If you think that all you have to do to ooze out an air of class while smoking a cigar is inhale (which should not be done) and exhale, don?t even think about going near a cigar before reading this! Cigar smoking is definitely a culture in itself, and in order to appear Al Pacino-like, you must know how to cut a cigar, light it and of course, smoke it. When investing in a cigar, either from a tobacco shop or a site like Custom Tobacco, there are certain things you should keep in mind: -Verify the quality of the cigar by squeezing it slightly to make sure there are no lumps in the it, and check to ensure that the tobacco at the end of it is not discolored. Also, avoid purchasing cigars with discolored wrappers. -The length and diameter of the cigar is related to the intensity of the cigar. So if you're a rookie cigar-smoker, then you may want a longer, thinner cigar (with cooler smoke) rather than a small stubby one, which may make you cough some. -Always remember that if you're purchasing cigars in the US, you would be hard-pressed to find Cubans. -Ask clearly whether the cigar consists of 100% tobacco, because that's what you are looking for!