Cigars can be a great way to spend the time, whether you are among friends or relaxing alone at your house. Many people smoke cigars as a way to wind down after a long day or to start their weekend.

When people first get into the hobby of cigar smoking, they will find that there is a lot to learn especially when it comes to getting the proper pipe lighter for their cigar, choosing the perfect cutter, and even the etiquette that goes along with smoking.

When it comes to the bands on the cigars, leaving them on or taking them off depends on the situation. If you are home and smoking a cigar by yourself, there is no need to remove the band - it will have no impact on the flavor of the cigar. However, when you are out among friends or at a cigar bar, removing the band is the proper etiquette. Many believe that leaving the band on is rude.

Why would leaving the band on your cigar be rude? Well, the band contains as much information about the cigar as you would likely ever need to know. Those who are knowledgeable about cigars will be able to tell not only the brand of cigar, but also the approximate amount of money that you spent on it. When you have an expensive cigar and leave the band on, it can look as though you are bragging about your wealth in some people’s eyes. You can avoid the envious glares of others around you by simple removing the band and enjoying your cigar.

The label on your cigar is very telling, and you should keep this in mind when you are smoking around others. You should be able to remove the label with very little effort on your part, and you won’t cause any damage to your cigar. After you light the cigar and take the first couple of puffs, you will find that the label will loosen slightly and you will be able to pull it off with ease. Smoking cigars can be a great pastime, but you really need to put in the effort so you know all of the “rules” that go along with it.

Some cigar smokers enjoy nothing more than getting out on the water, in the woods or to the campground and lighting up their favorite brand of cigar. Being outside, there are no concerns about the aroma and one is free to puff to their heart’s content. Of course, lighting a cigar is a particularly intricate affair and doing it incorrectly can ruin a fine smoking session. There are several ways in which one may overcome this though some of them carry some concerns about influencing the taste of the cigar in a negative way.

Lighter fluid burns with a distinctive smell. It has an oily consistency which makes it highly-prized for its being able to burn in even very windy conditions. Lighter fluid has a taste which is detectable by some individuals and not at all detectable by others. Different fluids are said to affect this characteristic, as well. Whether or not this is true is entirely up to the individual to decide. Some cigar smokers would not for a minute consider giving up their prized Zippo; others would hesitate to light a fine cigar with anything other than a wooden match or a cedar strip.

Butane lighters are another popular choice. When these lighters came out, they were almost universally cheap and disposable. Today, there are lighters that use butane for fuel that are of as high a quality as any fluid-filled lighter. Many of them are windproof, offering some stiff competition to fluid-filled lighters in that regard, as well. While this may be a concern when out in the elements, however, most cigar smoking is done in much less-extreme conditions and most choices in lighting devices are made according to taste more than they are according to concerns regarding their ability to function in trying conditions.

Fluid-filled lighters are still very popular and, because many are given away to mark special occasions, many individuals have a nostalgic attachment to them. There are several brands of lighter fluid available which are formulated to eliminate the chemical taste. Even if a lighter fluid does give this taste, it is usually only for the first few puffs and it dissipates quickly.

Whether or not the taste of lighter fluid is something about which one should harbor concern is entirely for the smoker to decide. Being outdoors is as much about the equipment as it is about anything else and using a Zippo has something of an adventurous feel to it. These lighters long history of reliability makes them an advantageous choice for outdoor enthusiasts. The butane models, however, are very affordable and there’s nothing to say that it’s a bad idea to bring along more than one lighter and to see which proves superior in adverse outdoor conditions.

Anyone who has ever visited a tobacconist shop that specializes in high-quality cigars is likely to remember the enormous cabinets in which all of the boxes and brands were displayed for sale. Such a cabinet is known as a humidor, and anyone who hopes to retain and even improve the quality of their own cigars will need to invest in at least one home-sized version. Why would someone require more than a single humidor? Apart from the obvious fact that they may own many boxes of costly cigars that need to be stored properly, they may also want to age cigars without loss of quality.

