A cigar asks for about an hour of your time. Almost everything that goes wrong in that hour is decided in the first ninety seconds, at the cut and the light. Get those right and the rest takes care of itself.
Reading the cigar first
Before you cut anything, roll the cigar gently between your fingers. It should feel firm and even, with a slight give. Hard spots mean it will draw tightly. Soft spots mean it may burn unevenly. The wrapper should look smooth and lightly oily, not dry or cracked.
The closed end you cut is the cap. The open end you light is the foot.
How to cut a cigar
The purpose of the cut is to open an airway, nothing more. Cut too little and the cigar is tight. Cut too much and the wrapper unravels in your hand.
Find the shoulder. Look for the faint line where the rounded cap meets the straight body of the cigar. That line is your limit. Stay just above it, taking roughly two to three millimetres off the top.
Cut decisively. Rest the blade, then close it in one quick motion. A slow squeeze crushes and tears rather than slicing.
There are three main tools:
The straight cutter, also called a guillotine, removes the top of the cap and gives an open, generous draw. A double-blade cutter is better than a single, because it cuts from both sides at once and will not push the cigar sideways. This is the tool most smokers use and the one to start with.
The punch bores a small circle into the cap, leaving the rest intact. It gives a tighter, more concentrated draw and keeps the cigar’s shape. It works well on thicker ring gauges and poorly on tapered ones.
The V-cut, or cat’s eye, presses a wedge into the cap. It opens more surface than a punch while leaving the cap mostly intact, which many smokers find is the best of both.
If you have nothing at all, a clean thumbnail pressed through the cap will do. A kitchen knife or your teeth will not, and both ruin the wrapper.
How to light a cigar
Lighting is slower than people expect. Rushing it is the single most common beginner mistake.
Use the right flame. A butane torch lighter, a soft butane flame or a long cedar match. Never a petrol lighter or a candle, because the fuel taints the cigar with a chemical taste you cannot get rid of.
Toast the foot. Hold the cigar at an angle, keep the flame just below the foot without touching it, and rotate slowly. You are warming and drying the leaf, not burning it. Watch for the edge to glow and a thin wisp of smoke to rise. This takes fifteen to thirty seconds.
Draw and finish. Bring the cigar to your lips, hold the flame near the foot and draw gently while rotating. Two or three draws should do it.
Check your work. Blow gently across the lit foot. It should glow evenly across the whole circle. If part of it is dark, touch that section with the flame again. An uneven light will tunnel or canoe for the rest of the smoke.
How to smoke
Do not inhale. Cigar smoke is meant for the mouth, not the lungs. Draw the smoke in, hold it a moment, let it roll across your palate, then release. The flavour is in the mouth and in the retrohale, where you push a little smoke gently out through your nose.
Slow down. A puff every minute or so is right. Smoking faster overheats the tobacco, which turns the flavour bitter and harsh. If the cigar feels hot to the touch, set it down for two minutes.
Let the ash build. A good ash will often hold at about an inch, and it helps keep the burning end at a steady temperature. Do not tap it like a cigarette. Rest it against the ashtray and let it fall when it is ready.
Relight with care. If a cigar goes out within a few minutes, tap off the ash and relight as normal. If it has been out for more than an hour or two, the flavour will have turned and it is better to start fresh.
Know when to stop. There is no rule that you must finish. Many smokers stop when it gets too warm to hold comfortably, usually around the last inch or two. When you are done, simply set it down and let it go out on its own. Stubbing a cigar out releases a sharp smell that lingers.
Storage and humidity
Tobacco is organic and it responds to the air around it. Too dry and it burns hot and tastes harsh. Too humid and it will not draw well and may develop mould.
The usual target is 65 to 70 percent relative humidity at around 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, about 18 to 21 degrees Celsius. That range keeps the leaf supple and the oils intact.
A humidor is the proper solution, seasoned before first use and fitted with a humidification device and a hygrometer. Spanish cedar lining is the standard, because it holds humidity well and adds a pleasant aroma.
Two-way humidity packs in a sealed container work genuinely well as a starting point, and for a box you will finish within a few months they are perfectly adequate.
Keep cigars away from direct sunlight, heat and the refrigerator. A fridge is dry and full of competing odours, and it will ruin them.
Cigars kept properly do not simply survive. They improve. The flavours marry and soften over months and years, which is why aged cigars are prized.
The mistakes worth avoiding
Cutting past the shoulder, which unravels the wrapper.
Lighting with the wrong fuel, which spoils the flavour from the first draw.
Smoking too fast, which is the leading cause of a bitter cigar.
Inhaling, which is unpleasant and unnecessary.
Removing the band too early. The band is glued, and the wrapper beneath is fragile. Wait until you are an inch or so in, when the warmth has loosened the glue, then slide it off gently.
Storing them loose in a drawer, where they dry out quickly.
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly do I cut a cigar?
Just above the shoulder, the line where the rounded cap meets the body. Take off two to three millimetres.
Do you inhale cigar smoke?
No. Cigar smoke stays in the mouth. Flavour comes from the palate and from the retrohale.
How long does a cigar take to smoke?
Between forty-five minutes and two hours, depending on size. A robusto typically runs about an hour.
Can you relight a cigar?
Yes, within a couple of hours. Tap off the ash first and toast the foot again before drawing.
Do I need a humidor?
Not immediately. A sealed container with a two-way humidity pack will keep cigars in good condition for several months.
Why does my cigar burn unevenly?
Usually an uneven light. Touch up the lagging side with a flame and it will often correct itself.
It starts with a clean cut
A proper cut is the foundation of everything that follows, which is why we give one away. Claim a personalized Baron of HAVANA cutter, engraved with your name, and put the first step of the ritual permanently in your pocket.
