They're not for everyone, and certainly not for men too young for adult stimulants generally, but I enjoy a cigar a couple times each week. The other night was one of those times, a warm night for sitting on a balcony overlooking San Francisco with my wife, talking, drinking Russian vodka and, in my case, smoking.
Part of the pleasure a man gets from smoking comes from the ritual of lighting the things, which takes a couple of minutes if it's done correctly. That ritual begins with a cutter. A guillotine cutter makes a slice across the head of the cigar just above the cap line to disperse the smoke and minimize the potential for bite.
Once cut, the cigar is lit, preferably with an odorless butane lighter. It can be lit with matches but that's a more cumbersome process. Either way, the cigar is held in the hand at a 90 degree angle above the flame, and rotated until all parts of the foot are evenly charred.
Then the cigar is placed between the lips and puffed, with the flame still under the foot, until the flames jump up. At that point, the ritual is complete and the smoking begins.
And that's how a cigar is properly lit. Have a great holiday weekend.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Lifestyle: Lighting a Cigar
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9 comments:
I shall have one tonight in your honor. And, Sunday. Probably, Monday, too.
I also find long fireplace matches work quite well. I can usually get the cigar lit with only one before burning my fingers.
That is an interesting cutter, Will. Does it fold up to that shape, or can I just not make out how the contraption works from the picture? It doesn't appear there is a spot to slide the blade out from.
The gold plated piece slides up taking the blade with it.
Do you remove the label of your cigar before somoking it? There was some dispute over this topic recently in the LL.
marcelo
Actually, the correct way to light a cigar is to use one of the extra pieces of wood that comes in the box. ight that with a match or lighter, and apply to cigar.
That way you avoid any butane or match flavoring
Will,
An added preliminary, in my experience, taught me by my cigar expert friend: prior to lighting the edged of the cigar at a 90 degree angle, rotated for evenness, he simply holds the end of the cigar upright above the flame to gently toast the tobacco at the end. It makes a difference, and enables me to fully light the cigar with one match.
When I have the time and patience, I enjoy lighting my cigar with a piece of cedar.
Marceloeva - cigar bands were originally used to protect one's white gloves from staining. I look at removal of the bands as a personal preference.
When I have the time and patience, I enjoy using a piece of cedar.
I will say I haven't been able to tell the difference between lighting a cigar with a match, lighter, cedar or gas oven for that matter. My palate is not that sensitive, apparently. I have been able to tell a difference in lighting the cigar for too long, thus causing it to burn hotter from the outset. I, usually, pull off this little feat with a shorter cigar, my preferred churchill's take quite the beating and don't give me that problem.
Why are cigars still so popular when the wonderful world of pipes and pipe tobacco seem to be forgotten? If you like the occasional smoke, please do yourself a favor and try a pipe!
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