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.

Since cigar smoking is becoming so popular, 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 thing you need to keep in mind is that the cigar tastes better to you than it smells to your companions. If you are in your own home, be sure to invite only people that you are positive don’t object to your smoking.

Alternately, have a separate room where the gentlemen can retire to enjoy their smokes while the ladies enjoy their chocolate in their own location. If the gathering will be outdoors, 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 affect the neighbors? The best way to lose a friend 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 where her precious baby is sleeping, she will go on the warpath and most likely will interrupt your intimate, relaxed gathering.

The other basic rule of cigar smoking is to take care of the leftovers of the smoking experience. Put simply, dispose of the leftovers immediately. We all know that you enjoy the taste and aroma of the cigar, but, to outsiders, its not so pleasant. And, when nothing but the ashes and butt remain, its even worse. And if the leftovers remain in the ashtray overnight, the smell becomes stale and almost unbearable.

Therefore, before the smoking session begins, know what you are going to do with the ashes and butts. The worst thing you can do is to just dump the ashtray into the waste basket. When you do this, the ashes are dispersed and even allowed to drift into the air. Its better to have a container into which you can seal the ashes and butts. A simple solution might be a coffee can with a plastic lid. When it becomes full, you can then throw the sealed can into the trash. Another simple option is a sealable plastic bag. It would kind of ruin the cigar-smoking mystique 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 shut. This combination of enjoyment and careful consideration will make the cigar smoking experience satisfying but polite.