How to light a cigar properly
Lighting a premium cigar is a methodical process that establishes how the tobacco will burn and taste for the duration of the smoke. It requires a clean flame, a steady hand, and the patience to warm the tobacco before drawing any smoke. Done correctly, it ensures an even ember and prevents the harsh, bitter flavours associated with scorched leaves.
Why the source of your flame matters
The initial heat applied to a cigar dictates its opening profile. Tobacco leaves are highly porous and will rapidly absorb any surrounding odours or chemical fumes during ignition. For this reason, the choice of flame is critical to preserving the blender's intended flavour profile.
Connoisseurs generally rely on butane gas lighters. Butane burns cleanly and is entirely odourless, ensuring no foreign elements taint the cigar. Standard soft-flame butane lighters are well-suited for indoor smoking environments where the air is still. In contrast, jet or torch lighters provide a highly focused, wind-resistant flame, making them indispensable for outdoor use or when lighting cigars with exceptionally large ring gauges.
Wooden matches remain a classic and traditional alternative. When using matches, you must strike the head and wait for the sulphur to burn off completely before bringing the flame anywhere near the tobacco. Introducing a newly struck match to a cigar will coat the foot in sulphur, ruining the first third of the smoke.
For the absolute purist, cedar spills offer an elegant solution. These thin strips of Spanish cedar are lit from a secondary source and then used to toast the cigar. The aromatic smoke produced by the burning cedar naturally complements the tobacco, enhancing the initial draws without introducing any artificial compounds.
Conversely, petrol lighters must be avoided entirely. The lighter fluid produces volatile fumes that are instantly absorbed by the cigar, imparting a foul, gasoline-like taste that cannot be removed. Scented or wax candles are similarly unsuitable, as their vaporised oils and perfumes will transfer directly to the tobacco.
Flame source comparison
Butane Torch — Fuel / Material: Pressurised butane — Suitability: Excellent — Considerations: Wind-resistant; ideal for large ring gauges.
Soft Flame — Fuel / Material: Pressurised butane — Suitability: Excellent — Considerations: Clean and odourless; requires still air.
Cedar Spill — Fuel / Material: Spanish cedar wood — Suitability: Excellent — Considerations: Complements tobacco aroma; requires still air.
Wooden Match — Fuel / Material: Wood and sulphur — Suitability: Acceptable — Considerations: Sulphur head must burn off completely first.
Petrol Lighter — Fuel / Material: Liquid lighter fluid — Suitability: Unacceptable — Considerations: Imparts chemical, gasoline-like flavours.
Candle — Fuel / Material: Wax and oils — Suitability: Unacceptable — Considerations: Transfers perfumes and wax residue.
How do you toast the foot of a cigar?
Toasting is the fundamental technique for lighting any premium cigar, designed to gently warm the tobacco and release its natural oils prior to ignition. To execute this, position the cigar at a slight angle above the flame, ensuring the fire never physically touches the leaf.
Slowly and consistently roll the cigar between your fingers. The radiant heat will dry and warm the binder, filler, and wrapper, preparing their natural oils for ignition. Watch for a dark, uniform ring to develop around the outer circumference, indicating the foot is ready for the first draw.
Patience is vital during this stage. Forcing the process by pushing the cigar directly into the flame will scorch the outer wrapper while leaving the inner filler unlit, leading to an uneven burn later on. Only after the entire foot has been thoroughly and uniformly toasted should you prepare to begin smoking.
Establishing an even ember
Once the foot is fully toasted, place the cigar between your lips. Bring the flame back to the foot, again maintaining a slight distance, and take a series of gentle, shallow draws. This action pulls the flame toward the tobacco, establishing the core ember.
Continue to rotate the cigar slowly as you draw, ensuring the heat is distributed evenly across the entire surface area. After a few initial draws, remove the cigar from your mouth and gently blow on the glowing end. This allows you to inspect the ember; the entire circumference should glow a uniform, bright orange.
If any dark spots remain where the tobacco has not caught, apply targeted heat to those specific areas while avoiding the parts that are already lit. A precise, even start is the best defence against a cigar that canoes or tunnels as it burns.
Pacing, temperature, and avoiding bitterness
A cigar is an exercise in measured, slow enjoyment. Once the ember is steady, maintain a pace of approximately one gentle draw every sixty seconds. This unhurried rhythm permits the tobacco to smoulder at a moderate, consistent heat.
Drawing too frequently or aggressively pulls oxygen through the barrel at high velocity, which causes the ember to overheat. Excessive heat scorches the volatile aromatic compounds within the filler, resulting in a harsh, acrid taste that masks the intended flavour.
Cigar smoke is alkaline, rich, and intended solely for the palate. You must draw the smoke into the mouth, hold it for a moment to allow the taste receptors to engage, and then expel it gently. Inhaling into the lungs bypasses the palate and will inevitably trigger a severe coughing fit.
What is retronasal tasting?
The human tongue detects only basic tastes; true flavour complexity is perceived by olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity. By drawing smoke into the mouth and gently exhaling it through the nose, the aficionado accesses subtle aromatic notes—such as leather, coffee, or spice—that the tongue alone cannot perceive.
Correcting an uneven burn
Even a well-lit cigar may occasionally burn unevenly due to wind, humidity variations, or the construction of the specific vitola. If one side of the cigar begins to burn faster than the other, rest the cigar in an ashtray with the slower-burning side facing downward. The heat from the ember naturally rises, which often corrects minor imbalances.
If the burn line remains stubbornly uneven, you will need to touch it up. Use a butane torch to apply a precise application of heat solely to the unlit portion of the wrapper. Do not draw on the cigar while making this correction, as this would pull the heat through the already-lit filler and risk overheating the core.
Relighting and when to let the cigar rest
Cigars will occasionally go out if the pacing is too slow or if you set them down for an extended conversation. There is no shame in relighting a cigar, provided it is done carefully. First, gently tap off any loose ash.
Before applying the flame, hold the lighter near the foot and purge the cigar by blowing outward gently for a few seconds. This clears stale smoke and ammonia from the barrel. Finally, toast the foot and draw exactly as you did during the initial lighting.
A cigar is typically complete when roughly one third of the barrel remains unsmoked. Beyond this point, the accumulation of tars, moisture, and bitter compounds severely degrades the profile. Using a toothpick to smoke the final nub is considered poor etiquette; instead, simply lay the cigar in the ashtray. A well-constructed premium cigar will extinguish itself gracefully without being crushed.
At MokaCigar
Lighting a cigar is a foundational skill that pays dividends in flavour and consistency. Whether you are using a soft flame in a quiet study or a precision torch outdoors, the principles of patience and temperature control remain the same. To explore our collection of properly stored English Market Selection cigars, visit our Habanos selection to find a cigar suited to your next occasion.