AMONG THE SCENTS that surround you the next time you head out for a fine dinner, you're likely to distinguish the aromatic bouquet of a fine red wine, the musty odor of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, the tantalizing smell of rare roast beef, the sweet spice a fresh apple tart - and perhaps even the pungent whiff of a fine cigar.

Once the province of pool halls and political powwows, stogies have moved uptown. Now they show up in all the best places. Top-drawer clubs and charitable organizations have found that formal smokers draw crowds and provide a new way to raise money for worthy causes. Women as well as men are partaking in the ritual that involves selecting and smoking fine cigars following a good meal. And 20somethings are as likely to be smoking cigars as their elders.

Historically, cigar smoking hit its peak in the period just before and after World War II, said Gerard Ezvan, who owns Jon's Pipe Shop, 24 North Central Avenue in Clayton. Then interest dwindled, bottoming out in the early 1970s. "The real craze started three or four years ago," Ezvan said. According to national figures, he added, cigar sales have risen 30 percent to 35 percent each year for the past two years.

Ezvan is unsure what has made cigar smoking so popular. He suspects that part of the reason is a little rebellion on the part of people who have been told for years what not to do. Another may be the Hollywood image that associates cigar smoking with success.