Arnie and Cigars – Four Rules That Arnold Schwarzenegger Can Teach You About Cigars

This iconic actor knows his way around a Hollywood set and the political arena. But the role he finds most satisfying is that of a cigar aficionado. And he’s the perfect person to teach you about it.

Many people see cigars as a sign of prestige. It’s something that seems only the rich can enjoy, often with an expensive brandy after dinner. Or champagne at brunch.

A cigar is a luxury that requires time and attention to fully appreciate. And it seems like only the wealthy have adequate time to pay this expensive interest adequate attention.

Nobody understands this more than Arnold Schwarzenegger, or Arnie. 

This bodybuilder-turned-Hollywood actor may be famous for his iconic roles in movies. And you may also remember him during his brief stint as the governor of California.

Indeed, he is a man of many talents and interests.

But his true passion lies in the smoothness of a fine cigar.

Discover how The Terminator fell in love with cigars and how his passion can inspire you to have a deeper appreciation of his favorite pastime.

Arnie and His Cigars

Arnie started smoking small cigars at his bodybuilding competitions. He wasn’t a serious cigar lover back then, and he only smoked whatever he got from other attendees. 

That all changed after he met his wife, Maria.

Maria is a member of the illustrious Kennedy clan and niece to the late U.S. President, John F. Kennedy. As expected, she was no stranger to the finer things in life. So, when she introduced Arnie to her world, cigars were very much a part of it.

It was during the first time Maria brought Arnie to Ted Kennedy’s family home back in 1977 that Arnie cemented his long-lasting relationship with cigars. Because while mingling with guests, Maria’s father took Arnie aside and offered him a cigar.

And he hasn’t put them down since…

Now, you may wonder which cigar The Terminator favors most. If pressed, he may mention being a fan of Punch cigars.

But like a true cigar aficionado, Arnie is open to trying any type of cigar. And it seems like he may have tried them all!

He’s not a cigar snob, though.

In fact, he’s happy to discuss the different cigar varieties. He’s a veritable font of information about cigars, including the history of some legendary brands. He can even talk about various flavor profiles of each cigar at length.

This is no mere hobby for him.

It would devastate him if he were to suddenly stop smoking cigars. His closest friends have said that the chances of Arnie quitting cigars are pretty slim. Especially since they’ve become such a huge part of his life.

Seeing this celebrity with a cigar in his hand has become synonymous with his image, and he would look naked without one. And his influence has gone a long way towards keeping the cigar industry where it is today.

He inspires others to try cigars and to only invest in the best available. After all, Arnie is also known for his discerning tastes. And he has a lot to teach many aspiring cigar lovers about the key essentials and the pitfalls to avoid.

The Rules for Smoking a Cigar Properly

Learning proper cigar etiquette can take time, but here are a few rules that every beginner should know:

Rule #1 – Don’t Lick Your Cigar

Have you heard that you’re supposed to lick a cigar to make it burn slower?

Comedian and late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon heard the same thing. 

Guess what? It isn’t true. 

And unfortunately, Arnie was there to witness it. 

Here’s a short story about it:

It all started when Arnie made a guest appearance on Jimmy’s show. Jimmy knew he was a cigar lover. So, he asked Arnie to take him along the next time he went to his smoking club.

That fateful day came, and Jimmy had his introduction into the luxurious world of cigars. But it didn’t go as well as he’d hoped. 

And it proved to be one of the most embarrassing smoking moments of Arnie’s life.

When they got to the club, Arnie handed Jimmy a beautiful Cuban cigar. Jimmy took the cigar gratefully... and proceeded to lick it.

He broke Arnold’s cardinal rule about smoking: Don’t lick.

Arnold says you shouldn’t lick cigars because it doesn’t look cool. And looking cool is his number one rule.

Rule #2 – Take It Slow and Don’t Cough

If it’s your first time smoking a cigar, odds are that you’ll feel like coughing. But don’t give in to that feeling.

According to Arnold, coughing makes you look like an amateur. And it also breaks his cardinal rule of looking cool.

You don’t look cool when you’re coughing up a storm.

Instead, take things nice and slow. If you smoke a premium cigar correctly, it shouldn’t be an issue.

Remember to create a suction in your mouth and pull the smoke into your mouth. It’s like drinking through a straw. You pull liquid into your mouth, not inhale it into your lungs. And instead of swallowing as you would a liquid, you simply exhale.

Rule #3 – Make Sure You Look Cool While You Do It

If you smoke cigars correctly, you’ll look cool doing it. After all, the image of a cigar-smoking man always exudes confidence and coolness. 

And this point is very important to Arnold.

The act of smoking a cigar should look cool from beginning to end.

Imagine yourself putting a fine cigar in your mouth. You light it and slowly turn it to get an even burn, puffing along the way. And during that time, you’re scanning the room to see what everybody else is doing.

You enjoy the moment. 

Not only that, you look cool and in control when you do it. 

Coughing and licking your cigar conveys neither.

Rule #4 – The Longer the Cigar, the More Potential for Flavor

Cigars need time to develop flavor. Shorter cigars, by its very nature, get hot very quickly and don’t have ample time to develop.

They’re not necessarily bad. But if you’re looking for a full flavor profile, short stogies won’t deliver for you.

If you want more flavor, you need to seek out premium cigars. They typically have whole leaves or long-filler tobaccos. That’s because these leaves fill the entire length of a cigar.

Courtesy of the slow burn, residual oils have more time to develop and give more potential for bold and rich flavors.

Write Your Own Cigar Love Story

Cigar aficionados all over the world took one foray into the world of stogies, and soon fell in love. 

For many of them, that affection was instantaneous. 

But, it’s not for the faint of heart.

If you’re lucky, you’ll have someone like Arnie to help you navigate the waters of your newest passion. Even if you don’t, just remember his rules:

“Don’t lick.”

“Don’t cough.”

“Look cool.”

Of course, there’s a lot more that goes into truly appreciating a fine cigar. But as long as you keep the cardinal rules of Arnie in mind, you’ll look cool learning everything else.