Cigar-smoking is a masculine activity, and Cuban cigars have a mystique unknown to other cigars. Two popular types of Cuban cigars are Montecristo and Cohiba.

With the current popularity of cigar-smoking, something should be said about cigar smoking etiquette. The first rule of cigar smoking is to make absolutely sure that no one who will be in the vicinity of the smoke objects to the presence of cigar smoke. These days, many states have a law against smoking in all public spaces. This means that all such smoking must take place in private locations. The main consideration you need to remember is that the cigar tastes better to you than it smells to your companions. If you are entertaining at home, be sure to invite only people that you know ahead of time don’t object to your smoking. Alternately, prepare a separate room where the gentlemen can retire to savor their smokes while the ladies enjoy their chocolate in their own location. If you plan a garden party, you may think that anything goes, but you need to do some looking and thinking. While you are sitting in your yard, where will the smoke go? Will it drift toward the neighbors? The worst thing you can do is to enjoy your cigar where the smoke and its pungent aroma can drift into the bedroom of the baby next door. When the conscientious mother smells your smoke in her baby’s bedroom, she will go on the warpath and most likely will interrupt your intimate, relaxed gathering.

The other basic rule of cigar smoking is to deal with the leftovers of the smoking experience. Put simply, deal with the leftovers immediately. We all know that you savor the taste and aroma of the cigar, but, to outsiders, it’s, well, disgusting. And, when only the ashes and butt remain, it’s even worse. And if the leftovers are left in the ashtray overnight, the smell becomes stale and quite unbearable. Therefore, before the smoking session begins, know what you are going to do with the ashes and butts. Don’t even think of just dumping the ashtray into the waste basket. When you do this, the ashes are dispersed and can even drift into the air. Instead, have a container into which you can seal the ashes and butts. One good container might be a coffee can with a plastic lid. When it becomes full, you can then throw the whole thing into the trash. Another simple option is a sealable plastic bag. The cigar-smoking mystique would be pretty much ruined if you were to use the plastic bag instead of an elegant ashtray, so use the ashtray during the smoking session, but when everyone goes home or you are ready to go up to bed, that is the time to open the plastic bag and empty the ashtray into it. Then be sure to run your fingers along the zipper closing to seal the bag tightly. This combination of enjoyment and thoughtful consideration will make the cigar smoking experience satisfying but polite.