So, does this mean that you can take all of your cigars and put them in the same box without any further worries or concerns? No, it helps to understand that cigars are full of volatile oils and humidity, and these can often cause a few “clashes” between varieties. For example, most modern cigars will come with a cellophane wrapper, and this is not to maintain the humidity, but to allow the cigar to actually pull air through the wrapper. This cellophane is used primarily to prevent damage from occurring to the tobacco wrapping the cigar and to minimize the amount of flavor or aroma mingling that can occur within a humidor.

This means that storing different types of cigars in the same cabinet or box is not usually recommended. While there are some exceptions – such as storing the same basic varieties together, outside of their cellophane sleeves, for no more than a two month time span – the standard rule of thumb is to keep only one brand in a box for long-term storage. If this is going to be too costly or difficult, most cigar shops and websites sell boxes with Spanish cedar dividers that can help to minimize flavor mingling, and some that even come with dividers and separate trays too.

Now, if you are someone who is going to age their cigars, which is a process that takes upwards of two to three years to successfully complete, then you have to really consider the impact of mixing cigars in the same tray or box. Certainly it would take a knowing palette to detect the subtle mingling that might transpire over the aging period, but is it worth the risk of keeping several types together?

Now, a bit earlier in this discussion the cellophane sleeves that wrap individual cigars were mentioned, and many wonder if these prevent flavor blending or mingling. While they might slow the process to a measurable degree, if you are taking the time to age cigars you may want to still stick with keeping them in individual trays or divided from one another via cedar partitions regardless of the cellophane or not.

Cigar smoking, like any other gourmet activity, is one where every aspect of the endeavor matters. This includes when one should ash their cigar. The ash does do a bit of work for the cigar smoker and maintaining the proper amount affects the quality of the smoke.

The first few puffs of a cigar always entail the hottest ember. The flame generated by high-end cigar lighters, such as a Colibri lighter, is very hot and, thus, is held a bit back from the stogie. However, the ember still needs to cool a bit before the taste is at its best.

While a cigar is certainly hot, it should not be so hot that it affects the taste of the tobacco. This is why very powerful lighters, such as the various Lotus torch lighter models, are held a bit away from the cigar during the lighting process. To burn, fire or embers require fuel, oxygen and heat. The ash regulates the amount of oxygen the cherry receives and, thus regulates the overall temperature of the burn. As any smoker is aware, the first puff off of a cigar is usually the hottest. The temperature of the smoke mellows as ash is generated.

Too much ash, of course, will extinguish the cherry. Usually one ashes their cigar long before this happens but, if it happens to be set down in an ashtray, it will sometimes go out because of this effect. Generally, one wants to find the happy medium between a cool burn and having the cigar go out. This takes some experience but, like most things related to cigar smoking, the experimentation means nothing more intense than enjoying a good cigar! Be sure to take note of how much ash lends the right temperature to the ember at the foot of the cigar.

The cigar ash may still have some very hot embers within it, so keep this in mind when smoking in outdoor locations. Especially in areas with dry grass or wood, this can pose a risk of fire. To make sure the ash is cooled, flick it first into the palm of the hand and then toss it to the wind once one is sure it’s cooled off. Aside from determining the flavor of a cigar, the ash presents one of the hazards of smoking and should be watched.

We received an email yesterday from the guys at www.stogiereview.com that included information about a new website the stogiereview crew has recently launched. The website, Cigar Friendly, is a user-edited database of cigar friendly establishments across the United States and currently lists 196 smoke friendly locations.

Stogie fans that travel regularly may find it particularly useful and much more efficient than using Google’s local search to locate smoking lounges in their destination city. The email even noted a forthcoming mobile application as well as event planning and favorites/bookmarking capabilities. The email also mentions a soon-to-come feature of ‘State Representatives’ wherein designated Cigar Friendly users will be available to help introduce people to other cigar fans and cigar friendly locations.

Additionally, with the site you can:
Register and Login.
Create a profile and view other people’s profiles.
Create and manage listings.
Comment on and/or rate a listing.
Leave a Visitor Message on a users profile wall.
Send Private Messages to other users.

You can visit the website at: http://www.CigarFriendly.us.

Lighting a cigar is something of an art. Improperly-lighting a stogie can compromise the taste and, potentially, can ruin what would otherwise be a fine smoke. Oftentimes, the problem comes down to the lighter used. Cigar lighters have specific characteristics that make them better suited to the task than a standard cigarette lighter. Principally, the wider flame area means that the tobacco is torched more evenly and that the cigar starts burning correctly from the moment it’s first puffed.

