Lighting the cigar
The cut
A cigar
that is correctly conditioned and selected must still undergo some preparations
before it is smoked. It is important to carefully cut the head, or perilla,
in order to fully enjoy the cigar. Air circulates adequately during each
puff, in a cigar that is properly cut. The cut is made at an intermediary
zone between the body of the cigar and the perilla itself, through the
aid of a small guillotine or a pair of scissors, according to the personal
habit of the smoker.
The location where one does the incision must not be too far from the head of the cigar because if the cut is done too low it will cause the wrapper to detach from the rest of the cigar. The incision is, therefore, generally done at the curve on the cigar's head, where the cigar is less thick.
Lighting
The way a cigar is lit determines, to a large extent, how uniformly the cigar will burn. It must, therefore, be done with care and slowness. Any precipitation will ruin the first smoking moments. As the cigar burns, the aroma and savour of the leaves of black tobacco can be perceived. It will then be a pity to mortgage the pleasures inherent in the first moments of smoking by lighting the cigar in a wrong way. The cigar is incorrectly lit if the lighting is achieved by a source of heat that spoils the aroma of the leaves, or if it is done in an incomplete fashion.
It is,
therefore, recommended to use either a match that has completed its combustion
or a gas lighter. Gasoline lighters and candle lights should be absolutely
avoided.
It is also necessary and of fundamental importance to obtain a regular burning section at the foot of the cigar as it is lit. Some people slowly turn the cigar as its foot, or boquilla, is lit, until the entire area uniformly glows red. Then they blow softly on it to finalise and homogenise the propagation of the ember. Then, the cigar is ready for the first puff to be drawn.
Others draught the cigar simultaneously as the boquilla is lit. They also turn the cigar around between their lips as it is lit, in order to have it uniformly lit.
Apart from these two methods, there are other ways by which cigar enthusiasts light their cigars. Every smoker has his own style.