Am I supposed to inhale a cigar?

No. You draw the smoke into your mouth to taste it, then let it out. Cigars are not meant to be inhaled into the lungs the way cigarettes are, and inhaling them delivers a much harsher nicotine hit. Retrohaling, gently pushing a little smoke out through the nose, is an advanced technique some smokers use to pick up more flavour.

How do I know when to stop smoking?

Stop when the flavour turns sharp, hot, and bitter, which usually happens in the final inch or two as the coal nears the band. There is no rule that you must finish the whole cigar. Setting it down while it still tastes good is smarter than pushing to the nub.

Why do I feel lightheaded?

That is the nicotine, which is a stimulant and mildly toxic. It hits harder on an empty stomach or when you puff too quickly. Eat something first, sip water, slow your pace, and stop if the feeling persists. It fades as your body clears the nicotine.

A Beginner’s Guide to Smoking Your First Premium Cigar

To smoke your first premium cigar well: make a clean cut just above the cap, toast the foot evenly with a butane flame without touching it, then draw slowly, roughly one puff every 45 to 60 seconds, and never inhale. Rushing overheats the coal and turns the smoke harsh. This guide walks a complete beginner through each step so an aged cigar like the Midnight Reserve tastes the way it was built to. For adults 21 and over only.

Step one: cutting the cap

The cap is the rounded end you put in your mouth. Cut too little and the draw is tight; cut too far and the wrapper unravels. Aim just above the cap line, the small ridge near the head. A sharp double-guillotine gives a clean, quick cut. Punch and V-cutters work too but concentrate the draw differently. Whatever you use, keep it sharp; a dull blade tears the wrapper.

Step two: toasting and lighting

Do not just jam the cigar into a flame. Hold the foot near the fire and rotate it until the edge glows evenly, then gently puff while keeping the flame just below the leaf. This toasting step lights the whole foot at once so the burn stays even from the start. Use butane or a cedar spill, never a petrol lighter or a candle, both of which taint the flavour.

Butane torch: clean, hot, wind-resistant. The everyday choice.
Soft-flame lighter: gentler, good indoors, but slower to toast.
Cedar spill: traditional and flavour-neutral, lit from another flame first.

Step three: pacing yourself

This is where beginners go wrong most often. A cigar is not a cigarette. Puff too fast and the coal overheats, releasing bitter, ammonia-like flavours and building heat that ruins the final third. One relaxed draw every 45 to 60 seconds keeps the coal cool and the flavour sweet. You taste the smoke in your mouth, you do not inhale it into your lungs. If the cigar goes out during a long gap, that is fine; just tap off the ash and relight the toasted foot.

Reading the burn

Sign	What it means	Fix
Long, tight ash	Even burn, well-aged leaf	Nothing, enjoy
One side burns faster	Uneven light or draft	Touch flame to the slow side
Harsh, hot smoke	Puffing too fast	Slow down, rest a minute

What to pair and where to stop

Black coffee, water, or a dark spirit all complement the Midnight Reserve’s cocoa and espresso notes. Smoke to about the last third or until the flavour turns sharp and hot, then set it down; you do not need to smoke to the band. As a first-timer, having eaten beforehand and staying hydrated keeps the nicotine from hitting too hard.

Safety and honesty

Cigars contain nicotine, which is addictive, and no cigar is safe to smoke. Beginners often feel lightheaded from nicotine, so go slowly and stop if you feel unwell. These products are for adults 21 and over. This is not health advice.