A properly humidified/rested cigar will burn more evenly than one that isn't. Sometimes it doesn't matter how well you light it, if the cigar isn't constructed well. I'd say that one out of every 10 cigars I have doesn't burn perfect and one out of every 20 doesn't burn well at all. Point being, a good light is good, but its not remotely crucial to the cigar burning well. Its construction, humidity, and smoking technique that is 95% of a good burn. Most of the time I am lighting a cigar off of a short CCOM match, so its rarely lit perfect, but a well kept/constructed cigar always comes around.
and more to the point, now that I re-read your question. The light of a cigar is a little over-hyped. The big ring gauges can be a little tricky, but as I said before, your enjoyment of the cigars burn is 95% humidity, construction, and smoking technique. As long as you don't light your cigars with gasoline or a pile of burning mayonaise, theres not you can screw up there so long as you get it hot all the way around.
You got a good technique down, just a little tip...when I toast my cigar, I like to let it "settle down" before I start to smoke it. If a cigar gets too hot, it won't taste good...so letting it cool down a little after lighting keeps that from happening.
Thanks a lot everyone, if I don't have one tonight I will be tomorrow night so ill try out those few little things and let you all know how it went. One problem I believe contributed, like a few of you have mentioned, was humidity. At first I had kept my humi at around 70-72% (small, holds 50), but i dropped it down to 68% to see if that would help or not.
I use a torch lighter to light my cigars, but I don't puff on them at all until fully light. Basically I slowly toast the foot till its mostly red, then will stop for a minute or two and let that ash over a tiny bit. Then I re-toast quite a bit until its light, I will blow to find spots that are not fully going, and re-toast them. To me, drawing with a flame near the foot always seems to give me a bad taste, which seems to linger for the cigar. Lighting without drawing will use up a bit more fuel, but I feel I get a better light and better taste as a result. Your results may vary.
Looks good, but try it outside in the dark where you can really see the flame. You can really refine your technique by doing that. I found that I was really torching my cigars a couple years ago.
Well, I just tried another tonight (RP Edge Maduro) and it did do a little better. I took a little more time lighting it and puffed only a few times towards the end of lighting it. It started off pretty even and then one side slacked a little. I let it go and paid a little more attention to it but it was not evening out so I brushed the ash off and hit that area a little one more time.
After that it did pretty well, the burn was a little bumpy but evened out, and didn't really start going out until that last 1.5in. Next time im going to try the dry box technique that you mentioned camgfs as most of mine do tend to be full bodied, but overall this time was an improvement to the last. So, like you all have said "Practice makes perfect", and im going to keep on practicing!!
Well, I just tried another tonight (RP Edge Maduro) and it did do a little better. I took a little more time lighting it and puffed only a few times towards the end of lighting it. It started off pretty even and then one side slacked a little. I let it go and paid a little more attention to it but it was not evening out so I brushed the ash off and hit that area a little one more time.
After that it did pretty well, the burn was a little bumpy but evened out, and didn't really start going out until that last 1.5in. Next time im going to try the dry box technique that you mentioned camgfs as most of mine do tend to be full bodied, but overall this time was an improvement to the last. So, like you all have said "Practice makes perfect", and im going to keep on practicing!!
ENJOY! And good luck working on your technique! (No, not that technique.... that you mastered in Junior high)
That is one problem I do have. I actually have not made a box purchase yet, being in college keeps me drained, so i usually do just buy singles at a local B&M and they just look so enticing that sometimes I cant help to have one, even though I may have only had it a week. lol There are a few that I have had for a while so I am going to try to have those next.
That is one problem I do have. I actually have not made a box purchase yet, being in college keeps me drained, so i usually do just buy singles at a local B&M and they just look so enticing that sometimes I cant help to have one, even though I may have only had it a week. lol There are a few that I have had for a while so I am going to try to have those next.
I understand how that goes. My suggestion is to hold back and buy a significant quantity, whatever that may be for you, of the same cigar. Place them in your humi. I know you'll probably still smoke some early, but that will give you an idea, with the ones that are rested, on what difference the acclimation makes. IMO, there are a lot of good sticks out there at reasonable prices. Also IMO, a perfectly maintained "good" stick is much more enjoyable than a poorly maintained "great" stick. My advice, don't worry too much about the "gotta have" sticks and buy a quantity of ones you like and store them properly.
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