Lighting before cutting the cap ?

[CSMoFo]

I've been around for awhile and smoking before some of you were born but it embarrasses me that I've never seen a cigar lit this way. He leaves the cap on, toasts the other end avoiding a "chimney " effect. He then shakes the heck out of the cigar. Once lit, he then cuts the cap off.He claims the higher temp of the cigar plus the conserved smoke intensifies the flavors an d overall enjoyment of the first few puffs.

Does anyone use or endorse this method ? The video is in Spanish but you can visualize what he's doing.

http://www.eleconomista.es/evasion/tendencias/noticias/4017848/06/12/Sabes-como-se-enciende-un-habano.html

 

[LigaPrivadaFanboy]

Watching it now - dude's ashing all over himself and he hasn't even taken one puff yet! I guess everyone has their own pre-light ritual, ranging from "light it and smoke it" to what you see in the video.

 

[orangedog]

No shaking involved here, but yes, I prefer this. Will be unlearning it for jfire's study though, as I think he specifically calls for testing the prelight draw.

I've found that lighting then cutting keeps the temp down - heuristically speaking, of course.

 

[JDog]

I know "a guy" that holds the cigar away from him, clips the cap, toasts the foot, and then blows on the foot... if he thinks it's ready, he'll then put the cigar in his mouth. He does this for the same reasons as already posted. I call this cigar lighting technique "the lewinski"....

 

[Shaunylw]

I know "a guy" that holds the cigar away from him, clips the cap, toasts the foot, and then blows on the foot... if he thinks it's ready, he'll then put the cigar in his mouth. He does this for the same reasons as already posted. I call this cigar lighting technique "the lewinski"....

That's exactly how I light it lol. Minus the lewinski innuendo of course!!

 

[Shaunylw]

I've been around for awhile and smoking before some of you were born but it embarrasses me that I've never seen a cigar lit this way. He leaves the cap on, toasts the other end avoiding a "chimney " effect. He then shakes the heck out of the cigar. Once lit, he then cuts the cap off.He claims the higher temp of the cigar plus the conserved smoke intensifies the flavors an d overall enjoyment of the first few puffs.

Does anyone use or endorse this method ? The video is in Spanish but you can visualize what he's doing.

http://www.eleconomista.es/evasion/tendencias/noticias/4017848/06/12/Sabes-como-se-enciende-un-habano.html

There was an article with an editor of cigar aficionado who was showing how to light with matches. He took three matches and lit the cigar before clipping the triple cap. Too much time for me but I don't find it to be absurd.

 

[Cazador]

I was always taught that if you shake it more than twice, you're playing with yourself.

 

[Danfish98]

Seems I've heard more of issues from overheating the cigar during lighting than anything else, so I'm curious why the extra heat is seen as a good thing. I like to test the prelight draw and get some prelight flavors, so I'll definitely keep cutting before I toast.

 

[Joeytivo]

I don't have the patience for all that lighting the stick, cooking the tip, shaking, then cutting. Cut, light, smoke, enjoy!!!

 

[KickinD]

I previously used the cut, and light, smoke method. Now I use the light, let it sit, cut, and then smoke it method. I prefer it more now and get much better results from the smokes.

 

[Cigary43]

Been doing this for years and learned this from the ole timers in S. Florida. The reason is this.....you 'cook' the end of the cigar w/o drawing on it and the end of the cigar never touches the real flame...just the heat from the flame. When it is lit this way the reasoning ( proof ) is that you aren't drawing on the heat from the flame all the way through the entire cigar...this sometimes can taint the overall taste of the tobacco because you are drawing contaminates along with the heated flame thru the cigar. Doing it the way that is posted gives you a cooler draw...ensures that you don't contaminate the overal character of the tobacco. For those who don't care then flame away...I want to smoke my cigar the way it was intended...the best way possible.

 

[Danfish98]

Been doing this for years and learned this from the ole timers in S. Florida. The reason is this.....you 'cook' the end of the cigar w/o drawing on it and the end of the cigar never touches the real flame...just the heat from the flame. When it is lit this way the reasoning ( proof ) is that you aren't drawing on the heat from the flame all the way through the entire cigar...this sometimes can taint the overall taste of the tobacco because you are drawing contaminates along with the heated flame thru the cigar. Doing it the way that is posted gives you a cooler draw...ensures that you don't contaminate the overal character of the tobacco. For those who don't care then flame away...I want to smoke my cigar the way it was intended...the best way possible.

Does doing it this way require not cutting it first? Sometimes I'll not draw on the cigar while I'm lighting and once I see the foot is evenly lit I'll stop torching and then take my first puff. I'd like to always light this way but it doesn't seem like the cigar gets lit as well as I'd like at times.

 

[Simian504]

I do it all the time. Minus the shaking of course.

 

[Cigary43]

Been doing this for years and learned this from the ole timers in S. Florida. The reason is this.....you 'cook' the end of the cigar w/o drawing on it and the end of the cigar never touches the real flame...just the heat from the flame. When it is lit this way the reasoning ( proof ) is that you aren't drawing on the heat from the flame all the way through the entire cigar...this sometimes can taint the overall taste of the tobacco because you are drawing contaminates along with the heated flame thru the cigar. Doing it the way that is posted gives you a cooler draw...ensures that you don't contaminate the overal character of the tobacco. For those who don't care then flame away...I want to smoke my cigar the way it was intended...the best way possible.

