# How and Why you Should Smell Your Cigars

Why smell a cigar. Learn how and why to smell a cigar when choosing a cigar. Learn about smelling cigars from the Behind the Band team.

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# How and Why you Should Smell Your Cigars

Posted [6 years ago](/education/archive/2020/9/30/)   \|   2 Minute(s) to read

We’ve all been there; minding your own business, searching for a great cigar at your local shop when you see someone pick up a cigar, take a big ‘ole sniff of it pressed up against their nostril, then place it back on the shelf. Unfortunately, this is a fairly common practice amongst self-appointed aficionados but is there any weight to their whiff?

## Find out from the experts on Behind the Band:

## Smelling Cigars

First of all, you can’t tell if you’re going to like a cigar or not by just the sniff-test, especially if it’s still in the cellophane. Some of the industry’s top experts cry foul:

**“You cannot smell a cigar and say ‘oh I’m going to LOVE this'...bro, you’re not that good, nobody is that good.” - Rick Rodriguez \| CAO**

So should you ever sniff a cigar, and if so, how should you do it? Do you start at the bottom or the top? Does it even matter?

**“When you do smell a cigar, you always smell the foot. If you smell the middle or the cap, you aren’t going to get much out of that.” - Laurel Tilley \| Macanudo**

## Why smell a cigar?

So what’s the purpose of sniffing the cigar? How can you tell a good cigar from a bad one? And does the sniff test even help?

**“All you’re trying to do when you smell a cigar is to find a lack of something. Lack of what? Ammonia. So if you smell ammonia, the cigar is not ready to smoke. Bury it in your humidor for a week or two and eventually it will be ready.” - Rick Rodriguez \|  CAO**

So there you have it. Sniff the foot. If you smell ammonia, that doesn’t mean it’s bad; it just needs a little aging. Also, do us all a favor, and don’t let the cigar touch your nose when sniffing. That’s just bad hygiene.

## Behind the Band

If you found this helpful, be sure to catch Behind The Band every Tuesday at 7 pm EST for tons of expert insights and more useful tips like these.

[View Now](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXT91-pUWB8vbHrYn-GHCTw?view_as=subscriber)

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