To the experienced smokers out there, this probably won't be much of a revelation, but to me, it certainly was. Hopefully, it will help one of my fellow newb's!

In the past few months, I have really had a lot of trouble with cigars tasting somewhat boring. They all had a burny, harsh taste, and I just couldn't pick out any flavors from them. It was really beginning to disappoint me, and I was losing some interest in my cigar-smoking passion.

About 3 weeks ago, I was at my favorite cigar stores, and I watched an "old timer" light his cigar. He wasn't pushing the flame from his lighter into the foot of his cigar. He was letting the heat from the flame come up to the foot as he drew it in. I went home that night and read similar advice on a few different cigar manufacturer's websites and thought that I would try it.

I've started 2 different things now. 1st, I keep the flame off of the cigar when toasting the foot. The foot is above the flame and toasts via the rising heat, not the intense flame. 2nd, I draw the heat up and into the cigar when I'm lighting it rather than allowing the flame to directly touch the foot. Low and behold, it has made a huge difference in the flavor that I am experiencing from my cigar smoking! Again, this probably isn't anything new for some of you, but hopefully, this might help a frustrated newb.

Enjoy!
Nick
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:-)
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:-) X2

Glad it has worked for the better!
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Glad you figured this out. Makes for a better experience. Hopefully this will help a newb. It's something we all had to learn sometime.
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I lite mine a little different, I never draw a flame into the cigar.
I toast it at a distance and then get the entire foot to glow even, blowing on the foot helps. Then I softly draw and recheck the foot for even glow and burn.

There are several ways to lite a cigar, glad you found one that works!
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I saw Michael Nouri do that in a movie once. Look like it worked, so I started doing it. It does help.
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Great tip! Will have to try this out today!
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I have been lighting my cigars this way for quite some time now as well. :-)
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:-):-)
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try this next...something i picked up from heiko in switzerland...i dont cut the cigar until after lighting.

derrek
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If I may chime in and add, paper matches or regular bic lighters are not good for the cigar as well. Beside inhaling all the fuel is not as natural as Cigar smoke :-) most better cigar lighter use butane. But I'v heard from many people that they toast it and blow it rather than inhaling any of the fuels while lighting. That's why some cigar bars still offer wood to light the cigar with if you noticed.
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I was going to try this, but I do check draw before lighting.
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I've done that before on accident :-)
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Never heard of that one... :-)
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This is exactly what I do :-) glad you're enjoying your smokes more, that's what is all about.
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I'll have to try that next! That method sounds like it would take a bit more time and might be tricky outside when it's windy, but I'll give it a shot.

Oh yeah...a big +1 on this one for me. I only use butane! I haven't tried blowing outward though, but I guess that it would have the same effect as toasting the foot until it was glowing hot. In either case, you wouldn't be sucking fumes into your cigar.

Thanks for adding to the thread, all!

Nick
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Why not? They are just another butane lighter and butane is odorless and tasteless, fwiw.
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I primarily use a bic. Unless I'm outside, then I use a ronson.
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Very interesting to learn this. I think its here or it was probably on the old fourm where I read that the disposable lighters are ussally not butane.
I guess I got wrong info.


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Yah it is a bit tricky with a breeze, it also uses more butane.
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