Guide
How to cut and light a cigar properly
6 min read
Most problems with a cigar, a tight draw, a bitter start or an uneven burn, begin in the first two minutes. A clean cut and a patient light fix nearly all of them. Here is how to do both.
Choosing a cut
| Cut | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Straight (guillotine) | Removes the tip of the cap in a flat cut; the widest opening | Almost any cigar, including torpedoes and other figurados |
| V-cut | Cuts a wedge across the cap; deeper opening, smoke on the tongue | Rounded heads of medium and large ring gauges |
| Punch | Bores a round hole in the cap; the cap stays intact | Rounded heads of about 44 ring and up; not pointed figurados |
Straight (guillotine)
- What it does
- Removes the tip of the cap in a flat cut; the widest opening
- Best for
- Almost any cigar, including torpedoes and other figurados
V-cut
- What it does
- Cuts a wedge across the cap; deeper opening, smoke on the tongue
- Best for
- Rounded heads of medium and large ring gauges
Punch
- What it does
- Bores a round hole in the cap; the cap stays intact
- Best for
- Rounded heads of about 44 ring and up; not pointed figurados
Use a sharp cutter: a dull blade crushes the head and tears the wrapper. A double-blade guillotine cuts from both sides and is the most forgiving.
How much to cut
- Rounded heads: cut just above the line where the cap meets the body, usually 1–2 mm. Cutting below the cap line lets the wrapper unravel.
- Torpedoes and belicosos: start with 3–5 mm off the tip. If the draw is tight, take off a little more; you can always cut more, never less.
- Test the draw before lighting (the cold draw). It should feel like drawing through a straw with slight resistance.
What to light it with
- Butane torch or soft-flame butane lighter: clean and reliable; a torch also works outdoors.
- Cedar spills or wooden matches: traditional and pleasant. Let the match head burn off before you bring it to the cigar.
- Avoid petrol lighters and candles: their fuel and wax change the taste.
Toast, then light
- Toast the foot. Hold the cigar at about 45° just above the flame, not in it, and rotate it until the whole foot glows evenly at the edge. This takes 20–40 seconds.
- Light it. Put the cigar in your mouth and draw gently while rotating it over the flame, until the whole foot is burning.
- Check the ember. Look at the foot: it should be an even ring. Blow gently on any dark spots to bring them up.
- Clear the first smoke. One soft blow out through the cigar clears the lighter fumes from the first draw.
Keeping it burning well
- Pace: one draw every 45–60 seconds keeps the burn cool and the flavor clean.
- Uneven burn (canoeing): rotate the cigar so the slow side faces down, or touch it up briefly with the flame.
- It went out: knock off loose ash, blow gently through it to purge stale smoke, toast the foot again and relight. A cigar left out for more than half an hour usually tastes stale after a relight.
- Ash: let it fall naturally, usually after 2–3 cm. A firm ash is a sign of good construction.
- Finishing: do not stub it out. Lay it in the ashtray and it goes out by itself, without the smell of a crushed cigar.
Then pay attention to it
With a good cut and an even light, the first third shows the cigar as it was meant to taste. How to taste a cigar in thirds explains what to notice next, and aficio's smoke ritual lets you note draw, burn and flavors as you go.
Questions
- How much of a cigar should you cut off?
- Just the tip of the cap, about 1–2 mm on a rounded head, staying above the line where the cap meets the wrapper. On a torpedo start with 3–5 mm and cut more only if the draw is tight.
- Can you light a cigar with a Zippo?
- It is better not to: the petrol fuel can taste on the first draws. Use butane, cedar or a wooden match instead.
- Should you relight a cigar that went out?
- Yes, if it went out within a few minutes. Purge it with a gentle blow, toast the foot and relight. After a long break the taste is usually stale.