There’s a moment at the end of every smoke where most beginners hesitate, you’ve enjoyed the cigar, the flavor’s fading, and now you’re wondering what to do with what’s left. Do you stub it out like a cigarette? Toss it in the trash? Blow on the embers until it’s cold? Not quite.
Learning how to put out a cigar properly is a small but important part of cigar etiquette. Done right, it keeps the room free of harsh odors, preserves the experience, and shows respect for the craftsmanship behind your stogie.
If you’re new to cigar smoking, this quick guide will show you the right way to let your lit cigar rest naturally, no crushing, snuffing, or grinding required. Before you reach for the ashtray, it helps to know how to put out a cigar without ruining the last few moments of your smoke.
For a full breakdown of lighting, cutting, and lounge manners, start with our Cigar Etiquette 101 Guide.
The worst thing you can do to a cigar at the end of your smoke is to stub it out like a cigarette. Pressing or grinding the foot of a cigar forces hot tar and oils to the surface, creating a bitter odor that can quickly fill the room. It also leaves sticky residue and excess ash in the ashtray, ruining the finish of an otherwise good cigar.
Unlike cigarettes, cigars are made from 100% tobacco leaf, long filler, binder, and wrapper carefully rolled to burn evenly and release complex flavors. Crushing the cigar’s tip not only looks careless, but it also disrespects the craftsmanship and compresses the binder and wrapper, creating uneven burn and an unpleasant aftertaste.
A premium cigar deserves to end naturally, the same way it was designed to burn, slow, even, and full of character.
The best way to put out a cigar requires almost no effort. Just stop puffing and let time do the work.
Here are three simple steps:
Stop puffing. The ember will cool naturally after your last draw, and the lit end will begin to fade.
Rest it gently in the ashtray, allowing the cigar to lie flat and breathe. A stable tray ensures best results and prevents it from rolling or tipping onto the floor.
Wait. In just a few minutes, your cigar will extinguish naturally without smoke or odor.
Avoid crushing, flicking, or trying to snuff out your cigar. A properly rolled stick will stop burning on its own after a short amount of time. If you notice excess ash, you can gently tap it off first to avoid flakes falling onto your pants or floor.
Think of this as the “hands-off” method, the less force you apply, the cleaner and more respectful the finish.
Every cigar lover has made the mistake once, pressing the cherry too hard, dropping it, or tossing it out the car window. But here’s why that’s a bad idea.
When you stub or throw a cigar before it’s out, the trapped tobacco continues to smolder, releasing stale smoke that lingers for hours. The compressed filler and binder hold heat longer than you’d expect, leading to smoldering embers and that unmistakable “burned cigar” smell that sticks to everything in the room.
Instead, simply place your cigar in the ashtray and let it air dry. The burn will stop on its own without any force or risk of fire. After a few minutes, the cigar will cool and the ember will be completely extinguished, ready to discard safely once cool.
Maybe you only had time for half a smoke and plan to finish it later, that’s fine, but it’s also not exactly ideal. A half-smoked cigar can be relit, although the flavor profile will change and not for the better.
If you do choose to save it:
Let it go out naturally.
Once unlit, clip about a half inch off the burned end.
Keep it out of your humidor to prevent odor transfer to your other cigars.
Relighting after a very long time can lead to stale taste and harsh smoke. The oils and tar in the tobacco dry out, making it difficult to ignite evenly again. For the best experience, simply preserve your humidor for fresh cigars and reach for a shorter stick like a corona or robusto next time when pressed for time.
For a deeper dive into whether it’s worth relighting later (and when it’s not), check out our full guide: Relighting a Half-Smoked Cigar.
Your ashtray is part of the ritual, not an afterthought. Always use one that’s wide and deep enough for the cigar to rest comfortably.
Never use a glass, car window, or the floor to put out a cigar, those are unsafe and unsanitary options. When finished, leave the cigar butt or band in the tray until it’s fully cool, then dispose of it properly.
In lounges, never dump all the ash or mix your cigar butts with others still smoking. Small gestures like these show respect for the space and for other cigar lovers who share it.
Even seasoned smokers make these errors, here’s how to sidestep them:
Stubbing out the cigar: Never press or crush it.
Dropping it or tossing it out the window: Fire hazard, plain and simple.
Flicking ash like a cigarette: A cigar burns differently and deserves patience.
Leaving it lit unattended: Embers can stay hot longer than you’d expect.
Trying to relight after too long: Leads to bitterness and ruined flavor.
Forgetting to wait: Letting it naturally extinguish is the only proper method.
If you treat your cigar with care, from first puff to final rest, you’ll avoid these pitfalls and keep your space (and your reputation) clean.
Finishing a cigar the right way is as much a part of the smoking experience as lighting it. A good cigar deserves a graceful finish, no crushing, no stubbing, no rush. Just patience.
When you rest your cigar gently, let the embers fade, and allow it to go out naturally, you’re showing the same respect you gave when lighting it in the first place.
It’s a quiet, simple gesture that separates casual smokers from true aficionados.
Want to refine your touch even more? Check out our guide on How to Ash a Cigar Properly: The Do’s and Don’ts to master the next step in proper ash management and keep every smoke burning smooth from start to finish.
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