Anxiety 1: Not knowing how to hold a cigar

Anxiety 1: Not knowing how to hold a cigar

The most common beginner issue: feeling flustered and not knowing how many fingers to use.

Correct posture: Lightly hold it with three fingers: thumb + index finger + middle finger, similar to holding a pen. Let the cigar rest gently above the middle finger, with the index finger pressing lightly and the thumb stabilizing it.

Do not:

• Do not grip it with all five fingers -- this can heat the cigar unevenly and affect combustion
• Do not hold it in your mouth while talking -- a cigar needs to be set down to rest; take one puff every 60-90 seconds
• Do not hold it until your palm gets sweaty -- the cigar will absorb moisture, affecting its flavor

In reality, there is no "absolutely correct" way to hold it. As long as you are comfortable, the cigar will not fall, and it will not be heated unevenly, that is the right posture.

Anxiety 2: Not knowing how to blow smoke rings

The gentlemanly image of blowing smoke rings in the movies puts a lot of pressure on beginners.

Fact: Smoke-ring technique is a "decoration" of cigars, not the core.

Smoke rings require: stable tongue position + mouth-shape training + a windless environment. Being able to blow smoke rings has no effect at all on your appreciation of cigars.

Wilson has observed for many years: 90% of cigar players cannot blow smoke rings, but they can still fully enjoy cigars.

If you want to learn: after practicing for half a year, it will come naturally. But learning "nasal sweetness in the finish" first is more important -- exhaling cigar smoke through the nose is the true core of cigar appreciation.

Anxiety 3: Feeling dizzy or nauseous

The most common beginner anxiety: "I feel dizzy after smoking. Am I doing it wrong?"

Fact: Dizziness is a normal physiological response, with three causes:

1. Smoking on an empty stomach: Cigars have a high nicotine concentration; when your blood sugar is low on an empty stomach, dizziness occurs easily
2. Smoking too quickly: The rhythm is too dense, causing nicotine to accumulate too quickly
3. Too much strength: A beginner chose a full-strength cigar

Solutions:

• Eat before smoking (30 minutes after a full meal is best)
• Pair it with a sweet drink (chocolate, honey water, sweet white wine) to quickly restore blood sugar
• For the first time, choose mild to medium strength (such as Macanudo Café, Davidoff Aniversario, Cohiba Siglo II)
• If you feel dizzy, stop immediately, drink water, and rest for 15 minutes

W Cigar Bar has a "Cigar Prince's Carefully Selected Beginner List" for beginners -- ensuring that your first experience will not be ruined by dizziness.

Anxiety 4: The ash falls off by itself, which feels extremely embarrassing

A beginner lights a cigar and, halfway through smoking, the ash suddenly falls onto clothing or the table -- embarrassing.

Fact: Ash falling off by itself is not a mistake; it is the natural state of a cigar.

The ash of a high-quality cigar should be able to remain 1-2 centimeters long before falling (this is an indicator of artisan craftsmanship -- good tobacco leaves + tight rolling = ash that does not break easily). But even for top-tier cigars, once it exceeds 2-3 centimeters, it will still fall off by itself.

Things not to do:

• Do not tap the ash -- it will cause uneven combustion, affect flavor, and lower the layers of appreciation
• Do not place the cigar vertically -- the ash will fall straight down

Correct approach:

• When the ash is about to reach 2 centimeters, gently rest it against the edge of the ashtray and let it break naturally
• If it falls: brush it off and keep smoking; it is not a big deal
• Old-school gentlemen even "deliberately observe how long the ash can hold" -- this is part of a "cigar quality test"

Anxiety 5: Not knowing how to pair drinks

Beginners see whisky, cognac, bourbon, rum... on the menu at a cigar lounge and do not know what to order.

The simplest principle:

But the real beginner mindset:

Do not know how to pair? Ask the Cigar Prince or the staff directly. We will not laugh -- this is exactly the core service of a cigar bistro.

W Cigar Bar Gentlemen's Cigar Lounge has 200+ whiskies, cognacs, and sherries. Cigar Prince Wilson Tsai personally recommends pairings for every guest.

Conclusion: First-time anxiety will pass

Every cigar player starts with a first "anxious cigar." Wilson himself also felt dizzy from his first cigar, did not dare to exhale smoke, and got ash all over himself -- but today he is already connected with four official channels for Cuban cigars (PCC authorized dealer, Cuba official state-run store, Swiss general agent, Spanish general agent), the founder of the Capadura cigar brand, and the author of the Cigar Bible.

Your first cigar will not be worse than Wilson's.

Come to W Cigar Bar Gentlemen's Cigar Lounge in Da'an District, Taipei, and let us accompany you into the world of cigars from your very first one.

Warning: Smoking is harmful to health. Smoking cessation hotline: 0800-636363. This site is for adults aged 20 and above only.

Further Reading

If you are smoking a cigar for the first time, in addition to psychological anxiety, you should also understand technical details such as cutting, lighting, appreciation rhythm, not inhaling into the lungs, retrohale, and how to handle dizziness. For the complete guide, read the main article How Do You Smoke a Cigar? Why You Should Not Inhale into the Lungs and the Correct Appreciation Rhythm.