Tag: How to light a cigar

When you purchase a cigar, there are two ends – the foot and the head. The foot is the end with no cap this is the end that you light. Unlike lighting up cigarettes or candles, lighting a cigar requires more thought and patience. The true etiquette is to burn the cigar in a flame, not light and draw on the cigar in your mouth as you would do with a cigarette. This is also the case when lighting cigars for others, it is always recommended to burn and light your own cigar, not light someone else’s.

To begin your smoking experience, you need to use a match or a butane jet lighter. Under no circumstances should you use a petrol fuelled Zippo lighter as it will destroy the cigar flavours instantly.

BUTANE LIGHTER – The Butane Lighter, also known as ‘Torch lighter’, is a common choice by cigar aficionados due to its ease-of-use. It releases a medium-to-strong flame, and as soon as it touches the cigar, the butane dissipates and creates a clean odourless burn.

MATCHSTICKS – matchsticks are another elegant method of lighting your cigar. It is the natural option that requires finesse and momentum to ignite the cigar. Cigar matches are a great option for indoor occasions; such as cigar lounges.

To light the cigar and ensure an even burn, it is essential to toast the edges of the foot, this will help ignite the outer layers (binder and the wrapper). Hold the cigar at a 45-degree angle and a few inches from the flame. Rotate the cigar in the flame until it is lit, and you see an even orange glow. If this doesn’t work straight away, keep rotating the cigar between your fingers and thumb to get an evenly lit cigar. If this is not done correctly, it will affect the burn time and burning of the cigar and therefore compromise the enjoyment of your cigar. Lighting the cigar too closely can also ruin the flavours of the cigar as it gets too hot. Once the cigar is evenly lit, it is time to take your first draw. Release the draw slowly, taking long puffs of smoke – let the surge of flame shoot up from the foot of the cigar to a puff of smoke coming from your mouth. If you take short, quick puffs of smoke, it heats up the tobacco too quickly which could destroy the flavour of the cigar. Tip-over the cigar and examine the foot, checking that there is an even burn – if not – touch it up with your lighter until satisfied.

Congratulations! You have finally lit your cigar and you can now sit back, relax and savour the gorgeous, curated tobacco. Savour the notes, the flavours and the experience.

Remember, you cannot go wrong when taking the time to light the cigar until all the edges are lit.

All cigar lighters and hand rolled cigars are available to buy at www.cigarnights.co.uk