is to match the heaviness of what you eat, with the heaviness of your cigar. For instance, a dinner featuring a good steak, perhaps a Julieta No. 2 is a good choice after. In addition to thinking about the heaviness, Cuban aficionados know to look out for strong tastes which upset cigar flavour. Particularly spice. Though we do not encourage smoking on an empty stomach, we do advise you ignite your cigar after your food. And for true Cuban cigar expert smoking, combine your cigar with a delectable drink. For non-alcoholics, we have published a superb guide on Best Cigar and Coffee Pairings. If you choose to drink, brandy, whiskey and gin are beloved options to pair our Cuban cigars online with. For specific alcohol recommendations, read: The Perfect Pair: Cigars and Spirits.