I’ve been told you should only smoke a cigar halfway. Is this true? How can I tell when a cigar is done?
A. The golden rule here is that a cigar is done whenever you’re no longer enjoying it. But as a general maxim, we smoke our cigars about half to two-thirds of the way down. The reason is that a cigar gets hotter and more powerful the further down you smoke it, and its flavor changes as tars and moisture build up near the cigar’s head. Smoke it too far, and you risk ruining the great flavor you’ve been enjoying. But this is simply a suggestion—if you’re still enjoying the cigar as its lit end is about to burn your fingertips, go right on smoking it. Cigar smoking, after all, is about enjoyment.