Cigar Accessories

Imagine sitting at the bar with your colleagues and whipping out a cigar. You light it with a match, while your co-worker pulls out a lighter that looks more like a torch. He takes a sip of his cognac while the project managers all ask him where he got his styling lighter. You sit there, and suddenly begin feeling like you're blowing smoke -- and it's not the smoke that's coming from your cigar.

It's safe to say that today, smoking, whether it be cigars, cigarettes or pipes is not as cool as it was when James Dean was doing it. Smokers are even being shunned from some bars and restaurants nowadays. I don't condone smoking, nor do I believe that smoking is smart, but hey, if you have a bad habit, why not go down in style with some cigar accessories?

So the poor guy sitting at the bar with his co-workers smoking his cigar, while everyone is paying attention to his colleague with the flamethrower of a lighter, is a perfect example of why it's important to dress the part with cigar accessories.

Don't start smoking just because everyone in your office does, but if you do smoke with the best of them, then at least give them something to talk about -- your keen eye for fashion. And if you don't smoke, then what better gift to give your cigar aficionado boss than a premium cigar cutter or similar cigar accessories ?

If you know the first thing about smoking cigars, then you know that when you want to light it, you need to drop those matches! Only light a cigar with matches if you absolutely must, and use long matches rather than short ones. The type of lighter you want to use is a torch lighter, which will really keep your cigar -- and those surrounding you -- aflame.

The nicest lighters are made of stainless steel, are thick, and have a heavy, durable look.

There are even lighters that are waterproof and built in to a compass -- for those who enjoy sailing every now and then.

You can also purchase lighters with built-in cigar cutters.

Which brings me to the next accessory you'll need in the line of cigar accessories: a cutter. There are guillotine cutters (in which you cut the cigar in one fell swoop), as well as double and single-bladed cutters, which are usually the best option, but this, of course, depends on the person.

Opt for a simple silver-plated, gold (white or yellow), or two-toned cutter such as the "Pleiades Like" Cigar Cutter. If you want to get a little fancy, you can even have your initials engraved onto the cutter, perfect for when you distribute it amongst your fellow cigar smokers. You can treat yourself to this once you become more of a novice smoker, or drop hints to your lady to get it for you.

From cigar to cigarette cases, it's all here...cigar accessories.

Now how do you carry around your precious cigars (even if they aren't Cubans)? You can use leather cigar cases to carry them around, when you aren't storing them in a humidor.

Your best bet is to purchase a leather one, and to make it more practical, opt for one that comes with a pouch, like the Diamond Crown 2 Finger Churchill Case.

practical humidors

Humidors, used to preserve your cigars, are mostly available in wood. You can find them in black or brown, but the classiest ones are made of a rich mahogany or a dark rosewood finish.

You can even find humidors that come with a cutter, case, lighter, and everything else you need for the aficionado in you, or for the boss you want to impress.

Not only are cigarette cases classy, but they are also more compact than a regular pack of cigarettes, and help you avoid reading the Surgeon General's graphic warnings of what can happen if you do smoke. Granted, smoking is extremely unhealthy, but there's nothing like a message that says, "Smoking can kill you" to put a damper on the mood at a bachelor party.

Personally, stainless steel cigarette cases (with no designs or patterns) are elegant and classy, but there are also leather cases that are making their presence felt in smoker circles.

Now you may have all the cigar accessories down pat, but they will be useless if you're drinking the wrong drink with your cigar. So order some cognac, rum, rye, or bourbon while puffing away, and you'll be one step closer to looking smokin' while smoking.