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L4P ARTICLE™ Cigar 101 - Cutting and Lighting

26K views 76 replies 43 participants last post by  sofresh 
#1 · (Edited)


How to properly cut and light a cigar?

By: Jason P. Lasher (JLasher22443)

A fine cigar is something that should be enjoyed and never rushed. Smoking a great hand-made cigar or even a factory rolled cigar is more of an honor and a great opportunity to taste and experience what an artist has done with a simple plant. Tobacconists have been putting together fine cigars for kings and queens for centuries. Most consider these cigars pure and effortless masterpieces. I tend to agree.

So here are a few tips on how not to ruin a masterpiece. Even though you may think it is just about biting off the end and spitting it out on the floor. Then taking out your trusty BIC lighter and begin puffing away like in the old westerns you watched as a kid, it is just a bit more complex then that.


Cutting a cigar
The vast majority of cigars on the market today come with one end that is capped, and this is the end one should always cut. Everyone has their own ideas on what is the best way to enjoy a good cigar. I have heard and read so many things along the way to finding that perfect cigar and have tried most all of them. Here is how I prep my cigars for cutting.

Some say that a cigar should be treated with the utmost respect; enjoying the flavor and body in this gift we call a cigar.

So first I like to take a smell of the cigar that I have just purchased. Yes please purchase first before sniffing. Because no one wants a cigar that someone has had their nose all over, sniffing away, and then just placing it back ever so nicely in its original box.

Next, I like to roll the cigar lightly between my fingers to feel and hear how tight the cigar has been rolled and how well it has been kept. Again, do this gently so you don’t break the cigar.
After getting a feel and a sniff; I like to taste the cigar before lighting it. This helps in achieving all of the flavors that nature and the tobacconist have provided for your enjoyment. I normally taste the cigar for about a minute or so before I cut it. By doing this you are taking in the aromas and natural flavors of a cigar before a flame has changed it.

Now for the cut; and how to find the exact place to make the precise and accurate cut.

There are many different ways of cutting the end of your cigar. You can cut a V in the end, (called Notching or wedge cutting) punch a hole into it with a lance cutter (or called a bullet). But I prefer guillotine cutters which make a cut all the way across the end of the cigar.

First thing you must do before you cut is take a look at the end of the cigar and look for the cap or flag leaf that closes the cigar. This is at the end of the cigar that is pointed or rounded and is called the head of the cigar.

You will notice a fine line running around the end of the cigar about a quarter of an inch or so down the shaft of the cigar; that is the cap leaf. While leaving some of the cap glued around the end of the cigar to keep the filler leaves together; cut about a sixteenth of an inch off the end of the cigar. This is normally right at the point where the cigar is about to become straight and the round or point end of the cigar ends. Make a swift and brute forced action to make a one time cut.

Once you have made the cut do not try and change what you have done. Trust your judgment and leave it alone. By trying to make another cut you could take the whole cap off of the cigar and this can lead to unraveling of the wrapper. Normally I always get a few small pieces of tobacco in my mouth and this is where you can spit now. Just don’t spit at anyone near you. The cigar is now prepared for lighting.



Lighting your Cigar
This too is a touchy subject. I have heard many ways and again have tried most of them. Lighting a cigar can be a very important part in enjoying a great cigar. So when your buddy breaks out his Zippo with a 2 inch flame shooting out of the end; kindly say, “No thank you”. Here is my opinion on the best way to light a fine cigar.

Some say the best way to light a cigar is with a cedar strip known as a spill. By doing this, this will not add any unsavory flavors to the tobacco with fuels from some types of lighters and sulfur matches. This is by far the best way to light a cigar.

If you are one that does not want to carry around cedar strips all the time then a cigar lighter is the next best thing. A cigar lighter is a lighter that uses odorless fuel (butane) and has a wider flame then your average BIC lighters. Using these is the most common way people light there cigars. So go out and get yourself a nice cigar lighter if this hobby of cigar smoking is something you are going to continue with. Choosing a lighter is a personal preference and you should get what best suits your style, so shop around.

However, if you must use matches then let the sulfur on the matches’ burn off before using them on the cigar. Also it is best to use wooden matches instead of the free pack you picked up at the local convenient store.


Once you have your cigar cut and you are ready to light, you then roast the uncut end of the cigar. When I say roast, this is when you take the flame and cook the end of the cigar and make sure to do this evenly. Rotate the cigar as you are burning in the end to be sure and get the entire end. After getting a good ring of ash around the tip of the cigar it is now time to take your first draw of the cigar.

