How to Cut, Light, and Store a Cigar

Three simple skills make every premium cigar taste better: a clean cut, a patient light, and proper storage. Here is how to do each.

How to cut a cigar

Find the cap, the rounded end you draw from, and the shoulder just below it where the curve flattens. Cut just above the shoulder, removing only enough to open a clean draw. Cutting too deep can cause the wrapper to unravel. A guillotine gives a straight cut, and a V cutter makes a centered wedge.

How to light a cigar

Hold the foot, the open end, just above a torch flame without letting the flame touch the tobacco. Rotate the cigar and toast the edge until it glows evenly. Then hold the flame close and draw gently while rotating until the whole foot is lit. Take your time, because a rushed light burns unevenly.

How to store cigars

Cigars stay fresh at about 70 percent humidity and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, which a humidor maintains. If you do not have a humidor, a sealed bag or airtight container with a small humidity pack will keep them for a short time. Avoid the refrigerator, which is dry and full of odors.

Ready to put it into practice? Explore the Collegiate Series and the lighters and cutters that make it easy.