How to Put Out a Cigar

When you’re done puffing on a cigar, don’t stub out the end of the cigar in an ashtray, as this can create more smoke. Even if you commonly see it in movies, stubbing out a cigar is bad manners. It looks impatient and unappreciative of all the work that went into making the cigar.

Leave the cigar in the ashtray, and it will go out on its own within a few minutes. After about ten minutes, you can safely dispose of it.

Enthusiasts hotly debate the socially appropriate time to put out a cigar. They also debate how to hold a cigar. Most agree that smoking a cigar down to a nub looks rude. You can let a cigar go out on its own once you’re tired of the flavor when there is somewhere between 2” to 4” of the cigar left.

If you need to take a break from smoking halfway through, it’s okay to stop earlier and come back to it later. Leave it in the ashtray but try not to leave it in the open air for more than 30 minutes before starting again.

If you receive a cigar as a gift, try to enjoy as much of it as possible, even if you don’t love the flavor. The flavors of a cigar can change as you smoke it, so you could grow to like it. Dispose of it like you would any other cigar, perhaps keeping the band as a memento if it was a particularly rare cigar.

Cigar ashtrays are designed with wide grooves or holes for resting the cigar. Cigarette ashtrays have narrower holes and are difficult to safely prop a cigar up in while you wait for it to go out.

The best cigar ashtrays have long surfaces to rest the cigar flat. If you’re hosting cigar-smoking friends, get an ashtray with multiple places for cigars.

Common materials include ceramic, cast iron, stainless steel, or crystal. All these materials are safe for putting out cigars, but ceramic and crystal can break if dropped. 

Once you’re sure the cigar is out, throw it out discreetly, as leaving a finished cigar out is considered impolite. Cigars take up a lot of space in ashtrays and may be in someone else’s way.

When disposing of a cigar in an indoor trash can, it is wise to put it inside a plastic sandwich bag to help contain the smell, especially if it’s a medium to full-bodied cigar. While you shouldn’t need to pour water over it to ensure that it is extinguished, you may do so if you’re in your own home. 

If you frequently smoke in or around your own home, consider getting a dedicated metal trash can to keep outside or in your garage. Never flush cigar nubs down a toilet, as they can cause serious clogs.

In high-end clubs or cigar shops, a member of staff may come around periodically to empty ashtrays and remove drinks. If you look around a room and don’t see an easy place to dispose of a cigar, don’t worry about it. Watch to see what someone else does, especially if you’re in an unfamiliar establishment.

In someone else’s home, ask for an appropriate place to throw away a cigar. They may not want the cigar being thrown out in the kitchen or another place where the smell may be bothersome.

Although cigars taste best if smoked in one sitting, it is possible to store a half-smoked cigar for later if it is put out carefully. Let the cigar go out on its own, then cut about a half-inch behind the ash line. 

Putting the cigar back in the humidor can cause its flavor to contaminate the other cigars. Instead, put the cigar in a plastic bag and seal it tight. For the best results, finish the cigar within 24 hours. Waiting longer than 48 hours can result in a stale taste. Read more about how long a cigar will last.

If you let a cigar extinguish itself, you can re-light it by cutting off the last half inch of the cigar and holding it over a flame. If you made the mistake of stubbing out the cigar, you will struggle to re-light it without ending up with tobacco falling out.

Some cigar aficionados say not to re-light a cigar once there is less than one-third of it left. When in a high-class social setting, it may be best to follow this rule and simply throw away a cigar that is almost gone.

It’s bad form to stub out any cigar. It’s sacrilege to stub out a fine Cuban cigar. Such craftsmanship goes into every hand-rolled cigar and the flavor profile will change as you smoke. 

With most fine Cuban cigars you don’t even think of putting it out. It’s so smooth, so decadent, that you luxuriate peacefully in its presence. And later, you think about the next one. 

Swiss Cuban Cigars is the premium online store for authentic Cuban cigars. Discover the next cigar you won’t need to put out.