subject: Understanding The Etiquette Of Cigar Lighting [print this page] Smoking a cigar certainly requires that you follow a certain etiquette. However, is there an etiquette for lighting cigars? Actually, while there's no "polite" way to do it, there are certain steps that need to be followed to ensure that you light your cigar properly and that it lights evenly. What do you need to know? Here's a quick guide to help you light your cigars the right way.
First, make sure that you have the right lighting implement. Many dedicated cigar smokers prefer to light their cigars using small strips of cedar. This ensures that there are no outside flavors transposed to the cigar. However, it can be inconvenient to say the least. You can also use matches or a lighter (not butane).
The first step is to grip your cigar correctly. Hold it with the foot (the end you light) facing downward. You want to hold it at about a 45-degree angle. Put your fire (match, lighter or cedar strip) below the foot, but do not let the flame touch the tobacco. The purpose here is to warm the cigar up (called toasting). You'll know it's toasted when a dark ring shows on the wrapper at the foot.
Now that the tobacco is toasted, you can move on to the rest of the lighting process. Put the cigar in your mouth and hold the flame just in front of it. Again, don't put the flame directly on the cigar, you want to hold it slightly away. Draw through the cigar and turn it while you do. Keep the flame in the same position. You should feel the cigar begin to light while you do this. Keep turning the cigar until it is lit.
Once the cigar is burning, take it out of your mouth and inspect it. You want to inspect the foot to ensure that the cigar has lit evenly. If there are any areas that aren't burning, repeat turning and drawing process to get it all burning evenly. You need to avoid an uneven burn because it can cause the entire cigar to burn unevenly, leaving portions of the cigar behind. Obviously, that's not a good thing. If you somehow end up with a large unlit portion, let the cigar go out and repeat the process from the beginning. However, don't let it wait too long, over an hour or so and the cigar will begin to develop strange "off" tastes.
