A cigar lounge provides a well-deserved escape from the cold of winter or the heat of summer, making it a destination for many cigar enthusiasts year round. If you or a friend are visiting a cigar lounge for the first time or the first time in a long time, here are the top 15 things to avoid to respect the establishment and its patrons. 

15.) Don’t handle the merchandise like you would in your own personal humidors. Some cigar shops have signs for you to allow their staff to select cigars for you while most have walk-in humidors that allow you to select your own. In both cases, it is considered bad manners to pick up cigars that you aren’t purchasing. It is especially rude to smell a cigar until you have purchased it, and every cigar shop has stories about people shoving a cigar up their nose.

14.) Don’t be afraid to ask the Tobacconist for recommendations. Most quality Tobacconists love discussing your favorite cigar experiences so they can help you find your next favorite cigar. If you haven’t smoked a cigar before, tell them how you like your coffee to get a gauge on which cigar should be your first. And please don’t hesitate to ask for help cutting or lighting your cigar at the lounge. 

Click the image above to read the article

13.) Don't brag about your favorite deals from other cigar shops even if you found a killer sampler, unicorn, or amazing deal from us here at Small Batch Cigar. We love providing you with the exceptional service and selection that you deserve, but it's considered poor form to talk about another source while enjoying the facilities at a cigar lounge. This would be akin to bragging about how good the steaks are at another steakhouse instead of enjoying the one you're sitting at. 

12.) Leave your personal judgement at home. Most cigar enthusiasts will tell you that cigar lounges are melting pots: you’ll find all walks of life inside a lounge enjoying the moment together. In one seat you may have an attorney enjoying a Padrón next to a college kid enjoying a Rocky Patel java. At no time is it acceptable to yuck someone else’s yum, or to discourage anyone from enjoying what they like. 

11.) Don’t smash your cigar into the ashtray when you’re done like it’s a cigarette. The polite thing to do is to push your cigar into the ashtray and let it go out on its own, saving everyone around you from the foul odors that spawn from trying to extinguish your cigar forcefully. 

10.) Don’t ask for someone to buy or gift you a cigar. This seems intuitive, but it happens rather frequently in some areas because cigar enthusiasts are the most generous people you’ll ever meet. Please don’t take advantage of their generosity and allow them to give freely instead of asking for it. 

Click the image above to read the article

9.) Don’t bring conspicuous booze to a cigar lounge that doesn’t serve alcohol. The last thing a cigar shop needs is to worry about additional legal headaches while navigating the tobacco scene in 2024. And if they do serve alcohol, please purchase it there.

8.) Please don’t ask your friendly neighborhood Tobacconist if they carry Cuban cigars since it’s still illegal.

7.) Don’t get carried away drinking if you’re new to cigars. Nicotine sickness is real, and symptoms include feeling light-headed, nauseous, and dizzy. When combined with drinking excessively, these symptoms may come on much quicker than anticipated. Please don’t be that guy or gal puking in the ashtray. If you feel yourself getting sick from too much nicotine, stop smoking and drink or eat some sugar to alleviate the effects.

6.) Don’t cut and light your cigar improperly and ask for a refund. Sometimes your cigar does crazy things and many cigar lounges will offer to replace it with a discounted or free cigar. If your cigar unraveled because you cut too much off the cap, however, you may find it harder to get your cigar replaced without paying full cost for the next one. Read our article on how to smoke a cigar to make sure you are armed with the knowledge to have a great time every time. 

Click the image above to read the article

5.) Don’t take phone calls on speakerphone or watch Instagram reels at a loud volume. The beautiful thing about a cigar lounge is how it brings people together, but not everyone wants to be that involved in your digital life. 

4.) Don’t wet your cigar before cutting it with a house cutter. This is way more common of a practice than I like to admit, which is why we double tap this issue. If you must cut your cigar again after smoking it, please use a personal cutter instead of the house cutter that will collect germs for other patrons.

3.) Don’t use a house cutter if you can bring your own. Given that it’s so prevalent for people to lick their cigars before cutting them or chop a little off the top after it’s been smoked halfway, the best thing you can do to avoid this peanut jar is to bring your own cutter. If you’re just getting into the hobby, most cigar lounges have inexpensive cutters that you can purchase on the spot and use for a long time and they would be happy to show you how to use it properly.

2.) Don’t critique other cigar enthusiasts about how they’re enjoying their cigar. The cigar experience is a personal one and everyone enjoys it their own way. It’s okay to offer to share knowledge if someone is open to it, but criticizing is a step too far for a luxury experience that’s deeply rooted in personal preference.

1.) Don’t bring cigars from home to light up in the lounge unless you are prepared to pay a cutting fee. Not all cigar lounges offer a cutting fee option, however, so it’s best to call ahead and find out the rules if you aren’t planning on purchasing a cigar from the shop. The best practice will always be to purchase a cigar from the lounge you plan on enjoying it at to help pay for the comforts you are seeking out.