Short answer: take a mouthful of smoke without inhaling, shape your lips into an O, and push the smoke out in one short, gentle burst with your tongue, your throat or a snap of the jaw. Holt’s, Cigar Press and After Action Cigars all describe the move as a push, not a blow. Do it in still air with a well-made, properly humidified cigar, and expect it to take practice.
What a smoke ring actually is
A smoke ring is a vortex ring made visible by smoke. Wikipedia’s summary of the physics: a ring usually forms when a puff of smoke is pushed suddenly into clear air, especially through a narrow opening. The air around the puff and the edges of the opening slow its outer part, so the puff rolls around itself as it travels. The smoke does not make the ring; it only lets you see it.
Two practical rules follow from that. The puff has to leave your mouth suddenly, which is why every method below is a short pulse rather than a long exhale. And the air has to be still, because moving air tears the rolling ring apart before it gets far.
Before you start
- Don’t inhale. Cigar smoke is held in the mouth, and so is the smoke for a ring. Holt’s says to draw the smoke no farther than the base of your tongue. If you are new to cigars, read do you inhale cigar smoke? first.
- Find still air. Cigar Press says even a gentle breeze breaks up a ring, and After Action Cigars says the same of fans. Indoors, away from vents and ceiling fans, is easiest. Cigar Press also says to avoid very cold conditions.
- Use a cigar that smokes well. Cigar Press and After Action Cigars both say thick smoke holds a ring better than thin, wispy smoke. After Action Cigars adds that a cigar with solid construction and a smooth draw helps, and that a dry or over-humidified cigar works against you. If yours has dried out, see how to rehydrate cigars.
- Relax. After Action Cigars lists tension among the common mistakes, and Paykoc Pipes says staying calm helps you hold the smoke and avoid letting it out too fast.
Step by step: the tongue push
This is the method most guides start with.
- Draw a full mouthful. Take a slow, full draw and keep the smoke in your mouth. After Action Cigars says thin smoke won’t form solid rings, so don’t be stingy with the draw. If the smoke starts down your throat, Paykoc Pipes says to block it with your tongue.
- Lower your tongue. Cigar Press lays the tongue flat on the floor of the mouth and pulls it back; After Action Cigars keeps it low to control the airflow.
- Shape the O. Paykoc Pipes suggests saying “doughnut” and stopping at “dough”: that is roughly the mouth shape. Keep your lips against your teeth and let your jaw drop a little; Paykoc Pipes says rings need more open space than most people expect, and Cigar Press calls for a relaxed O without puckering, like a relaxed opera singer.
- Push, don’t blow. Push the smoke out with the tongue in one short, gentle movement. Cigar Press likens the tongue to a piston and says to aim for a tap-tap rather than a rocket launch. Paykoc Pipes calls exhaling the most common mistake: once the smoke is in your mouth, no breath is needed.
- Repeat. Repeat the routine after each draw; with practice, Paykoc Pipes says, you can make several rings at once.
Other ways to push the smoke
The tongue is one way to give the smoke its short, sudden push. Wikipedia lists closing the jaw, tapping the cheek and a sudden burst from the lungs and throat as others, and cigar guides describe each one.
| Method | How it works | Who describes it |
|---|---|---|
| Tongue push | Hold the smoke, shape an O, and push the smoke out with a short forward movement of the tongue | Cigar Press, Paykoc Pipes, After Action Cigars |
| Throat pulse (the “cough”) | A short, light pulse from the back of the throat, like a small cough, sends out one ring | Holt’s (“pop” the larynx and jaw), After Action Cigars, Wikipedia |
| Jaw snap | With the O shaped, close the jaw quickly to push a puff out | Wikipedia, Holt’s |
| Cheek tap | Tap a cheek lightly with your fingers while the mouth holds the O | Wikipedia, After Action Cigars |
Holt’s combines them: draw the smoke to the base of the tongue, pop the larynx and jaw as in a light cough, and let the tongue help shape the ring as it leaves the O. After Action Cigars adds a flick of the tongue or jaw on release to send the ring faster and farther.
How big should the O be?
The guides differ. After Action Cigars wants a small, tight O “about the size of a nickel,” and says a more consistent O makes a cleaner ring. Cigar Press and Paykoc Pipes want a relaxed, more open mouth with the jaw dropped. Try both; whichever you choose, keep the shape steady while the smoke leaves, since After Action Cigars lists a loose or changing lip shape among the common mistakes.
