FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
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How do I properly cut my cigar?
What is the proper way to light a cigar?
How do I re-light my cigar if it goes out?
What are tobacco beetles? -AKA- Why do my cigars have holes in them?
How do I kill the beetles and bring my cigars back to life?
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How do I properly cut my cigar?
It is crucial to cut the head/cap of the cigar at the appropriate place. The Head of the cigar has a concave, or curved shape, called the Shoulder. A perfect cut will leave most of the Shoulder in tact. It is only necessary to remove a small amount of the wrapper to expose the filler. Cutting the entire head off will probably not improve the draw, but it can cause the cigar to unravel.
Regardless of the cutter being used (guillotine, punch/plug, scissors, or v/catseye-cutter), the main objective is to remove enough wrapper leaf for the cigar to draw. Many Cigars will draw well with just a little wrapper removed, while others may need a larger hole.
What is the proper way to light a cigar?
Evenly lighting the foot is the most critical part of Cigar Lighting. If a cigar is not lit evenly, it will not burn or taste properly. The best Cigar Lighting technique involves bringing the flame to the tobacco by gently drawing air through the cigar. While puffing, the cigar should be rotated over the flame to ensure the foot is evenly lit, without being charred.
Lighting Tips
Do:
* Remove Cellophane and any Cedar or Ribbons around the foot of the cigar.
* Cut the cigar properly - take off as little of the cigar's cap as possible to get a good draw through the cigar.
* When using a match, allow the sulfur to burn off the match head before taking the flame to the tobacco.
* Hold the flame slightly off of the tobacco. Flame = 1/8 of an inch: Torch = 1 inch.
* Rotate the cigar to evenly light the foot.
* Puff on the cigar in order to draw the flame to the foot.
Do Not:
* Light or Char the outside of the wrapper.
* Use a Candle or Liquid fuel lighter to light the cigar.
* Light the head (the end with the cap).
* Lick the cigar before cutting - this is especially important when using a house cutter or someone elses cutter. You do not let someone lick your fork before you eat with it, so why should this be any different.
* Lick the cigar at all - this is unnecessary if the cigar is properly humidified and rather disgusting. The habit of licking a cigar was popular in the early 1900s when proper humidity was more uncommon: low humidity may cause a wrapper to unravel.
How do I re-light my cigar if it goes out?
It's common for cigars to go out while being smoked. Slow smoking, excessive humidity or inattentiveness can all lead to your cigar going out. Proper re-lighting takes a little finesse to preserve the cigar's flavor.
The problem with re-lighting a cigar is the char, the partially scorched, pre-ash remnants of tobacco. Char has a bitter taste and can ruin a cigar if not properly removed.
Before re-lighting a cigar, an effort should be made to remove the Ash and Char. This can be done by gently rolling the foot of the cigar between your fingers and allowing the char to fall out. The other alternative is to cut the cigar just behind the charred area and start again.
It is important to note that relighting the cigar may require a heavier application of flame than the initial light. In addition, it may take some time for the flavor of the cigar to stabilize and become pleasurable again.
What are tobacco beetles? -AKA- Why do my cigars have holes in them?
Lasioderma Serricorne, also known as Tobacco Beetles, are infamous for destroying cigars. Microscopic bettle eggs exist in most tobacco products, but most do not hatch. While Tobacco Beetles can be found in environments exceeding 65 degrees Faranheit, they typically hatch in conditions over 73 degrees Faranheit, with high humidity.
Measuring approximately two to three millimeters in length, these reddish-brown insects eat through tobacco and will leave your cigars looking like Swiss cheese, strewn with holes. Of the four stages the beetle grows in and out of (egg, larva, pupa, adult), the Pupa stage is undoubtedly the most devastating for smokers. Emerging from the egg, approximately six to ten days after the temperature triggers their birth, the larvae live and feed off of your cigars, for roughly five to ten weeks. Unfortunately, by the time these stages of maturation have been reached, most of the damage has already been done.
Although the future may appear bleak to anyone experiencing a Tobacco Beetle infestation, there are steps individuals can take in order to salvage their tobacco.
How do I kill the beetles and bring my cigars back to life?
1. Isolate any cigars which may be infected. Remove cigars from your humidor and inspect every square inch. Tobacco beetles will eat through cellophane, thin plastic wrap, and cedar: so inspect every cigar in your collection for damage. When in doubt, assume all cigars are infested. Tobacco beetles leave behind tobacco dust, in addition to holes in cigars. Where there is tobacco dust, there are most likely beetles.
2. Separate your infested cigars into boxes and re-sealable plastic bags. Then place them in the freezer for 3 days. Temperatures of 1 degree or lower will crack the larvae and kill both eggs and adults. This is obviously a harsh treatment for such fragile and precious items. Unfortunately, aside from professional fumigation which involves chemicals, there is no other alternative.
3. After three days in the freezer, place the cigars in a refrigerator for at least 24 hours to minimize temperature shock and further damage to the cigars.
4. After this point you can return the cigars to your clean humidor.
5. Always keep your humidor temperature under 73 degrees or lower the humidity in your humidor for days when you cannot keep the temperature down.
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