So, you’ve picked out your first cigar—maybe from the suggestions in last week’s article—and now it’s time to enjoy it. But before you dive into your cigar-smoking experience, there are a few key steps to master. Cutting, lighting, and smoking a cigar can be intimidating if you’ve never done it before, but it doesn’t have to be. In this guide, I’ll walk you through each step so you can enjoy your first cigar like a seasoned aficionado.
Cutting Your Cigar: The Right Way
Before you light up, you need to prepare your cigar by cutting the cap (the closed end you’ll be smoking from). A poor cut can ruin the entire experience—cutting too little will make for a tight draw, while cutting too much might cause the cigar to unravel. If you think of the cap as the head of the cigar, you just want to give it a little "haircut," leaving some of the curved section of the shoulder intact. And here’s a quick etiquette tip: never use a communal cutter if the cigar has already been in your mouth. It’s like double-dipping, like putting your whole mouth on the cutter!
Now, let’s talk about the most common types of cuts and how to make them on both straight (parejo) cigars and those with a tapered end.
Straight Cut (Guillotine Cut)
How to Do It (Straight Cigar): Place the guillotine cutter around the head of the cigar and aim to cut just above the cap line, removing about 1/8th of an inch. If you can’t see the cap line, just remember to leave some of the curve on the cigar body.
How to Do It (Tapered Cigar): Tapered cigars need a bit more care—cut off only a small portion of the tapered tip at first. You can always cut more if the draw is too tight. I’ve heard two ideal versions for a straight cut on a tapered cigar. I generally try to go halfway between the tip and where the taper ends. Manuel Quesada suggests cutting it as close to the full width as possible. You’ll find your ideal cut over time.
Good For: A straight cut allows for the most free and unrestricted airflow, making it a popular choice for all cigar shapes and sizes.
V-Cut
How to Do It (Straight Cigar): Place the head of the cigar in the V-cutter and press firmly to create a clean v-shaped wedge.
How to Do It (Tapered Cigar): For tapered cigars, it is most common to use a guillotine cut. However, I know several smokers who prefer a v-cut on tapered cigars. They call it a fish-head cut. Simply put the point of the cigar in the cutter as deeply as possible and clip it.
Good For: Many smokers find the V-cut reduces the chance of getting bits of tobacco in their mouth and enjoy the more concentrated draw it provides.
Punch Cut
How to Do It (Straight Cigar): With a punch cutter, press the tool against the center of the cap and twist it into the cigar, creating a small circular hole. For a good experience, the hole should be about 1/2 to 3/4 of the diameter of the cigar cap, so choose your punch size carefully.
How to Do It (Tapered Cigar): A punch cut is almost never used on a tapered cigar, but some people do it on the side of the taper so the point stays intact. I have never tried this, I suppose I’ll have to give it a try on my next torpedo.
Good For: Similar to the V-cut, the punch cut helps prevent loose tobacco from entering your mouth while offering a more controlled draw.
Check the Airflow: Cold Draw
Before lighting, it’s a good idea to check the airflow of your cigar, a step known as the cold draw. If your cigar has an open foot (the end you light), take a few draws to ensure the airflow is just right. But make sure to draw from the foot so if you need to cut more, you won’t be double-dipping. The draw should feel easy with a little resistance—if it’s too tight, you can trim a bit more from the cap. This cold draw also gives you a preview of the cigar’s flavor profile, setting the stage for your smoke.
Lighting Your Cigar: Patience Is Key
Once your cigar is cut, it’s time to light it. Unlike a quick flick of a match or lighter for a cigarette, lighting a cigar is a ritual that requires patience to ensure an even burn and smooth smoke. The whole process of lighting and smoking is an effort to keep the cigar as cool as possible—if it gets too hot, it will turn bitter by the end.
What You’ll Need:
Butane Lighter: A regular cigarette lighter like a Bic works, but avoid lighters like Zippos that use lighter fluid as they can alter the cigar’s flavor.
Torch Lighter: These are great for beginners because they provide more control and precision when lighting larger ring gauge cigars. But be careful as these put off a higher flame and can easily scorch the cigar, your fingers, or your mustache hair. Don’t ask, but I do know from experience.
Matches: Wooden matches are a classic option, but be sure to let the sulfur burn off before bringing it near your cigar.
Cedar Spills: Cedar spills are thin strips of wood used to light cigars. They burn clean and impart a subtle cedar aroma to the cigar.
How to Light a Cigar:
Toast the Foot: Hold your cigar at a 45-degree angle and bring the flame close to the foot (the open end) without touching it. Rotate the cigar slowly, allowing the heat to “toast” the edges of the foot evenly. This step primes the tobacco for a smooth burn.
Light the Cigar: After toasting, put the cigar in your mouth as if smoking it. Bring the flame a little closer and puff gently on the cigar while continuing to rotate it, keeping the flame below the foot. Avoid placing the cigar directly into the flame as it can overheat the tobacco, negatively affecting the flavor.
Check for an Even Burn: Inspect the foot of your cigar to ensure it’s glowing evenly. You can blow gently on the lit end to see if it’s a uniform red. If there are small dark spots, they’ll likely catch up as you smoke, but larger dark patches might need a touch-up with your lighter.
Smoking Your Cigar: Take It Slow
Now that your cigar is cut and lit, it’s time to enjoy the experience. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your smoke:
1. Don’t Inhale
Cigars aren’t meant to be inhaled like cigarettes. Instead, draw the smoke into your mouth, enjoy the flavors, and then slowly exhale. Inhaling cigar smoke can be harsh, especially for beginners.
2. Take Your Time
Cigar smoking is about relaxation, not rushing. Take a puff or two every minute. Smoking too quickly can cause the cigar to overheat, resulting in a bitter taste. Conversely, if you let it sit too long between puffs, the cigar may go out.
3. Let the Ash Build
Letting the ash build to about an inch helps keep the cigar burning evenly and cool. When it’s time to ash, gently roll the cigar over the ashtray rather than flicking it like a cigarette. When the ash is ready, it will fall off easily with a roll, and the ideal time to do this is about one second before it lands in your lap—but that’s easier said than done. If it falls in your lap, don’t worry, just brush it off. We’ll sweep up at closing time.
4. If It Goes Out, Don’t Worry
If your cigar goes out (it happens), simply re-light it using the same toasting and lighting technique you started with. Just be sure to knock off any remaining ash before relighting to avoid a bitter taste. Just remember that every time you re-light, it increases the chance of overheating. So keeping your cigar going throughout is a better option to constantly re-lighting.
Final Thoughts: Enjoying Your First Cigar
Cutting, lighting, and smoking your first cigar can seem like a complicated process, but with a little practice, it becomes a relaxing ritual. The most important thing is to take your time and savor the experience. And, of course, if you’re ever in doubt, ask whoever is working at Paul’s Cigar Lounge—they’d be more than happy to give you suggestions. After all, the world of cigars is meant to be enjoyed slowly, with good company, good conversation, and of course, refined relaxation.
You still here? Good, let’s have some fun. I often use AI as the base of the images I use in these articles. Unfortunately, AI doesn’t always understand us cigar smokers. Here’s a couple bloopers…
Obviously, this isn’t how you cut a cigar. If you try this, rest assured we will stop you and show you how to do it properly.
Hopefully, you don’t need to be told NOT to kiss the burning end of a cigar. We occasionally get people who will light the wrong end and smoke out of the foot, it’ll work but the cigar will eventually unravel. Thankfully, we’ve never had a customer burn his or her lips from confusing which end to smoke from after lighting it.