Posted on 1/9/2008 at 11:29:33 AM
The most important thing in lighting a cigar is that it is lit evenly. Many cigar smokers will debate for hours about the romantic ritual of lighting a cigar; flame not touching the cigar, flame touching the cigar, toasting versus no toasting. Basically, any method you prefer is probably fine provided your cigar gets lit “evenly”. When you first start, you may want to toast your cigar a bit, whether it is with a match or lighter. This will sometimes make it easier for the filler on bigger ring gauge cigars to light more evenly. Next, gently puff on your cigar while you hold the flame to the end of the cigar. Be sure to rotate the cigar so the whole end gets lit properly. Next, look at the end. Is it lit all the way around? If not, hold the flame to the parts not lit and puff a few more times. In regards to the flame touching or not touching the cigar, it really is a personal preference. If you think it leaves more of a charred taste when the flame touches, then switch to the no-touch method. If the flame touching the cigar doesn’t bother you and it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference, stick with it. Just remember, the hottest part of any flame is right above where you can visually see the actual flame. And remember, the key to lighting a cigar properly is to make sure it’s lit evenly!
Cigars HQ
