7 things you'll never see a real cigar smoker do

Cigars are a non-vintage industry, which means cigar manufacturers try to ensure their cigar offerings taste the same from year to year. They always try to ensure that the blend maintains the same taste while accounting for natural variation.

Over time, the taste of the cigar model will change, but very slowly. According to Herklots, the difference is negligible in the short term.

A cigar isn't something t0 "clench between your teeth and cheek and suck on," Herklots says. It should be held in your hand and brought up to your mouth to puff, then brought back down to hang out between your fingers.

This also helps the cigar burn cooler, so you don't waste any precious tobacco.  

The flavor of the liquor can ruin the taste of the cigar and make it different from what the cigar manufacturer intended.

"I can assure you that if that cigar manufacturer wanted cognac at the end of the cigar, they would put it there," Herklots says.

You can have your preferred brand, sure. But don't let some mistaken sense of duty or loyalty to a particular brand keep you from sampling several varieties of cigars.

Herklots says he has a repertoire of 10 to 12 go-to cigars that are all different types and brands. It's a great goal for any serious cigar smoker.

Don't just smoke the same fat cigar that the CEO you're meeting with is smoking. You're far better off asking the experts around you what you might enjoy instead of hacking up a lung and wasting a cigar.

This is especially good advice for beginners who aren't as comfortable smoking cigars just yet, Herklots says.

You should never inhale while smoking a cigar. They're not cigarettes, and the tobacco is often much stronger.

Instead, merely take a puff and let it sit in your mouth for a few seconds while you taste it. Then simply blow it out. Puff and rotate your cigar every 30 seconds to one minute, and enjoy it with a strong alcoholic beverage (but not simultaneously).