How to Cut, Light & Smoke a Cigar Properly (Beginner Guide)

When it comes to smoking a cigar, it's easy to rush the process, especially when it comes to cutting, lighting, and then finally smoking. Cigar smoking is meant to be savoured, relaxed, and slow, not rushed, standing outside a pub taking 10 minutes like cigarette smokers.

This is about refinement, culture, history, and much more, so I am going to go over how to properly cut, light, and smoke a cigar the way it should be done.

Cutting

When it comes to cutting a cigar, there are a few different cuts you can use. There’s the straight cut, V cut, and punch cut; these are the main three cuts used by almost every cigar smoker. Now, there are a few different variations on these, being the Cuban cut, pinch cut, and crown cut, etc.

I am going to go over each one briefly and describe the benefits of each one. Now, when it comes to cutting the cigar, the cut you use is personal preference, so use whichever one you prefer or experiment with different ones to find your favourite.

1. Straight Cut

The straight cut is considered the only cut by some. Now, the straight cut has its place, but I wouldn’t say it's the only cut to use. The straight cut is done by using a guillotine cutter. I’d recommend a double guillotine cutter, as the single-blade ones just squash the cigar into the blade, which causes the cigar to crack before properly being cut, ruining your smoking experience.

To make a straight cut, make sure you’re only taking a small amount off the cap of the cigar. A cigar may have single, double, or even triple caps, but even then, you only need to take a small amount off. Taking too much off and going beyond the cap will again result in the cigar unravelling and ruining the cigar and smoking experience.

A straight cut will open the cigar, giving you a full and cooler draw, which is preferred by most.

2. V Cut

The V cut is a great cut to use, as it works by taking a section out of the middle of the cap while keeping the cap intact. It opens the cigar up with more surface area, meaning you will be getting a fuller draw but also a quicker smoke, which means that when using a V cut, your smoking times will be reduced due to the cigar burning quicker.

There are two main V cutters I use, the first being the Colibri V cutter, as it offers a deeper V, giving a more comfortable mouthfeel and quicker smoke. The second V cutter is the Xikar V Cut, which has a shallower V, offering a unique mouthfeel and a slightly slower smoke than the Colibri offers.

This is why I like to use the V cutter; it's a fail-safe cut every time, unless you have a really dry cigar. Then it could potentially crack it, but if you do have a dry cigar, you shouldn’t really smoke it anyway.

3. Punch Cut

The punch cut is another old-school cut. It works by taking a small round cut out of the middle of the cigar without ruining the integrity of the cap. The punch cut offers a more restrictive smoking experience, resulting in a more intense flavour profile from a cigar that you might not get if you used a straight cut or even a V cut.

I like to use the punch cut on smaller ring gauge cigars like a Montecristo No. 5 or even the H. Upmann Half Corona. However, the beauty of a punch cut is that they come in different sizes, so you can use them on a range of different cigars.

Punch cutters are usually the most convenient cut, as they usually come on the bottom of your lighters, so instead of carrying around multiple accessories, you only need one.

4. Cuban, Pinch, Crown Cuts

For this section, I’m going to briefly go over the additional cuts in slightly less detail. Most of these cuts are not commonly used; however, they can have their uses.

Cuban cut is most commonly used on torpedo (Figurado)-shaped cigars, as it involves cutting the cigar at an angle on the point. While the V cut was the preferred method for cutting these shaped cigars, the Cuban cut was developed to produce a clean cut without damaging the wrapper while using either a guillotine cutter or a knife, which was more commonly carried compared to a V cutter.

Pinch cut is a simple and easy way to open your cigar to produce airflow. A pinch cut is done by using your thumbnail and forefinger to pinch the cap of the cigar, creating a small opening. A pinch cut can also be done by using your teeth. The pinch cut was used for many years by cigar smokers, farmers, and even rollers, as there weren’t always cigar cutters available either at hand or even before these cutters were invented. Even in today’s society, where certain cutters are available, some cigar enthusiasts still prefer the pinch cut, and some cigar companies even place a pigtail on their cigars so people can twist and remove the cap without the need for a cutter.

