The art of lighting your cigar

Lighting your cigar is equal parts of form and function that when done properly, allows you to fully enjoy the entire duration of your smoking experience. This is because this critical first step will have a dramatic and lasting effect the flavor, temperature and how quickly your cigar burns.

The first thing you need to know is that you should avoid disposable lighters or Zippo type lighters because besides making you look like a rank amateur, their fuel will impart a distinct and unpleasant flavor to your cigar. You should instead use a quality cigar lighter, which produces a hot torch-like flame and is fueled by pressurized butane or another clean-burning fuel.

You should avoid using matches if possible, but if that is your only option then you should either use them to light a thin strip of cedar that can then be used to the light your cigar, or at the very least, let the matches burn until all of the sulfur has been consumed before using them to light your cigar.

You will want to make sure that your cigar is evenly lit which helps it to burn more slowly and maintain the proper temperature. When a cigar burns at an angle, it increases the surface area that is ignited, which will cause your cigar to burn too hot. This will have an adverse affect of the overall taste of your cigar, as well as how quickly it burns. You can rotate your cigar while applying a flame to it and gently puffing to achieve an even ignition.

By using the proper techniques to light your cigar at your disposal, you can enjoy the full complexity and depth of flavor that the cigar makers intended without introducing any impurities.

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