Your First Time at a Cigar Lounge

Walking into a cigar shop for the first time can feel like walking into a room where everyone already knows the rules. They don't, really. Most regulars started exactly where you are, and the people behind the counter would much rather help you than watch you guess.

Start at the humidor

Most shops keep their cigars in a walk-in humidor, a glass-walled room held at steady humidity. Step in and close the door behind you so the moisture stays in. It's fine to look around and pick cigars up gently, but don't squeeze or sniff every one on the shelf.

Then ask for help. Tell the tobacconist what you usually drink and what flavors you like. "I drink coffee black and like bourbon" tells them more than "something good." If you've never smoked a cigar, say so. They'll usually point you toward something mild to medium in body.

Pick a reasonable size

A robusto, about five inches long, is a good first cigar. It smokes in roughly 45 minutes to an hour, which is long enough to enjoy and short enough that you won't be stuck with half a cigar you've stopped liking. Save the big seven-inch cigars for later.

Cutting and lighting

Every lounge has a cutter you can use. Take a small slice off the rounded cap, just enough to open it, not so much that the wrapper starts to come apart. To light it, hold the flame just below the foot and turn the cigar slowly until the whole end glows evenly. Butane lighters and wooden matches work best because they don't add flavor.

Cigar smoke isn't inhaled. Draw it into your mouth, taste it, and let it go. Take a puff about once a minute. If it goes out, that's normal; knock off the loose ash and relight it.

Lounge manners

• Buy from the house. If you're smoking in a shop's lounge, smoke something you bought there. Some places allow outside cigars for a fee, so ask first.
• Let the ash be. A good ash can hang on for an inch or more. Tap it off into the ashtray when it's ready to fall.
• Don't stub it out. When you're done, set it in the ashtray and let it go out on its own. It smells far better that way.
• Talk to people. Lounges are social places. Asking the person next to you what they're smoking is a perfectly normal way to start a conversation.

Shop or full bar?

Tulsa has both. A cigar shop is built around the humidor and usually serves coffee or soft drinks. A cigar lounge with a full bar lets you pair your cigar with a drink. For a first visit, either works. See our lists of cigar shops and cigar lounges with full bars to find one near you.