The world of cigars is governed by rituals. The act of communing with a cigar, along with its taste, is a large part of the pleasure that comes from smoking. Of course, initiation, i.e. starting a cigar, and letting smoke out of the mouth are the two most important elements of this ritual. How to smoke a cigar?
At the beginning it should be added that the cigar must be properly stored in a humidor, i.e. a device that allows you to regulate the appropriate humidity. Over the past months I have become a happy owner of three different humidors and I will certainly write something about it in the near future. Let’s assume, however, that you have a cigar in front of you that has adequate humidity (it has not dried up in the wood), you are sitting in a magnificent cigar room, on quilted leather armchairs, the light is dim, and in the background Cuban rhythms are pleasant to the ear. We can start!
Decapitation, i.e. cutting the hood!
The macroscopically cigar consists of three most important elements: head, body and foot. The last part of a good cigar’s head is a cap that is cut off to be able to light a cigar. The biggest purists believe that the cigar should be cut only after lighting up, but I’ve never seen anyone who did it. Let’s assume that we start by cutting a cigar. There are several ways to do this:
- biting the hood – When choosing this option, you should have a red beard and be called Chuck Norris. As you know, Chuck taught to dig electricity and no one is crazy enough to prevent him to bite off his cigar’s hood.
- piercing the hood with a match – a simple, easy to do and far more aesthetic way than biting off.
- punching a cap with a puncher – a puncher (pronounced ‘pancake’) is nothing more than a small, round die that cuts the circle in the cigar’s cap with sharp edges. Its diameter is several millimeters and allows free smoking.
- cutting with cigar scissors – they have an interesting shape with rounded ends. You don’t need to describe how to use it – you need to cut it
- guillotine cutter – the cutter is a small guillotine that allows you to “decapitate” a cigar with one cut. Its use is quite spectacular although you have to do it several dozen times before you can feel that it is done with nonchalance.
Streamer
It should be removed but it’s best to do it after smoking 1/3 cigar then the cover is warmed up and more flexible. Bands must be removed by unscrewing movement rather than by force. If this doesn’t work, leave it without exposing your cigar to damage.
Scorching
Two basic rules are not to hurry and do it thoroughly. Burn the cigar at an angle of 45 degrees to the flame so as not to burn the lid. This will prepare them for an even glow. When you burn them, gently rotate them in your mouth and lightly draw them so that the flame “jumps to the upper edge of the cigar’s foot. Scorch until all around you catch the fire. Light a cigar with an unscented flame source.
Smoking
The whole technique is not to enlist. It is a real pleasure to taste the aromatic, rich tobacco composition on the palate.
Burning again
When a cigar goes out while smoking, especially in the last third part, it should not be considered finished. Natural essential oils concentrate in the reduced volume of cigars and quench them. The cigar must be smoked again.
