How to light a premium cigar
Those of you who have been in the world of cigars for a long time know that everything within it requires a certain amount of time and symbolism, a whole ritual to ‘give life to the cigar’.
Some time ago we told you about the importance of caring for tobacco with a good humidor and how to correctly cut a cigar and the different utensils that we can use , essential points to enjoy our partner to the fullest. Well, the cut of our cigar is as important as its lighting, if we do not light our cigar well we can destroy its wrapper, introduce unpleasant flavors or cause it to burn unevenly.
Before starting to talk about the different options of lighting tools that we can use, a point of discussion always arises among cigar lovers: cut before or after lighting? Many books and experts recommend that we light up before cutting, but from here we are going to recommend that you do what you like the most. We sincerely believe that if we light the premium cigar well there will be practically no difference in flavors and enjoyment, regardless of when we make the cut. Decide for yourself.
Let’s get down to business, the first thing we must assume is that the ignition will take time, it will not be instantaneous; we are working with something alive, something that needs to be pampered, which requires time and patience.
A second important point will be our source of heat, the thing that gives us fire. Here are many possibilities. From a simple match to a luxury lighter and thousands of euros. But we are going to divide them into two groups. Those that we never use and those that are valid for our purpose.
- Never use: Those means that can affect our tobacco in flavor and/or aroma. Gasoline lighters, candles, aromatic wood, and matches that contain phosphorus. Will kill our best cigar by completely changing its flavor.
- Valid methods: Any ‘harmless’ means for our premium cigar. Gas lighters, sulfur or paraffin matches, cedar wood…
There are specific products for cigars, such as ‘torch’ lighters (blue flame and windproof), which can have one or more flames. Here we recommend that you invest in a good lighter. Preferably with several flames, since it will accompany you for a long time. And you do not want it to fail you over and over again.
Purists will say that the premium cigar must be lit with a piece of cedar. Which in turn must be lit with a match. Here it is already a matter of taste, but it is not easy to have this equipment anywhere. And everywhere, and it is easy to carry a lighter in our day to day.
Once we have seen the first two points, time and equipment, let’s see the methodology. With a torch lighter, we will begin by heating our cigar. For which we will place our tobacco at a right angle to the flame. Forming an angle of about 110 degrees) without it coming into contact. With the leaves at any time. it must be very close to the cigarette but without coming into contact with it.
We will gradually turn our tobacco on itself so that it heats up. Thus, it ignites evenly (we will see how an ember is create on the edges of the cigar). From time to time we will turn it towards us to blow on the mouth of the cigar. And see if a golden crown of embers create. At which point our tobacco tells us that it is ready to be smoked.
In the case of matches and cedar wood, the process is identical but this time the flame will (slightly) come into contact with the cigar.
Now we only have to enjoy our passion. But there are times when our cigar goes out or does not burn perfectly.
We will remove as much ash as possible and repeat the lighting ritual.
AUTHOR: DAVID A. BLASCO DELGADO