Stogie Tip: Cutting Your Cigar
Thursday, June 1st, 2006While enjoying a fine stogie is certainly more of an art than a science, there a few essential skills you should master in order to get the most out of the experience. That’s why, from time to time, we here at StogieGuys.com will take a few moments to share our expertise with you…And what better place to start than with a good, clean cut?
It’s worth pointing out that when it comes to cigar cutting, there are many different tools. Some people use specially-crafted cigar scissors, some use a sharp knife, a cigar punch, a V-cutter – some even use their teeth. But the most common tool, by far, is the guillotine-style cigar cutter (shown at left).
We strongly recommend the guillotine cutter for most cigar smokers because knives and teeth usually will not yield clean cuts. Cigar scissors are wonderful tools if you know how to use them (they require precision, practice, and a keen eye). And cigar punches and V-cutters, while perfect for some cigars (use punches on stogies with tightly-packed fillers to ease the draw and V-cutters on cigars with small ring gauges to increase surface area), are not always the best choice.
In order to use the guillotine cutter, take the head of the cigar (that’s the uncut end) and position it so the blade will enter the stogie just above the shoulder (where the cigar stops being round). If you’re planning to smoke a torpedo (that’s a cigar with a pyramid-shaped head), a good rule of thumb is to slice off about ½ of an inch.
With the guillotine confidently in place, press down firmly until the blade completely passes through the cigar. If the blade is sharp and the stogie is in good condition, you will get a nice clean cut. You may want to invest in a double-guillotine cutter (that’s a guillotine with – you guessed it – two blades) to ensure even cleaner cuts.
Now you’re well on your way to getting the most out of your cigar experience. In our next Stogie Tip, we’ll explain the correct way to light a cigar. Hint: It’s a bit more complicated than simply striking a match.
Happy smoking!
-Patrick A
Great site guys…found you via Cigar Blog 101. Go DC!
A quick extra tip is to be careful you don’t snip off too much of the cigar or it will loosen the wrapper.
The best practice is to place the cutter on a flat surface and cut the cigar while the cutter is on the flat surface. Perfect cut!
[...] As I indicated in the last Stogie Tip on June 1, properly lighting a cigar is a bit more complicated than simply striking a match. But if you follow these simple instructions, you’ll get a flawless light every time. [...]
[...] Just like any other fantastic hobby (it’s not a habit), cigar smoking should be more relaxing than cumbersome. But there are a few rules you should follow in order to respect your fellow man and, more importantly, get the most out of your experience. Since I’ve already shared with you my tips on cutting and lighting stogies, I think now is a great time to discuss proper cigar etiquette. [...]
[...] Unlit, the stogie had a pleasant cedar aroma. I cut it with my double guillotine and gave it a proper light after toasting the edges, but nothing could yet prepare me for the ride it was about to give my taste buds. [...]
[...] The cigar had an attractive Connecticut wrapper, except for two strange black blemishes. I clipped it with the double guillotine and gave it a proper light with some wooden matches. [...]
[...] - On June 1, in one of many Stogie Tips, we described the proper way to cut a cigar. [...]
[...] If you take a look through our archives, you’ll find dozens of tips from stogie basics, like cutting and lighting a cigar, to tips on choosing a drink and advanced smoking techniques. [...]
[...] 4. Cigar Aficionado has a video on the proper way to cut a cigar. Of course, you already know that. [...]
[...] The dark oily wrapper is a very pleasant site. The wrapper is smooth with some veins that can be seen but smooth to the touch. With the small ring gauge I did have problems with the cut. My Palio cutter was a bit of over kill on the first stick. The second stick, I turned to the advice of the guys at Stogie Guys (link at the end) who last month posted some pretty solid cutting tips where they recommended a v-cut for smaller ring gauged cigars to give you more surface area. [...]
[...] After clipping the cigar and carefully lighting it, I was greeted with a bitter-sweet chocolate flavor and a dry finish. Additionally there are some nutty notes in this medium to full bodied smoke. [...]
[...] I gave the stogie a proper snip with my V-cutter (I didn’t want to unnecessarily squander any delicious tobacco) and patiently toasted the foot with an array of wooden matches. A sweet plethora of notes gradually accumulated. [...]
[...] For starters, the top quarter inch of the dark wrapper has an alarming tendency to separate itself from the Nicaraguan binder during the cut. I write this, mind you, with complete confidence that the sticks had been stored properly and the cutter was sharp. As a result –on two of the three Toros I smoked for this review – much care and attention was required to keep them from falling apart. [...]
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