Cigar lighters have certain characteristics that help to provide an excellent light every time. Most often, these lighters have a wider flame area which ensures that the heat from the flame is distributed more evenly across the tobacco which prevents hot-spots that must be evened out. If this happens, however, the process of correcting the light and making it more even is fairly easy.

If the cigar is burning hot in one area and smoldering in others, one may simply blow on the foot to even out the temperature. It’s common enough to see even experienced cigar smokers doing this. If this proves inadequate, one may hold the flame to the unlit portion to heat the tobacco up to a good burning temperature. This should be done without drawing on the cigar in most cases. If the cigar is burning very unevenly, one may wish to start over.

After stubbing out the cigar, repeat the entire process starting with the toasting. To toast the tobacco, hold the cigar slightly above the lighter flame until it reaches an even warmth. After this is been done, one lights the cigar by holding the flame slightly below the wrapper and puffing the flame into the tobacco. Because the cigar has been stubbed out and was never lit correctly in the first place, the toasting process must be repeated to ensure proper burn. Without doing so, the cigar will burn unevenly resulting in a poor-quality smoke.

Cigars can be lit with liquid-fuel lighters but this leaves a chemical taste. This taste will be intensified by relighting a cigar to make up for a bad burn. Butane lighters can provide a flavor-free light no matter how long it is held to the tobacco but one must be certain not to overheat the tobacco when relighting it. This will result in a sharp, unpleasant taste. Getting the perfect light takes time and practice but is part of the art of smoking cigars.

Many individuals who prefer to purchase reusable products have moved from fluid-filled lighters to a butane lighter. These devices are cleaner-burning, impart no taste to tobacco and come in designs that are as windproof as their fluid-filled cousins. They also provide a very long service life and can be purchased in designs with ornamented and commemorative cases. While their reliability is not an issue, many individuals wonder how many lights they can get out of a tank of fuel.

Butane torches use pressurized gas which is held in the reservoir portion of the device. Though the lighter may have a large size, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it has a large reservoir of fuel attached. In fact, some larger lighters have rather small reservoirs relative to the size of the device on the whole. The larger tanks are oftentimes found on the more expensive models, principally those with more than one flame, that consume more fuel simply because they produce a hotter and more energetic flame.

Torch lighters can be adjusted to allow for a shorter, less powerful flame. This can help to conserve a great deal of fuel. In cases where one’s lighter is just about out of fuel and one is far away from home, this can help to get a few extra lights out of the torch. Remember that keeping a sustained flame will burn a very large amount of fuel, as well, and should be avoided if one is almost dry.

With larger lighters, the reservoir is oftentimes very much enlarged to accommodate more powerful flames and multiple jets. This has the effect of balancing out the number of lights that one can expect from a full tank of fuel with what one would expect from a less-powerful lighter. In either case, butane is a long-lasting fuel and even a lighter which is heavily-used should only have to be refueled a couple of times each month. Relative to the weight, butane lighters provide many more lights than liquid-filled lighters.

In the end, the most efficient lighters will be those that produce the gentlest flame. Turning one’s flame up higher will diminish the efficiency. In most cases, one can count on at least 100 lights out of their butane reservoir depending upon their usage habits and the number of jets on their lighter. To increase this number, one may simply turn down the fuel valve a bit.

One can easily picture the scene. A smoker has stubbed out their cigar halfway through, they pick up the stogie, grab their Nibo lighter and get ready to relight it and are immediately warned by a friend that they should only smoke the first half of the cigar.

The taste of a cigar will, of course, change a bit as one gets closer to the end. Whether or not this is desirable is completely a matter of personal taste. The best way to find out is to experiment and there are few cigar smokers who would object to this sort of investigation!

The taste of the cigar changes because tar builds up in the tobacco as one puffs through it. This is unavoidable. It’s not that the tobacco is any different from one end of the cigar to the other, it’s simply that the byproducts of combustion inevitably build up and affect the flavor. Many individuals find this change in taste quite enjoyable and, as one gets more used to the flavor of the cigar, one also gets more “bite” off of each puff which makes it enjoyable from start to finish.

