What a pleasure – to sit outside in the cool of the evening and enjoy a cigar or a bowlful of a favourite pipe tobacco – without being wrapped up like a mummy.

You are eager to get the cigar alight so that you can smoke it, but why the rush? Anticipation is a major part in the fulfilment of your enjoyment. Just watching the foot of the cigar start to glow is exciting - “Will this cigar really taste as good as I expect?”
The first few puffs will answer the question, but these can be influenced by the way you have lit the cigar.

The theory behind the process of lighting up is that, since a premium hand-rolled cigar is usually slightly moist, you need to evaporate the juices at the foot of the cigar until the cigar starts to burn on its own.

• This should be done by holding the cigar at a slight angle, around 45°, above the flame (not in it).
  Hold it as close as you can without charring the foot.
• Steadily rotate the cigar while applying the flame so that the foot lights evenly from the perimeter inwards.
• When it has started lighting, turn the cigar so you can see the foot, and blow gently onto it. This will enable you to identify any parts of the foot that are not yet alight and need more attention.
• Back to lighting – again rotate the cigar above (not in) the flame, concentrating more on those parts that hadn’t lit up on the first try.
• When you feel that the foot is fully alight, take the first draw.
• Then re-check the foot, and re-apply the flame if necessary.If the cigar is not burning evenly, it could be a fault in the rolling but, more likely, lighting up was not thorough, or maybe you were in a draughty place. Try rotating the cigar while gently re-lighting the non-burning area. You may even need to cut off a centimetre or so – better than struggling for the rest of the cigar

What do you use to put this into practice - lighting options:

Normal Gas lighter: Butane gas burns with a controlled, odourless flame. The flame should be large enough to cover about half of the foot of the cigar. Rotate the cigar with the foot at an angle just above the flame (or above an angled flame) until it ignites spontaneously and starts to glow. Occasionally blow gently on the foot to see if it is evenly lit, or where some attention is needed. Act accordingly, then start to draw gently and begin to enjoy one of life’s great luxuries.
Wooden spill or match: Preferably a cedar spill, or a match thicker than normal (maybe use two). Light your cigar as you would using a normal gas lighter, but to avoid a sulphurous first puff allow the initial flash on lighting the match to finish before applying the flame to the foot of the cigar.
Turbo - the “miniature blow torch”: The flame is very strong and hot – perfect for the golf course or outside in any sort of bad weather, but it should be used very carefully or the foot will be charred in seconds with no chance of the natural oils gently evaporating away. The oils will simply be burnt up, and the cigar may reflect this burnt taste. Hold the foot of the cigar even further away from the flame, then light as with a normal flame. (And in the quiet of your home or favourite smoking restaurant use a gentler flame.)
Liquid fuel lighter: - Zippo and others. You can depend on these in the wind or rain – for rugged reliability
nothing can beat them. But the fuel may impart a, possibly unacceptable, taste to your cigar. As the rim of
the foot of the cigar starts to ignite blow gently through the cigar to remove any lingering fumes.
Read what Zippo has to advise.

When it is completely alight, sit back, draw regularly, concentrate on the flavour and aroma, and relax.

With the smoking regulations as they are, you may prefer a Turbo lighter ……..

The earliest Turbo lighters were just like a modified blow torch.
I remember watching a cigar salesman in a Swiss cigar shop waving around a large canister (the lighter) firing an amazing jet flame in front of the cigar as if he were welding the foot together.
As usual, things have been refined.

We have chosen the 3-jet flame models for this special – 2 colour options.
The 3 jets form a triangle offering a broad area for easy lighting, thus avoiding the danger of a single jet piercing through the foot up into the body of the cigar.
The built-in punch in the lid is a bonus.

Prepare your budget for one and take advantage.
You, and your cigars, deserve it.

No.439 October 11-24, 2018

PS – Have you tried a Hedon cigar yet?

Note:
By law, no South African citizen, living in South Africa can buy a tobacco product via the internet or postal system.  In fact, you may not receive a tobacco product through the post.
In addition we may not receive payment through the internet for tobacco products.
We may only supply tobacco products within the trade – not to private individuals. The fine is substantial
Contact us for help in getting tobacco to your area.

You can read previous articles from “Across the Counter” in The Library.

PS If you can’t visit a Wesley’s Bricks and Mortar, remember that if you’re not completely happy with your mailsale choice, you can always return it for a full refund.