Place the unlit end in your mouth; yes the unlit end, not the end that will burn your lips and ruin the experience.

When taking your first puff it has been said that the first puff should be blown back through the cigar to ensure you do not toke any impurities or unsavory flavors through the cigar. Do this only once if you choose to do so and only once. You should never do more then one outward puff.

Now sit back and appreciate your cigar.


By: Jason P. Lasher (JLasher22443)

 
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#4 ·
I dont use a cutter anymore I go old skool and use my thumb and index nail or I bite it off...I used every kind of cutter Davidoff Scissors, Zino, Xikar etc etc all good but I cant be bothered...However I NEVER use anything but a lighter or wood matches
 
#12 ·
Does anyone know how long a cigar can last before it needs a humidor? And how does lack of a humidor effects the quality of a cigar? Is there other options?
 
#13 ·
How long a cigar can last outside the humidor depends on what the cigar is stored in. A "naked" cigar with no packaging or storage environment whatsoever will last less than a day before it starts to lose the essential oils in the tobacco that provide the depth of taste. A cigar that comes in a plastic wrapper will last a couple more days before it starts to notably degrade from a taste standpoint. Cigars in a ziplock bag will go for upwards of a week without much degradation in flavor (though if you're sensitive to plastic, you may notice some transfer from the bag). Cigars that come in glass or metal tubes will last significantly longer, especially if the tubes remain unopen as they came from the factory.

The primary issue with not storing a cigar properly is that the cigar dries out and essential oils in the tobacco evaporate. Even with rehydration (a process that will take some time when done properly), the cigar never fully recovers the taste and flavor it would have had if kept moist all along. Also, the "draw" (the amount of smoke inhaled) can be adversely affected when a cigar dries out then is rehydrated. A well made cigar that has good draw can turn into a poor tasting piece of garbage if you're essentially trying to "suck the chrome off of the trailer hitch" every time you take a puff.

If you don't invest in a humidor (or don't invest the time needed to maintain your humidor), you do have a couple of options:

1) Buy tubos. Cigars in unopened tubes will last for some time if kept in a cool environment away from sunlight.
2) There are bags being sold now that come with a packet to provide the proper moisture/humidity to keep cigars fresh for upwards of 6 months. You put the cigars in the bag, deploy the packet, then seal up the bag.
 
#14 ·
Some of you cigar experts gotta help me because my dad wont. My dad has a HUGE collection but everything in it is STRONG and I dont really like them. I know this will be like a slap in the face to the cigar guys but I really enjoy smoking black and milds. They have a ever mild taste and I like sweet cigars as well but I am not sure exactly what. Can anyone let me know what I should try out..........
 
#15 ·
Great Article.

Jason:



:lol:
 
#17 ·
I'll bring back some goods back from the Bahamas, we will enjoy them in CO
 
#24 ·
Thanks everyone for the kind words. Thanks for reading!

Fusionstorm that was a great post and great quality.

Jason, give Acid Cigars a try. They are one of the best cigars on the market for flavored cigars. In my opinion they are the best.
Look for the Acid Kuba-Kuba or any of their Natural Line; in particular The Dirt.
Check out the Coffee infused flavored cigar by them as well. The name is Jabak Especial *****. It is new and is quickly becoming a favorite of mine.
 
#25 ·
Mild. I would go with the Zino Platinum Crown Series. Great construcation, always a great draw. Mild too. It is on the expensive side.

Also, for a mild smoke, less expensive is the AVO XO Intermezzo (Orange Tubes). Good smokes.

Let me know what you think. Like to get your opinion.
 
#31 ·
Allen I agree with you on the traditional cigar and that is what I prefer now over all. But as a cigar lover I am one to give anything a try. I'm not one to be a cigar Nazi and just smoke Cubans or Dominicans, not that there is anything wrong with that. But I like to search for new things and try cigars that may interest my pallet. You never know what diamond in the rough may be lurking around; it may be a flavored cigar.

So Jason, please give the Acid cigar a try and don't just stop at the first one you don't like. When you find a dealer, buy a few and ask him what he suggests. Most people who work in Cigar Stores really love cigars and they will steer you in the right direction.

Here is the site for that brand I am suggesting.

Drew Estate Cigars: The Rebirth of Cigars - the home of Acid, Natural, Chateau Real, La Vieja Habana, and Liga Privada Cigars
 
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