A cigar’s flavor may change a bit because, of course, the tobacco dries out a bit as the heat from the smoke travels through the wrapper. This also gives the last part of the cigar a slightly different flavor than the first part. This is unavoidable and, again, there are no hard and fast rules about this. Some individuals will stub out their cigar halfway through and others will chew on the butt long after its gone out on its own. It’s all up to the individual and one’s own preference should be the only thing that guides their choice in this regard.

Fine cigars are not cheap and their price is justified in the quality of their tobacco and in the technique used in wrapping the leaves. Saying that one should smoke only half of a cigar is akin to saying one should only eat half of a gourmet chicken because the taste of the meat changes slightly as one approaches the bone. It is a matter of preference and little more. Some individuals will find that the cigar becomes too strong for their taste toward the end and, in these cases, it is preferable to change brands rather than to waste fully half of a gourmet cigar. There are many mild brands on the market from which to choose.

If you enjoy smoking cigars, you’re carrying on a pastime that has been around for a very long time. Few things can compare to the enjoyment derived from a luxurious, high quality cigar. Of course, if you do smoke, you’ll realize quickly that you need a cutter and a quality lighter to help ensure your smoking enjoyment. You’ll find that one of the most popular options is to choose a cigar lighter with a cutter for your needs. These combination units offer quite a bit of convenience, as well as quality operation and other benefits.

What types of cutters do these combination devices come with? You’ll find that there are several different configurations for your convenience. In fact, you can find almost any type of cutter you might want combined with a high quality torch lighter. This is another factor you’ll want to consider. Most combination devices make use of the benefits of a jet torch type flame. This ensures that they are windproof and that you are able to enjoy a smooth, easy light every time.

What type of cutter do you prefer? You will find that numerous styles of cutters are available on the market. Many smokers choose to make use of a guillotine style cutter in tandem with a torch lighter. You’ll find a hole in the center of the lighter through which you slide the tip of the cigar. Depressing the blade cuts off the tip. You will also find lighters manufactured with punch cutters, as well as lighters that combine torch operation with a pair of scissors. You’ll need to know which style you prefer in order to ensure you are able to obtain the best operation possible.

If you do not know your own preferences, or how each type of cutter works, you can wind up with a product with which you are unsatisfied. This is simply throwing money down the drain. You must determine what type of cutter you prefer using, as well as the style of lighter you like.

You’ll also need to consider the lighter portion of the device. Do you want a single torch head? Do you want a dual flame model? Would you prefer a triple headed lighter? You’ll find all of these options available and quite a few more, so choose carefully when opting for any lighter/cutter combo.

When it comes to cigars, you are going to need to know a few things about them before you get started as a smoker. You are going to want to familiarize yourself with the various tools of the trade, including humidors, torch and windproof lighters, and cutters. One of the questions often asked by those who are starting out with cigars is in regards to cutting. They often want to know what the various tools are available to cut a cigar. You will find that there are many different options available when it comes to cutting a cigar, but some of them are far better than the others are.

One of the most commonly seen and used types of cutter on the market is the guillotine cutter. They have single and double bladed versions, and many claim that the double bladed versions offer you a cleaner cut on the head of the cigar. These cutters are easy to use, and you can even find lighter and cutter combinations.

V-cutters are a tool also used for cigar cutting. Some people find that they are useful, but there is a chance that you can actually ruin your cigar when using these cutters. They can create jagged edges at the opening, which means that you aren’t going to get a clean cut and the cigar will not be as pleasant. Cigar scissors are another option, but these take a while to learn to use effectively. Most people don’t want to take the time to practice and possibly ruin some of their precious cigars while they are doing it.  They can be hard to use when you don’t know what you are doing. Still, they are an option and one that some people prefer.

A workable option if you don’t have a cutter is a knife. Of course, you need to be sure that the knife is very sharp and that it is clean. Choose a nice knife and then only use it for cutting your cigars. If you use it for other things, it could ruin the taste of the cigar.

The above are just a few of the tools that people sometimes use to light their cigars. You can take some time to experiment with the different available tools, but keep in mind that you want to find something that will give you an easy cut. When you find a tool that works well for cutting, you should stick to it.