The Sophisticated Guide to Smoking a Cigar

Refine your smoking ritual; Learn the elegant way to enjoy cigars

There’s a quiet elegance to smoking a cigar well. It’s not merely about lighting tobacco, it’s about presence, patience, and ritual. Whether you’re new to cigars or looking to refine your technique, this guide walks you through the graceful art of enjoying a cigar the Toro Puro way.

1. Choosing the Right Cigar

Before the flame, there’s the selection. A well-crafted cigar reflects the balance of flavour, draw, and construction. At Toro Puro, we recommend starting with a mild-to-medium strength cigar if you're a beginner, something like the Davidoff Signature No. 2 or a curated piece from our Starter Cigar Bundles.

Let flavour guide you, not strength. A refined experience doesn’t have to overwhelm the senses.

2. Cutting: Precision Over Pressure

Use a sharp cigar cutter, guillotine, V-cut, or punch, depending on your preferred draw.
The goal is to remove just the cap without damaging the cigar’s structure.

Tip: Always cut above the shoulder to preserve the wrapper. Poor cuts disrupt the airflow, affecting both the burn and flavour.

3. Lighting: Slow and Steady

The flame should never touch the cigar directly. Use a butane torch or long wooden match. Hold the cigar at an angle and toast the foot, gently rotating to ignite the wrapper evenly.

Then bring the cigar to your lips and take slow, deliberate puffs as you light. The moment should be calm, not hurried.

4. The Ritual of the Draw

Do not inhale. Cigars are about tasting, not smoking in the conventional sense.
Let the smoke linger in your mouth, take in the flavour notes, and exhale slowly.

A well-constructed cigar should draw easily, neither too tight nor too loose. Sip it as you would a fine whisky, not rushed, not casual.

5. Let It Burn Naturally

Unlike cigarettes, cigars are made to burn slowly. There’s no need to ash constantly; let it fall naturally, or gently tap it when the ash reaches about an inch. Constant fiddling interrupts the ritual.

If your cigar goes out, simply relight it. There’s no shame in pausing, only in haste.

6. Ending with Grace

You don’t need to smoke it to the nub. When it grows warm or bitter, gently place it down.
 There’s elegance in knowing when to stop, when the moment has served its purpose.

Enjoy the Ritual

At Toro Puro, we believe that cigars are not simply products, they’re moments. Moments of pause, of conversation, of clarity. This ritual is timeless, and learning how to smoke a cigar properly is about more than technique, it’s about intention.

Browse our Cigar Accessories and Starter Cigar Bundles to begin or refine your journey.

Refine your smoking ritual - learn the elegant way to enjoy cigars.
Explore Our Cigar Collection →