|The Art of Cutting & Lighting Your Cigar |

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Cutting and lighting your cigar is an art that will maximize enjoyment of our chosen smoke. Every cigar is made from three components; filler, binder and a wrapper leaf that is sealed at the cigar’s head with a cap made from a piece of wrapper leaf.

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To cut a cigar, you need to remove most of this cap with a single slicing movement across the shoulders of the cigar. Cutting is a personal choice, but a guillotine cutter or special scissors are best suited to the task. This allows more air to flow and provides the full range of flavor to the smoker. The bottom section of the cap should remain, as it secures the wrapper leaf and, therefore, the contents of your chosen cigar. Some smokers, use other methods such as a cigar "punch", piercing the end of a cigar with a match to prepare it for smoking, but many cigar experts discounted from doing this, as it causes poor draw and for last "V"-cutter, so named for the shape of hole it leaves in the top of the cigar. A few people, though, still bite off the top of their cigars. Your pick!

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Once cut, now you’re ready to light up… but this is not like lighting a cigarette.

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Lighting a cigar is a process that requires more time and attention. The thicker the cigar, the longer it will take, because you must be sure to light the entire end to avoid uneven burning. It is said that petrol lighters should be avoided because their aromas interfere with that of the tobacco. Purists insist on not having the flame actually touch the cigar, whether from a match or a lighter. Some require the more romantic step of using a lit cedar strip to light their cigars. The best flames are generated from odorless flames of wooden matches where you should let the head burn off first and the use of butane lighters.

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First char the end of your cigar to increase the chance of its even ignition. Once glowing, gently blow on it to make sure that it is burning evenly. Maintain the cigar rotating in your fingers while drawing the flame onto the cigar.

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Now it’s time to kick back, enjoy your smoke and relax!

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Did your cigar go out before you finished it? It is common for a cigar to go out before you finish enjoying it! But do not worry, it is easy to relight the burn without even putting the cigar to your mouth. Clear the ash from the foot of the cigar and then heat it in a flame.