Does doing it this way require not cutting it first? Sometimes I'll not draw on the cigar while I'm lighting and once I see the foot is evenly lit I'll stop torching and then take my first puff. I'd like to always light this way but it doesn't seem like the cigar gets lit as well as I'd like at times.

Actually you can do it either way...just don't draw on the cigar until the tip is orange and ready to smoke. What you don't want to do is bring up a bunch of burnt tobacco smoke up through your cigar.

 

[Alwayslit]

Interesting video

 

[Tsd906]

Please forgive my ignorance here, but I'm not understanding this line of thinking: What you don't want to do is bring up a bunch of burnt tobacco smoke up through your cigar.[/QUOTE]

Don't we bring a bunch of burnt tobacco smoke through our cigar every time we take a draw?



I'm also not quite sure what the guy means by "Conserved smoke".

Very interesting video though, thanks for sharing it.

 

[Mr.V]

1. admire & appreciate the cigar
2. carefully snip the cap
3. take a few draws
4. gently toast the foot (30-60 sec. depending on gauge)
5. slow even draw (no puffing)
6. shut the world out and enjoy

thats my routine

 

[scarlin]

Been doing this for years and learned this from the ole timers in S. Florida. The reason is this.....you 'cook' the end of the cigar w/o drawing on it and the end of the cigar never touches the real flame...just the heat from the flame. When it is lit this way the reasoning ( proof ) is that you aren't drawing on the heat from the flame all the way through the entire cigar...this sometimes can taint the overall taste of the tobacco because you are drawing contaminates along with the heated flame thru the cigar. Doing it the way that is posted gives you a cooler draw...ensures that you don't contaminate the overal character of the tobacco. For those who don't care then flame away...I want to smoke my cigar the way it was intended...the best way possible.

I'm probably going to start doing this now.

 

[Cigary43]

Please forgive my ignorance here, but I'm not understanding this line of thinking: What you don't want to do is bring up a bunch of burnt tobacco smoke up through your cigar.

Don't we bring a bunch of burnt tobacco smoke through our cigar every time we take a draw?

Actually you ask what a lot of cigar smokers ask and it's a fair question. Here is the reality: When you first start to light your cigar and depending on what type of lighter you use...( soft flame is my first choice because the ambient temperature it gives off is 600 - 800 degrees and that translates to a cooler light rather than using a jet lighter which can heat up to as high as 1800 degrees and higher depending on how many jets are merged together to create this high temperature.) The core of the flame consists of the fuel gas and air pushing steadily outwards in the "flame" shape until they reach the thin combustion zone. The hottest portion of the flame typically is in and immediately outside this zone, which is filled with the immediate products and partial-products of the chemical reaction known as combustion. So, as you can imagine the amount of heat with the tobacco mixed together going up the entire length of the cigar....it's tobacco burning so hot that it gives a 'charred/burnt' taste for the first few minutes until it can settle down and burn cooler. The problem is that in the first minutes of smoking you've just brought up all of the contaminant through the cigar....much like if you overheated your coffee and you get that acrid burnt taste. Will the cigar settle down afterwards...yeah but setting up a cigar to smoke properly is in MHO worth the effort to get that $5 - $25 cigar to smoke it's best. You've just spent a buttload of money on a product that you have an expectation to smoke great but you've used a lighter that is like a flare or welder...keep the actual flame away from the end and let the heat of the flame light your cigar...I think you will really taste the difference and enjoy your cigar more. Can't hurt can it?

I'm also not quite sure what the guy means by "Conserved smoke".

Very interesting video though, thanks for sharing it.[/QUOTE]

1. admire & appreciate the cigar
2. carefully snip the cap
3. take a few draws
4. gently toast the foot (30-60 sec. depending on gauge)
5. slow even draw (no puffing)
6. shut the world out and enjoy

thats my routine

Sounds like the right way...I agree with ya.

Been doing this for years and learned this from the ole timers in S. Florida. The reason is this.....you 'cook' the end of the cigar w/o drawing on it and the end of the cigar never touches the real flame...just the heat from the flame. When it is lit this way the reasoning ( proof ) is that you aren't drawing on the heat from the flame all the way through the entire cigar...this sometimes can taint the overall taste of the tobacco because you are drawing contaminates along with the heated flame thru the cigar. Doing it the way that is posted gives you a cooler draw...ensures that you don't contaminate the overal character of the tobacco. For those who don't care then flame away...I want to smoke my cigar the way it was intended...the best way possible.

I'm probably going to start doing this now.

Keep us posted as to what kind of difference you notice....some don't while a lot do. Enjoy!

 

[Robertsndr68]

1. admire & appreciate the cigar
2. carefully snip the cap
3. take a few draws
4. gently toast the foot (30-60 sec. depending on gauge)
5. slow even draw (no puffing)
6. shut the world out and enjoy

thats my routine

That's exactly how I do it