Further on Each of the Eleven (11) Commandments of Cigar Etiquette IX

9. Thou shalt not starteth and stoppeth a stogie.
Procure the proper sized stogie for the proper sized allotment of time.

Cigars were not meant to be “put out” and re-lit. Doing so interferes greatly with the smoking experience, and does so in a very real way. Essentially, it does not allow the cigar to go through its designed process of warming which leads to the deepening and delineation of flavors, and to transitioning. We can see, then, that this transgression is far greater than the vague esoteric frou-frou trespassing of a break in meditation and/or ritual.

Too, I do realize that life happens and on occasion it happens in spite of a cigar.

How to Re-light a Cigar
Successful re-lighting begins by properly allowing an offering to burn out. Notice: I did not say put out, snub out, or any other thing which might denote of even connote, smooshing and/or the knocking off of cherry. You simply place the cigar in a tray and allow it to extinguish itself.

Prior to doing this, a good idea is to blow OUT through the cigar’s foot from its head. Do so gently but certainly, in a long and even manner. What we are doing here is avoiding ashiness to creep in upon re-lighting. After blowing out, one should tend to the aforementioned ash, by rolling it free from the foot using an edge of the tray. ONE DOES NOT TAP OR FLICK A CIGAR.

Sorry I yelled, pet peeve, that.

Upon relighting, ideally, you should accomplish this task in a manner similar to toasting the foot, but holding flame to stogie long enough to fully light. Puff slowly back into the smoking experience.

NEVER place a once lit cigar back into your humidor or any other such thing wherein your un-started offerings might be housed.

I made previous mention of life happening. Sometimes life happens in an expected fashion. Plan around it. Sometimes life happens, and not in accordance with a planned schedule. So much so, that you can realistically expect it to happen during your cigar. I have personally been there, gentlepersons.

A good way to address these cited issues is to realistically view potential/possible/probable occurrences and to pair the correct vitola to your findings. Simply put, plan ahead and plan realistically. There is an endless spectrum of time-spanning alternatives between, say, Mini Cigarillos and the ever popular Robustos and Toros. Use your options. Obtain a cigar which fits your given time-frame.

Too, use your vitola options in a way you'd choose a six-inch or footlong at Subway. I am a lightweight. I order half subs and prefer to smoke Panetelas, Lanceros, and Lonsdales. A cigar you fill up on at the halfway marker and cannot finish, 'saves for later' as well as a meatball sub. Briefly, then, know yourself as well as your situation -- then choose your stick. Cigar bars have no doggy bag options, as well they shouldn't.

Having a smaller yet successful smoke is guaranteed to be a greater experience than a 60 ring gauge you need to rush through while awaiting an interruption at any moment.

While we agree that the meditation of a cigar is a good and pleasant endeavor which does deserve our time, we too must agree that our meditations must fit our schedules -- there ain’t a monk amongst us, I would dare reckon. No one here is living on a mountain top without a single responsibility.

I’ll leave you with a final point: be nice. Nice is not found in privilege. Never afflict others with your own desire to smoke. This is a leisurely activity and you are a gentleperson. You must responsibly find time to indulge.

Thanks for reading, and I do hope you take a moment to read my The Eleven (11) Commandments of Cigar Etiquette in their entirety HERE. I feel it is well worth yer time.