Induction of Cigar Service
Scope of this training
This training doesn’t embrace the origin or his-
tory of cigars and cigarettes - it doesn’t tell sto-
ries!
It is a cigar service training!
At the end of the training, everybody
should know:
✦ the worst faux pas - you shouldn’t do!
✦ how to deliver cigar service.
✦ how to handle & store cigars ideal.
✦ how to recommend a cigar professionally.
✦ how to make a professional cigar service.
Furthermore, everybody should:
✦ understand the terminology in cigar service.
✦ be aware of some haunting myths in this
business.
✦ have fun & look forward to learn more!
Cigarettes
Much more often then the request after cigars,
guests are asking after cigarettes.
This few points should be noted, to ensure a
professional ***** service for cigarettes:
✓ Serve a box of cigarettes on an appropriate
saucer or small tray!
✓ Remove the upper wrapping and open the
box!
✓ Provide a box of matches or a lighter with the
cigarettes.
✓ Never touch the plain cigarettes with your
hands (e.g. to make a nice presentation...)
✓ Be aware, that the table of the guest is a
smoker table and provide an ashtray!
Ideal climate for cigars.
Cigars are produced in the Caribbean and need
a similar climate to keep smokable!
Which means, to “perform” well they need to be
stored in a humidor (a wooden box/cabinet with
humidifier) at 65 - 75% humidity (ideal 68 -
72%) and if possible at 16 - 18°C (Cellar Tem-
perature) - this should be very stable conditions!
Just to touch the topic: the temperature is di-
rectly related to the humidity of humidor and
cigars - nevertheless normally it is not possible
to regulate the temperature.
Cigars should never be stored with other odors
or in a fridge! And also a cigar shouldn’t be
stored in the direct sunlight!
Odorlessness refers also to the humidifier - you
can find sometimes old, seedy moldy sponges in
the humidor... this is not the right way to store
cigars - and the sponges should be substitute
with new ones or even water crystals (acrylamide
sodium acrylate)!
The climate should be checked consistently,
because cigars loose dramatically their quality
after only a couple of days without the right
conditions!
Storage
Cigar should be stored ideal in their closed
boxes! However for a nice presentation (and also
a smaller stock) they also could be stored as-
sorted in some open registers or some collective
boxes. If possible take boxes and close them as
often as possible! Do not order to many assorted
cigars - they should be sold in few weeks (better
days)!
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Induction of Cigar Service

Offering cigars Brand Hierarchy

The easiest scenario was, if a guest wants to The company Habanos, which is the the one
choose a cigar for his own! Of course, the best and only institution for marketing and distribu-
way is to let him choose out of a cigar menu - tion for Cuban cigars published a brand guide-
because opening an humidor for a longer time line, which shows the classification of
would affect negatively the climate inside. Most the brands in matter of reputa-
of the times, the guest wants then to choose a tion, prices and quality. Of
designated cigar out of the selection! course its assumes
especially regarding
It requires a little bit flair to prevent the guest of
of qual- ity very
touching every cigar (and also kneading them) -
vast!
but it essential, that the cigars are touched
minimal! It is not hygienic and also not aes-
thetic - and many cigars are rather sensitive -
they could be damaged!

After the guest chooses a cigar, it should be

taken at the band - and served with
matches (or lighter), a
cutter and a cigar
ashtray! But
You can separate cigars even the marketing uses this brand hierar-
after the brand hierarchy. chy, so the guest will have a special expec-
Recom- tation, if they’re choosing the respective
After the expected body of the re-
mending brand!
spective brand.
cigars
After the size of the cigar - what
This is
you could also break down into
really not
length & ring diameter.
easy - because
it needs a per-
son which has an
expertise in cigars!

But there are some categories, which

makes it easier even for trained but rather
novice staff, to make a basic recommen-
dation.

Here, at the moment we’re selling just

Cuban premium cigars, called Havanas
[Habanos].

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Induction of Cigar Service
Body or Strength of Cigar Brands
Cigars are like wines - differ- The
ent “vintages” and different best
product lines creates shape for a not
different cigars - regular smoker is a
even the age, Robusto - it is very thick (∅
52) - but not so long (124 mm) and
maturates and
time consuming. If the smoker don’t
changes the
like thick cigars, a Corona or
taste and the
strength dramati- Mareva might be a good
cally! However some choice (∅42 /142
mm)
brands supposed to be
stronger than the others. So
even with this tool you can rec-
ommend the cigars after their
strength - but be carefully, because this
is a very rough tool - and even for some cigars it
is wrong!
Please keep in mind, that this is just a rough
guideline...
Size of a cigar
One of the better tools to recommend a cigar is
to ask the guest for his preferences of the size.
The length is directly related to the smoking
time. Of course it depends of the smoking be-
haviors of the guest. Roughly you can say, that
you smoke a Tres Petit Corona (Perla, Francis-
cano etc.) 15 till 20 minutes. A Corona or a Ro-
busto you can smoke 30 - 40 minutes - a Corona
Gorda or Cervantes 45 - 55 minutes - the really
large cigars like Churchill (Julieta No.2) Promi-
nentes (Double Corona) or even Gran Corona
(“A”) need to be smoked longer than 1 hour and
20 minutes.
The length is also an indicator for the tempera-
ture of the smoke. The longer the cigar the
colder and thats why smoother the smoke!
A lot of smokers do the mistake, that they
wanted to start with a thin (small) cigar. That
isn’t really smart! Just if we stay in Cuba - the
cigars with the smaller diameter are made with
“more spicy” and often stronger tobacco to keep
the character of respective brand! That means,
that small cigars are not easier to smoke (like
expected) - they are more pungent and
often stronger!
Cubans are dividing the rings of
their cigars in small, medium and
large diameters.
Cigar Service
๏ Choose the cigar the guest ordered - try to
choose a good one (no spots - not damaged and
in good condition).
๏ Bring the cigar with a cigar ashtray, cigar
matches (or with an additional torch) and a cut-
ter, cigar scissors or cigar puncher.
๏ Ask the guest, if you can assist him - this is
really important, because some smokers don’t
want to “share” their enjoyment to prepare a
cigar!
๏ If the guest agreed go on with this further
steps:
๏ Find carefully the right position for the cut.
๏ Cut - definite and fast!
๏ Open match box.
๏ Light a match - and let burn down the chemi-
cal!
๏ Warm the end of the cigar over the flame. (Ro-
tate cigar!)
๏ Now charr the end of the cigar over the flame
- go on rotating!
๏ Move the cigar to light is up!
๏ If the end of the cigar glows evenly hand out
the guest (laying down with the tip to the guest!
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Induction of Cigar Service

๏ Leave matches on the table.

๏ TRY TO TOUCH THE CIGAR ONLY AT THE Torpedos (Pyramides):

BAND!

Learn more about cigars

and smoke!

The best advice about cigars you can accept is, Churchills (Julieta No.2):
read and learn a lot about
flavors, sizes, brands, etc.
Even you should also
smoke to get this knowledge to do a perfect rec- Double Corona (Prominente):
ommendations.

Common VITOLAS DE
GALERAS

Panatelas (Laguito No. 3):

Petit Coronas (Mareva):

Coronas:

Lonsdales (Cervantes):

Toros (Corona Gordas):

Robustos:

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Induction of Cigar Service

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5th April ‘06 Induction of Cigar Service

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5th April ‘06
Introduction
Induction of Cigar
to Conversational
Service French

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5th April ‘06 Induction of Cigar Service

NOTES: