Cigar Smoking
Cigar smoking is not a habit for everyone. I would say that it is a much more exclusive habit that cigarette smoking. Maybe even a different habit altogether and that both shouldn’t be classified under the general habit of smoking.
Cigar smoking is all about flavor and taste. Comparing it to cigarette smoking is like comparing good wine with beer. It doesn’t matter how good the beer is, it will never be as good as wine.
Cigar smoking is not about smoking a lot or on every free minute that you have. It marks a good occasion, whether with friends or by yourself. It’s also much classier than cigarette smoking. There isn’t really any competition there. You can picture a cigar in someone’s mouth as a symbol in a horse race, or a casino. It’s much harder to give that same image of style and class with a cigarette.
Also, cigar smoking shouldn’t be a frequent activity, by which I mean every five minutes or every break one has, like cigarette smoking is. People who smoke cigar all the time are just wasting money and good cigars.
Cigar smoking is also an indication of a certain level of knowledge that identifies the smoker with the elite. It involves knowing the filler from the wrapper, at least a few brands of cigars, and why a chosen brand is one’s favorite, what consists the body and the flavor of the cigar, and how to take care of one’s cigars. Unlike a cigarette smoker who needs its fix, a cigar lover knows that just “any cigar” won’t do. Once you develop a taste for a blend or flavor, is hard to smoke something else, unless of course, a cigar is given as a form of gratitude, honor, or expression of joy, in which case the most polite thing to do is to smoke it right away with the person that just gave it to you.
A cigar lover also has to know how to store his or her cigars. There are several things to consider and pay attention to, but the most important are temperature and humidity. Other factors can be involved, such as the proper ventilation and light that will allow cigars to age well.
Finally, cigar smoking isn’t a cheap habit, at least for those serious about it. With a single cigar from a good brand costing around 5 to 20 dollars, cigar smoking becomes a ritual. For those who have the money to spend, cigar smoking can also be an indication of their status and purchasing power, with the most expensive brands selling at hundreds of dollars per cigar.
