|
Smoking
your Cigar
 |
igar can provide
a great deal of enjoyment, and it should not be rushed. Allow
yourself time to appreciate the whole experience, from choosing
and cutting to
lighting and smoking.
The pleasurable ritual of smoking a cigar begins with cutting it.
Most modern experts
agree that the best way to cut the head of your cigar is with a
guillotine-type cutter.
Never use your teeth, a knife, or your fingernail. The cut should
be careful, clean, and
crisp, without any damage to the cap.
When your light a cigar you can use a butane lighter or a wood match.
There are
also special long slow-burning matches designed for cigar smokers
available. A
properly lit cigar is always more enjoyable than one that isn't,
so take it easy when
you light one.
Older well-matured cigars burn more easily than younger ones. To
get the best of
them, cigars should be smoked slowly. They should not to be dragged
on or
puffed too frequently. This will lead to overheating and spoil the
flavor.
If your cigar goes out, don't worry: this is quite normal, particularly
if you have
already smoked half of it. Tap the cigar to remove any clinging
ash. Then blow
through the cigar to clear any stale smoke. Re-light as you would
a new cigar.
There are two things that should not be done: first, don't roll
a cigar near your ear.
It tells you nothing at all about a cigar; second, you should never
warm the length
of the cigar before smoking it.
Smoking tips
|
Pick the color
wrapper you prefer, dark or light. Pinch the cigar to see if
it's too moist or too dry. Inspect the wrapper for a minimum
amount of leaf veins and them make sure there are no cracks
in the wrapper. While some people advocate smelling the cigar,
others find it distasteful when they see someone in the local
tobacco shop sniff a cigar and then put it back in the box.
|
|
Many feel
that using a guillotine type cigar cutter or cigar scissors
is the most effective way to cut a premium cigar. Be careful
to not cut past the cap of the cigar. While some smokers use
a "V" cutter or circular blade to cut the head, larger
cigars will taste harsh because the smaller hole will concentrate
the smoke of the draw. |
The foot,
or the tip, of the cigar should be started by using a wooden
match or a quality butane lighter. Avoid candles, paper matches
and lighters that use lighter fluid (naphtha) because the chemicals
and odors in each can affect the taste of the tobacco. When
using a match, wait till the sulfur burns off before lighting
the cigar. Start lighting the cigar by holding it at a 45-degree
angle over the flame while not drawing in, toasting the foot
of the cigar.
Try not to
allow the flame to touch the cigar. After the cigar has started
to burn, slowly draw from the head and rotate the cigar to get
an even burn on the foot, again never letting the flame actually
touch the cigar. Slowly spinning the cigar will help establish
an even burn. Take
a look at the foot and make sure the cigar is burning evenly.
If the burn is really uneven, toast the appropriate side to
even the burn.
If it is
a bit uneven, gently blow on the end in the appropriate place
to intensify the heat there, and wait a minute before
continuing
to puff. The short delay will allow the cigar a chance to stabilize
and correct the burn.
Most premium cigars using premium fillers will hold a very long
ash before it falls off. The foot will come to a point when
the ash is gently tapped off. Better tobacco will have a whiter
ash than the gray ash of lower grade tobacco. |
|
