Smoking is human, smoking cigars is divine

Opening, lighting and savouring cigars are all rituals that appropriately accompany smoking cigars. Hand-made cigars with a long filler are closed on the side that we put into our mouths, hence the need for opening the cigar appropriately. We can use various accessories for this purpose. The most common method is to cut off the tip of the cigar with a cutter and it is best to use one with the two cut ends. We can also use special scissors for cigars or cabinet cutter. The second method is to carve a hole in the cigar head with a jigsaw. The only downside of this method is that it cannot be used to open all cigars. You can put aside all types of formats such as torpedo, belicoso or having the pointed end of a pyramid . Yet another method is to use V-cut type cutters to cut out a V-shaped hole in the cigar, but this method is rarely used.

When the cigar is already open we can proceed to light it up. For this purpose, we can also use a few accessories. Classically, lighting a cigar is done using special long matches. After striking the matches to light up we wait a while until match sulfur has burned, and then at a 45-degree angle, we ignite the foot of the cigar by holding it over a flame and to keep rotating it. To check if the cigar has already ignited evenly, gently blow its butt. If the entire butt glows evenly, you can dispose of the match and start to enjoy the taste of the cigar. Lighting cigars usually takes up approximately 3 matches, but this is dependent on the thickness of the cigar and how proficient you are. Increasingly, different types of matches are used for lighting up cigars. Cigar stores offer a huge selection of lighters designed specifically for cigars. Some are also equipped with cutters or jigsaws. Jet-type lighters with a flame (or more) are mostly used and you can light a cigar much faster with such a lighter, but you must also take care as it is easy to burn the cigar wrapper which will adversely affect its taste. When choosing a lighter, remember one basic principle: it must be a gas lighter. If we use a fuel-filled lighter, it will change the flavour of the cigar. For lovers of Zippo lighters special type of gas inserts have been created thanks to which we can use them for lighting cigars. Some aficionados use thin cedar slats, which can be found in some cigar boxes or tubes.

Let’s now turn to tasting. The basic principle is that you do not inhale the cigar but savour the taste and aroma. Much of the aficionado likes to evaluate the aroma of cigar smoke being released through the nose, but still without inhaling it. During the tasting, we can evaluate the density and abundance of smoke, which the cigar ‘produces’. We can also admire the artistry with which it has been rolled up – or equally burns if the ash is compact and well maintained on the cigar. It is said that you cannot flick ash and it should not fall from the cigar. It is known, however, that you cannot always succeed in taking care that the ash drops into the ashtray itself, so you can, at any time (when the ash has a length of approx. 1-2 cm.), gently tap the cigar on the rant of the ashtray to avoid the ash being scattered in an undesirable place.

It is also worth mentioning something about cigar rings. Originally, they fulfilled two functions, one was to protect the white gloves of gentlemen against discoloration and the other was to say something about the manufacturer. Later it became common that you should always pull the ring off the cigar before lighting, as showing that the cigar brand was considered a faux pas. Today, there is complete freedom in this matter. However, if you want to remove the ring, remember that it is lightly lined to with mucilage and, so as not to damage the cigar wrapper, you should wait until the cigar is already warmed up. When the adhesive has thinned, you will be able to easily remove the ring. Cigar rings are often very original. It is worth mentioning Macanudo Vintage 2006 which is decorated with its beautiful metal ring. The CAO Amazon also has a curious ring which is wrapped with a “string” of leaf tobacco and you can smoke it along with the ring. Both of these cigars are limited editions and their availability is limited and that’s why it is worth stocking up with them.

People who are just starting their adventure with cigars wonder to what point they should smoke their cigar. The answer is simple: you smoke for as long as you can savour it. There are cigar aficionados who stop after smoking a third; there are also those who smoke it until it almost burns your fingers. The closer we are to the end of the cigar, the more it heats up and appears more intense, and sometimes slightly bitter. Everything depends, of course, on the particular cigar. Torcedores (cigar rollers) mostly arrange a mix of tobacco in cigar smoking, so as whilst smoking, over time, the taste evolves and becomes more intense. Finally, after savouring, you have to remember one more rule: never put out a cigar against an ashtray, but put it aside and let it go out itself.