Best Cigar Lighting Technique - The Indirect Butane Heat Method
Properly lighting a cigar is an art form, and something that needs to be done correctly to properly enjoy the smoke. The proper light is the cigar lifeline. After all, you probably spent good money to enjoy a great experience so don't cheat yourself by improperly lighting and potentially ruining a great smoke. I've personally tried a handful of ways and had different lackluster results. Only until the following method came my way through the grapevine was I completely satisfied and knew I wouldn't return to other methods. I've actually tested lighting the same cigar make and model (CAO Brazilia), purchased from the same store, and smoked on the same evening to truly compare the differences over the duration of each cigar smoke using different smoking methods. Using the Indirect Butane Heat Method, the cigar tasted fresher, smoother, and had a much better burn than a typical 'burn and puff' light you get accustomed to trying.
I could care less how the cigar gets lit, I'm not set in my ways. But whatever protects the integrity of the cigar through providing the truest flavors and sensations from the smoke is my utmost concern. Considering many Cuban cigar enthusiasts use variations of this technique I quickly realized I was in good company. Don't take my word for it, try it yourself and stick with what works best for you.
1) Before you even pull the lighter out, cut 1/16" to at most 1/8" from the cigar tip if needed (keep as much of the cigar cap in tact as possible). A swift motion of a sharp cigar cutter (the Xikar XI2 is my cutter of choice) will do the trick and help prevent bunching the cigar fillers at the foot.
2) Although match lighting is optimal, a butane torch lighter is a great and recommended alternative which we'll be referring to down below. The torch is only too hot for the cigar if used improperly - in our case we will be using the indirect heat to light the cigar ring. A good butane lighter will burn cleanly with very little odor and is important when considering which lighter and brand you decide to purchase. You do not want to introduce rough chemicals or substances into the cigar while lighting.
3) Hold the cigar at a 45 degree angle, and in your other hand light your butane torch lighter. While being very careful never to let the torch flame directly hit the edge of the cigar, slowly and continuously turn the cigar in your fingers (you can twirl clock-wise or counter clock-wise based on personal preference.). Continue twirling while you raise the lighter closer to the cigar ring. The indirect heat will slowly burn a cherry along the ring.
4) Once you get a red cherry ring following the steps above, you can bring the cigar down and lightly blow on the ring to spread the cherry over the fillers since they will catch. Once you find you are good with lighting the ring using the indirect heat method, you can also use the same steps to light the fillers in the foot after you've caught the ring to get a full burning cherry - that too is a personal preference. If you can catch the fillers by lightly blowing from the lit ring you'll get a more natural light but either way you'll be in great shape.
5) Once the ring has been lit as well as some of the fillers, bring the cigar to your mouth and puff out once. This will blow out any harsh ingredients that may have collected. Your cigar should now be in perfect shape to begin smoking. Every so often you can blow on the foot to make sure the cherry is completely lit - begin puffing away and enjoy!
To learn more about properly lighting your cigars and reasons why this method will help your experience, please view the full article at the web site.
With these tips in your cigar case, snag your favorite smoke and torch it up.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Jonathan Borchers
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