Crown cut is basically a double V cut, usually done on larger ring gauge cigars. This is done for maximum airflow and a unique mouthfeel and smoking experience. Crown cuts on larger cigars allow for a quicker smoke time, which lets you smoke your favourite bigger ring gauge cigars more quickly than they would normally smoke. It’s also thought that the more you open up a cigar, the more intense flavour you get from the smoke.

Lighting

When it comes to lighting a cigar, there are two ways to do it: either with a blue flame/torch or a yellow flame. Now, the lighting process is, in my opinion, the most important part of all of this, so you do not want to rush the lighting stage, because if you do, it's an easy way to ruin your cigar and smoking experience.

When it comes to lighting your cigar using a lighter, always make sure you use butane fuel and not lighter fluid, as that will leave a taste on your cigar which is not nice. The same goes if you are using a match. When you first strike the match, let the phosphorus burn off for a second first, as you don’t want this taste on your cigars either.

So whether you want to use a yellow flame, such as a lighter, match, or even a cedar stick, or a blue flame, such as a torch, the first thing you want to do with your cigar is toast the bottom before you make your final light.

Toasting the foot of the cigar before lighting allows for a few different things. The first and main point of toasting a cigar is to allow you to fully and evenly light the foot before you start smoking. If you don’t do this, it results in uneven burn, a less flavourful smoke, and bitter and harsh first puffs.

In order to toast a cigar, you take your flame and go around the circumference of the cigar until it starts to glow evenly, making sure to prepare all the leaves in the cigar, such as the wrapper, binder, and filler leaves, for the ultimate smoking experience.

In my opinion, the best way to toast and light a cigar is by using a torch lighter. Hold it at a rough 45-degree angle to the foot of the cigar and about 1–2 inches from the cigar (depending on the height of your flame), and then slowly rotate the flame and the cigar around the edges until it starts to evenly glow and light. Then you want to bring the cigar to your mouth while still keeping the lighter a few inches from your cigar, take a few small puffs, and continue to rotate the flame and cigar to finish your lighting process.

The process is the same for using the yellow flame method, such as matches, a yellow flame lighter, or a cedar spill. However, the process will take longer, as a yellow flame doesn’t have as much power as a torch flame. However, the process can be more therapeutic and romantic.

The main takeaway from the lighting stage is don’t jam the flame into the cigar as you are lighting it, don’t puff too aggressively while you are lighting, don’t overheat the cigar, as it can ruin the flavour, and finally, don’t use fuel lighters such as Zippos, as they can impart the taste of the fuel onto the cigar.

Smoking

Now we come to the section I believe is easily overlooked. Smoking may sound easy; however, cigar smoking is a little different. When it comes to smoking a cigar, you never want to inhale the smoke. Doing this will make you sick, as cigars have higher levels of nicotine, which are absorbed through the mouth instead. I could go into how this makes you sick by saying that cigar tobacco is fermented, which increases pH levels, resulting in irritation to your lungs, causing you to cough or have chest pains, but I don’t want to put you off. So, as long as you don’t inhale cigar smoke, you will be fine.

So, with that being said, how do we smoke a cigar? Cigar smoking is a slow and relaxing process. It's not one to be rushed. We all smoke cigars to relax after a stressful day, to wind down, and to take the time to either reflect or forget.

When it comes to smoking a cigar, you want to be taking slow, gentle puffs roughly every 60 seconds. There are a few reasons for this:

Too fast results in the cigar overheating, which results in harsh, bitter flavours and uneven burning of the wrapper.
Too slow results in the cigar going out and you having to relight it often, which can cause a sour or stale taste and tar build-up, which can then be released through the cap and get into your mouth.

So you’ve got the pace of smoking a cigar down. Now what’s next? After you have mastered your pace, you want to focus on rotating your cigar about 90 degrees every time you take a puff or two. The reason for this is that you want to burn the wrapper evenly throughout the smoke to avoid canoeing, which is when a cigar only burns down one side. Another thing to consider is resting or putting your cigar down between puffs. This naturally allows you to slow your roll, let the cigar stay cool, and avoid some of the issues I have mentioned above that come with smoking too fast.

