Is there any one “only proper way” to light a cigar? Absolutely not – cigar smoking is a subjective art. There are no “only proper ways” carved in stone and sent down by the Cigar Gods – no matter what anybody tells you.
But there are techniques and tips that can put you on the road to an enjoyable smoke. So let’s look at these secrets to a perfect cigar light:
(1) Choose the right lighting tool. If you’re outside on a windy day, no matter how elegant they may seem, wood matches are a recipe for frustration. But at your cigar lounge, they may be the perfect solution.
(2) We have two goals in lighting a cigar – first, we want to get it lit without introducing foreign odors into the airstream. Butane lighters (hard flame, but not original non-butane Zippo types) use highly purified butane gas which has no odor. For that reason, I’m okay holding a butane torch to the foot and puffing away, but it’s better to use the technique in the video which doesn’t require puffing.
(3) The technique in the video isn’t the end all/be all, but it’s generally a really good method for lighting a cigar while introducing very few if any foreign odors into the airstream. I also find that the first inch or so, this method creates a smoother burn with much less chance of canoeing.
Here is the method I recommend:
(a) Use matches or lighter, whichever your preference. Start by toasting the end while rotating the cigar in your fingers. This helps get an even toast across the entire foot.
(b) Check your progress, look for any spots not toasted and keep toasting until the foot is covered. Then blow gently across the foot to encourage combustion – it helps if you can look for an orange glow all over the foot, but that’s not easy on a sunny day.
(c) Now try puffing. If you’re not getting enough smoke, repeat the toasting/rotating/blowing process as needed to get ‘er lit up. It probably will take 2-3 repeats of the process to complete the light.
