Relighting a Cigar
January 29th, 2010 by Dave Sabot, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
Gourmet cigars can cost a fair bit of money and, given that they’re designed to offer a long smoke, one may well find themselves having to put the cigar out before they’re able to finish it. Cigars, fortunately, can be relit. While there will be a bit of change in flavor, there are ways in which one can mitigate this and the cigar will still taste excellent, even on the second light.
There will be an ash at the foot of the cigar. There are two ways to deal with this. One may simply knock the ash off and relight the cigar where it stopped burning or they may trim the cigar back to the point where fresh tobacco is exposed. Generally, trimming the cigar back a little will make it taste a bit smoother. The change in taste results from the buildup of tar in the tobacco as it is smoked so there is some change that is unavoidable no matter how far one trims back the wrapper before relighting the cigar.
The tobacco in the center of the cigar will likely have a different appearance than that around the edges. In most cases, it will be a bit darker. This is nothing to worry about and the cigar will smoke fine. The lighting process for relighting a cigar is identical to the first light, involving turning the cigar over the flame. Torch lighters, liquid-fuel lighters or butane lighters will work fine, there is nothing at all that differs in the lighting process.
Some individuals prefer to blow the first puff back through the cigar. This can help mitigate the taste of tar build-up in the tobacco and spares the smoker a harsh draw off of the cigar. Some smokers blow through the cigar before lighting it, as well, especially if the cigar has only recently been extinguished or gone out in which case there may be old smoke hanging around in the wrapper.
Relight the cigar just as one would light a fresh cigar. The first puff may taste a bit strong but the taste will generally become mellower as one continues smoking. By the time the cigar is burning nice and hot, there should be little appreciable difference in the taste. Good cigars are priced in a way that makes throwing half of one away a total waste. Relighting a half-smoked cigar is sensible in terms of money and, of course, taste!
Dave Sabot is the owner of an online specialty cigar lighters store. With expert knowledge of specialty cigar items, including zippo pipe lighters.
