All you need to know about the art of holding a cigar

There is no official method for holding a cigar. The way it is held varies from one smoker to another, and the cigar world attaches its own conventions to each of them, some of which it considers more elegant than others.

Why the cigar is associated with luxury

The world of the cigar is closely bound up with that of luxury. Why? Quite simply because the better-regarded cigars are also often the most expensive ones. It is an expensive product that not everyone can afford. You can also find your cigar accessory to set yourself apart from other smokers. As for bearing, it is rare to see a cigar smoker slumped in a sofa, holding their cigar the way they would hold a cigarette.

There is, admittedly, no tutorial and no method for holding a cigar: every smoker does as they please, while trying to look as composed as possible. Some hold it like a cigarette, others with their fingertips, and others still arrange their fingers so as to wedge the cigar between them.

The best method is the one you are most comfortable with

The point is the cigar itself, not looking like a film star while holding it. That said, style and comfort are not incompatible, which is why some smokers regard holding a cigar like a cigarette as an affront to the craft that went into it.

So forget the two-finger grip and try holding it with three fingers instead. This method is regarded in the cigar world as more refined, and it is probably also the most widespread. Held straight on, or with the thumb to the side for a more lateral version, it is very practical for large cigars.

And because a cigar is not meant to be wasted, when you reach the end, rather than burning your fingers, remember the cocktail-stick method: push one into the stub to make the most of the last draws.