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Now that COVID19 appears to be entering its final stages, cigar parties are finally becoming a reality again. Given how long the pandemic has dragged on, it may have been a while since you last hosted one. In fact, if you discovered cigars recently, you may never have hosted one. With that in mind, here are five tips on how to host the perfect cigar party.
A theme can be a useful way of letting your guests know what to expect. If you choose not to have one, then make sure you’re totally clear about the dress code. If you just use loose terms such as “casual” or “smart casual” you might find that (some of) your guests interpret it very differently from you.
If you choose to have a theme, then it will probably set the tone for your entertainment. In fact, your theme might be your entertainment. For example, your theme could be poker and your entertainment could be a poker game. If you’re not having a theme, then you’ll need to decide if you want entertainment and, if so, what it should be.
Cigar parties tend to be quiet enough that they’re unlikely to disturb anybody with their noise. The smell, however, can be another matter. If you’re sharing a home with adults who aren’t cigar fans then be prepared to negotiate. If you’re sharing a home with kids and/or pets then you’ll need a room you can keep them out of for the duration and until it’s properly ventilated.
Never underestimate the importance of ventilation during and after a cigar party. Cigar smoke can be very powerful. Without proper ventilation, it can get too much even for cigar lovers.
At cigar parties, most people tend to stay seated for most of the time. That means they need comfortable chairs. Plain wooden dining chairs are unlikely to cut it. If, however, you add decent pillows, they may be fine. Upholstered dining chairs are usually good. Sometimes you may still want to add pillows. Club chairs are the best but also the bulkiest.
Brutal as it may sound, figure out how many people you can seat comfortably, then make that the maximum number for your guest list. Treat this maximum number as a limit, not a target. As a rule of thumb, unless you have a really large home, half-a-dozen people in total is enough. If you go much over that, then you may end up with serious odor issues.
There are two questions you need to answer. Firstly, what cigars, drinks, and food do you want? Secondly, who’s responsible for making sure that they’re bought/prepared? Thirdly, who’s responsible for paying for them? The answers are entirely up to you and your guests, just make sure that everyone’s both clear on it and OK with it.
One way to run a cigar party on a reasonable budget and with minimal hassle is to ask your guests to bring their own cigars and any liquor they want. You provide food, soft drinks, beer, and ice plus the cutters, lighters, and ashtrays.
The key to making cleanup easy is to get rid of the smoke and ash as quickly as you can. If you can keep your eyes open, empty the ashtrays and take them outside before you go to bed. Then put out some bowls of bicarbonate of soda. This is great at absorbing odors. In the morning, you can just put it in the trash (outside). Cleaning up any other mess should be easy.