When the rings won’t form
| What you see | Likely cause | Try |
|---|---|---|
| A shapeless cloud | Blowing too hard, or exhaling | A shorter, softer push; After Action Cigars says too much pressure makes a smoky mess |
| A faint ring that vanishes | Too little smoke, or thin smoke | A fuller draw; a cigar with thicker smoke |
| A ring that breaks up after a few inches | Moving air | Move away from fans, vents and open doors |
| A wobbly squiggle | Inconsistent mouth shape; still learning | Practice in front of a mirror, as After Action Cigars suggests; Cigar Press says early attempts often look like this |
| Smoke going down your throat | Drawing too far back | Keep the smoke at the base of the tongue (Holt’s) and block the throat with the tongue (Paykoc Pipes) |
| The cigar keeps fighting you | Tight draw, poor construction, or a dry or overly moist cigar | After Action Cigars says a well-made, properly humidified cigar with a smooth draw makes rings easier |
Smoke ring etiquette
Cigar Press advises against blowing rings constantly, especially in a smoking lounge, and against announcing them with “hey, watch this.” Now and then is plenty, pointed away from other guests. For the rest of the basics, see how to hold a cigar, retrohale and ash it.
A little history
The most famous rings in America were not blown by a smoker. Wikipedia notes that Douglas Leigh’s Camel cigarettes billboard on the Hotel Claridge in Times Square puffed steam rings from an automated steam chamber every four seconds, and stayed a Times Square landmark for years. The physics behind rings caught the attention of scientists, too: Lord Kelvin’s 1867 paper “On Vortex Atoms” is among the works the article cites.
Where to practice
Any still room works. If you are in Yuma, the lounge at Sun of a Gun Cigars & Spirits, 1651 S Arizona Ave, is indoors with a walk-in humidor to pick from. New to cigars altogether? Start with how to smoke a cigar, how to light one and our best cigars for beginners. Keep practice cigars at the right humidity with Boveda packs, or browse premium cigars.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you blow smoke rings with a cigar?
Draw a mouthful of smoke and hold it in your mouth without inhaling. Shape your lips into an O, then push the smoke out in one short, gentle burst with your tongue, your throat or a quick snap of the jaw. Holt’s, Cigar Press and After Action Cigars all describe it as a push rather than a blow.
Do you have to inhale to blow smoke rings?
No. Holt’s says to draw the smoke no farther than the base of your tongue and warns against inhaling, and Paykoc Pipes says you do not need to inhale; keep the smoke in your mouth and block your throat with your tongue if it slips down.
Why won’t my smoke rings form?
The usual causes are blowing too hard, a loose or changing mouth shape, too little smoke, tension and moving air. After Action Cigars lists too much pressure, a loose lip shape, too little smoke, tensing up and a dry or poorly made cigar; Cigar Press adds that even a gentle breeze breaks up a ring.
What is the easiest way to blow a smoke ring?
Most guides start with the tongue push: hold the smoke, make an O, and push the smoke out with short, gentle bursts of the tongue. Cigar Press describes the tongue as a piston and says to aim for a tap-tap rather than a rocket launch.
Is it easier to blow smoke rings with a cigar or a pipe?
Paykoc Pipes says cigars and hookahs are easier than pipes because of the amount of smoke and the way you smoke them. Cigar Press and After Action Cigars both say thick smoke holds a ring better than thin, wispy smoke.
What makes a smoke ring hold its shape?
A smoke ring is a vortex ring. When a puff is pushed suddenly into still air through a narrow opening, the outer edge is slowed by the surrounding air and the edges of the opening, which sets the puff rolling around itself. The smoke only makes the ring visible, and any moving air disrupts it.
How long does it take to learn to blow smoke rings?
Expect hours of practice rather than minutes. Paykoc Pipes says to expect hours of focused effort, and Cigar Press says early attempts will likely look like wobbly squiggles.
Is it rude to blow smoke rings in a cigar lounge?
Not in itself, but Cigar Press advises against blowing them constantly, especially in a smoking lounge, and against announcing it. Do it now and then, away from other guests’ faces.
Sources:
- Holt’s Clubhouse, smoke ring technique (holts.com/clubhouse)
- Cigar Press, “Mastering The Cigar Art Of Blowing Smoke Rings”
- After Action Cigars, “How to Blow Smoke Rings with a Cigar”
- Paykoc Pipes, “How to Blow Smoke Rings With Your Tobacco Pipe”
- Wikipedia, “Smoke ring”
