In my 20 + years of enjoying premium cigars, I've seen some crazy stuff. Don't make the following mistakes and you will not look like a "newbie".
1) Sniff the cello. I've attended many functions and have witnessed dozens of people actually smelling the cellophane. Unless the cigar is infused, cigars don't smell! You are fooling no one by taking a whiff and declaring "smells great". Bonus tip coming up. Leave the cello on your cigars when you store them! Trust the cigar maker who has been doing it for decades. They put cello on for a reason. Don't remove it.
2) Don't lick the head of the cigar and then cut it, especially in a retail store! MANY people use that cutter and don't appreciate the flavors that your spit gives to their cigars. This should be common knowledge, Sadly, it is not.
3) Cutting too much. I swear this story to be true! In May of 2026, I was at a birthday party. Being the "cigar guy", my job is to bring some cigars and I did my job. A person took one of offerings and cut it directly in two! According to him, he would smoke half now and half later! I explained that most cigars unravel once you cut past the cap. (About 1/8 of an inch) He said, "I just give it a licky" if this happens and he proceeded to demo a "licky". Looked like he was licking a joint. LOL In short, cut the cigar correctly and use whatever cutter type is your favorite.
4) Just like a proper and sharp cutter is important, your fuel source to light a cigar matters too. Sulfur matches and Zippo lighters are a no go for premium smokes. They impart a bad taster. Use cedar spills or butane lighters. Even Bics are ok in a pinch.
5) Don't inhale a cigar! They are not made to be inhaled. Retrohale is great, Inhale is a no. Cigars are made to enjoy and relax with. Your puffing should be helping it burn. It you see a point on the foot, slow down and do not inhale.
6) Let your cigar die out naturally. If you "stamp" it out like a Camel, it will smoke a bunch. This smoke pouring out of an ashtray makes you look like a newb. Just leave it in the ashtray and move on. How far you smoke a cigar is on you. There really are no right answers here. It's about personal preference.
7) Band Snob or Cuba promoters are not usually well received at most herfs. It's not cool to flaunt an expensive cigar or swear you only smoke Cubans. None cares and in fact, you will be talked about and laughed at soon after you depart. 100%.
8) Ask the cigar community is usually a great group of people who don't mind helping out. The only stupid question in the one you already know the answer to. Talk to your fellow cigar smokers. Remember, a lot of points to cigar smoking are about personal preference. Ask, experiment and verify what works for you.