Create the Perfect Setting
You don’t need a reason to invite your friends over for a smoke, but the right occasion and setting can make all the difference. Celebrating an engagement, buying a new home or getting a new job are all good reasons to pull out the cigars and pour a few drinks.
No matter what the occasion, smoking a cigar should take about an hour to two hours, relaxing as you kick back and celebrate or just contemplate life. In many ways, enjoying a cigar is a ritual that allows people to come together and engage in a ceremony that’s been going on for hundreds of years.
Choosing The Right Cigar
Selecting the right cigar is important if you want beginners to have the perfect first-time experience and understand the aroma and flavor that comes out of each cigar. Spicy, coffee, and rich flavors are what’s going to keep novices coming back for more.
A good place to start is with a Cuban brand, such as the Montecristo. This cigar is smooth and easy, with a medium strength flavor. Another option is the Hoyo De Monterrey, which is also good for the novice smoker. With its robust size, this is a lighter tasting cigar that even experienced cigar aficionados reach for when they’re in the mood for a mild smoke.
The Process of Smoking
Part of the experience of enjoying a cigar is getting ready to smoke it. Demonstrate how to prep the cigar – cutting the cap on the cigar, how to hold it, and how to draw in the smoky taste. The art to smoking is to savor and experience all the complexities of each different cigar.
Cigars and Drinks
Another ritual that goes with a good cigar is pairing it with just the right type of drink. Although it comes down to individual choice, there are some tried and true pairings that cigar aficionados swear by, sticking with whiskey and scotch, pale ale beers, and coffee martinis. Other classic pairings include port, bourbon, and a dark rum.
But don’t let this hold you back from drinking almost any spirit when introducing your friends to cigars. Open a bottle of deep red wine, such as an aged Malbec. And while gin and vodka aren’t at the top of the list when it comes to pairing drinks and cigars, these spirits are crisp and clear and can bring out the anise or fruitiness of some cigars.
Looking for an elegant atmosphere to enjoy your next cigar? Check out our cigar list at Rib’N Reef and make a night of it first in our cigar lounge and then in our dining room as you enjoy one of the steaks on our menu.