If you’re new to cigars, you might be wondering how you’re actually supposed to puff one. Do you inhale? How hard should you draw? How long should you wait before taking another puff?
And even if you’ve been smoking cigars for years, practicing a proper puff can help you get the best flavor and overall experience from every cigar.
There’s some technique involved, but nothing complicated. Once you find a comfortable pace, you’ll probably stop thinking about it altogether.
Here’s how to get started on perfecting your puff and get the most flavor out of your next Avanti.
How to Draw on a Cigar
Start with a slow, gentle pull that brings the smoke into your mouth. Hold it there briefly to taste the tobacco, then exhale.
You shouldn’t have to pull hard. Puffing aggressively can make the tobacco burn hotter and may make the smoke taste harsher.
When smoking any one of our fire-cured cigars, such as the Avanti Licorice, taking your time also gives you a better chance to pick up the smoky character of our fire-cured Kentucky tobacco. That flavor comes from curing the tobacco over hardwood fires, and it’s been a defining part of our cigars for generations. Give it a chance to come through.
Do You Inhale Cigar Smoke?
No! Cigar smoke is drawn into the mouth and then exhaled, rather than inhaled into the lungs. That’s an important distinction for anyone learning how to smoke a cigar for the first time.
Take enough of a draw to get the flavor. Let the smoke sit in your mouth for a moment, then exhale. After a few puffs, the motion will start to feel natural.
Finding the Right Pace Between Cigar Puffs
You don’t have to puff constantly to enjoy a cigar! Give the cigar some time between draws. Around 30 seconds to a minute can be a useful starting point, but there’s no reason to watch the clock. Pay attention to how your cigar is smoking instead.
If it’s getting hot, wait longer before your next puff. If you leave it sitting and it goes out, you can relight it. That’s better than speeding through a good cigar just to keep it burning.
Longer cigars, like the Parodi Superiore, may need to be relit as you work your way through the full smoke, and that’s perfectly fine. Take your time and enjoy the cigar at a pace that lets the flavor come through rather than rushing to keep it lit.
A Good Cigar Draw Helps You Taste the Tobacco
Puffing slowly gives you more time to notice what you’re smoking.
With a classic like Parodi King, that means the smoky flavor of fire-cured tobacco. Different Avanti cigars have their own character, so the cigar in your hand may change what you notice with each draw.
Your pace matters, too. Puff too quickly and the extra heat can get in the way of those flavors. So, if a cigar starts tasting different halfway through, check your pace before blaming the cigar.
Enjoy Your Avanti at Your Own Pace
If you’re new to cigars, don’t spend the whole smoke worrying about getting every puff right. Keep the smoke in your mouth instead of inhaling, use an easy draw, and give the cigar some time between puffs. If it goes out, relight it and try again!
Before long, you’ll find the puffing pace that works for you, whether you’re settling in with a Parodi King or reaching for a smaller Parodi Ammezzati when time is short.
Browse the Avanti collection to find your next favorite and enjoy it one skilled puff at a time.