One thing I am going to quickly mention is try and keep the ash on the cigar as long as possible, meaning don’t go flicking or tapping the ash off every time it gets to a certain length. Cigars are not cigarettes; you don’t need to keep flicking the ash off. In fact, the ash is an important part of the cigar smoking experience. It allows the cigar to maintain a cooler smoke by not letting the cigar get too hot, which, as we have already talked about, can cause an unpleasant experience that can make or break your opinion on cigars.

Retrohaling is a cigar smoking technique that involves exhaling the smoke from your mouth through your nasal passages instead of just your mouth. This process enhances the flavours you are going to experience from a particular cigar. With cigar smoking, most of the subtle notes, like spice, earth, and cedar, are not going to be picked up by just exhaling through the mouth on a regular puff.

Now, you may be thinking, how are we meant to exhale through the nose if you don’t take the smoke into your lungs? As I’ve mentioned above, you are not supposed to take cigar smoke down. Well, in order to perform a retrohale, what you need to do is draw smoke into your mouth first, hold the smoke there for a moment, then let out about 90% of the smoke. Then, before you let the rest out, bring your tongue to the roof of your mouth and slowly exhale. By doing this, it naturally pushes the smoke through your nose.

Another way to do this is to chew the smoke. So if you draw smoke into your mouth as normal and exhale about 80–90% of the smoke, then with the last bit of smoke in your mouth, if you chew it as if you were eating the smoke, this will again naturally release the smoke through the nasal passages. I’d recommend practising these techniques slowly and as often as you can, because the sooner you learn these techniques, the quicker you will be able to pick up the nuances in cigars.

So you’ve come to the end of your cigar. You might be naturally inclined to stub the cigar out in the ashtray. Do not do this. Just rest the cigar in the ashtray and let it die out naturally on its own.

There are a few reasons for this:

It's a respect aspect. There have been thousands of hands involved in creating your cigars, and stubbing them out like a cigarette would be disrespectful to the people who have spent their time and effort creating them.
Stubbing cigars out doesn’t actually stop the cigars from burning; it actually does the opposite. It makes them burn longer and also releases a horrible, harsh smell.

So let them die naturally and with dignity.

One last thing I want to mention is that when you first start smoking cigars, you are probably going to feel a few things, like:

Dizzy
Nauseous
Sweaty

These are normal for new smokers. This is what happens when you’re new to the nicotine content of cigars. Cigar smoking also lowers your blood sugar levels, which gives you the symptoms above.

There are a few things you can do, especially as a new smoker, to limit the likelihood of these symptoms:

Have a big meal before you smoke your cigar. Having food in your stomach before you smoke is going to be a saving grace when smoking any cigar.
Have a sugary drink like Coke as a pairing with your cigar. Drinking this throughout the smoke will help combat these symptoms.
Also have some chocolate while you smoke. Not only will it help with these symptoms, but chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is also a fantastic cigar pairing and will help enhance the flavour notes of a cigar.
And the final one is take a break. There is no harm in putting your cigar down for a bit, having a break, and coming back to it, especially if you are smoking with seasoned smokers. You may be inclined to try and keep up with them and their pace.

Final Thoughts

Cigar Smoking Is a Ritual, Not a Rulebook

While there are best practices when it comes to cutting, lighting, and smoking a cigar, none of them are absolute rules set in stone. Cigars have been enjoyed for centuries by people from all walks of life, long before modern cutters, torch lighters, or even humidors existed.

The most important part of cigar smoking is finding what you enjoy. Pay attention to how a cigar tastes when you change your cut, slow your pace, or pair it with something different. Over time, you’ll naturally develop your own rhythm, preferences, and rituals, and that’s when cigar smoking truly becomes rewarding.

Take your time, stay curious, and most importantly, enjoy the moment. A good cigar isn’t just something you smoke; it’s something you experience.

We have now come to the end of this article, and as always, I want to thank you for reading, and especially sticking with this one, as I know it has been a long one.