It is a common experience for a long conversation or an unexpected interruption to pull a smoker’s attention away from their cigar. Unlike manufactured cigarettes, a premium cigar is constructed solely from natural, fermented tobacco leaves, which means it contains no chemical additives designed to keep it burning continuously. When the rhythm of gentle puffing stops, the cigar’s ember naturally extinguishes itself, leaving a partially smoked stick behind. This guide provides the necessary methods for successfully relighting a cigar.
The Acceptability of Relighting
The short answer is that relighting a cigar is completely acceptable, especially if the pause is brief. A cigar is designed to go out if not actively smoked, preventing it from burning hot and ruining the tobacco’s subtle flavors. This self-extinguishing nature is a natural result of its composition.
Most aficionados agree that a cigar can be successfully relit if the time elapsed is relatively short, ideally within an hour or two. The general rule of thumb permits relighting if the cigar has not been sitting for more than a few hours, though attempts can be made up to 24 hours later with a noticeable compromise in quality.
Proper Technique for Relighting a Cigar
The first step for a successful relight is to prepare the foot by removing stale, charred material. Gently tap the foot against an ashtray to dislodge loose ash and hardened carbon buildup. If the cigar has been out for a longer period, gently scrape away any remaining crusty material to expose fresh, unburned tobacco.
Next, “purge” the cigar to eliminate the stale gases and residue that have condensed inside the tobacco. Hold the unlit cigar away from your face and gently blow air through the head, forcing the trapped smoke and ammonia out through the foot. This action vents the acrid elements that would otherwise deliver a harsh, bitter taste.
The lighting process should utilize a clean-burning heat source, such as a butane torch lighter or a cedar spill, avoiding soft flames like matches or fluid lighters that impart unwanted flavors. Hold the cigar just above the flame, rotating it slowly until the entire foot is evenly toasted and glowing orange. Do not allow the flame to directly touch the tobacco, as the goal is to reignite the ember, not to scorch the filler.
Once the foot is fully glowing, take a few gentle puffs while still rotating the cigar over the heat source to ensure a uniform burn line. A small flame may erupt from the foot during this process, which is the final combustion of the remaining stale gases. After the light is established, the smoke should be smooth, signifying that the carbon and residue have been successfully purged.
When Relighting Affects Flavor and Quality
The quality of a relit cigar diminishes over time because of chemical changes that occur as the tobacco cools. When a cigar goes out, combustion stops, and smoke residue, including heavy tars and carbon, condenses into the cooler, unburned tobacco ahead of the burn line. This condensation is the primary source of the acrid, metallic, or bitter flavor experienced with a poorly relit stick.
The longer the cigar sits, the more this residue permeates the tobacco, making it more difficult to purge successfully. Ammonia, a compound released during fermentation, also becomes trapped when the cigar is extinguished, contributing to a sharp, unpleasant taste.
If a break is necessary, allow the cigar to extinguish naturally without crushing or stubbing it out, as this forces more tar into the wrapper and filler. Never place a partially smoked cigar back into a humidor, as the burnt end introduces stale odors and disrupts the moisture balance of the other cigars. If the relight attempt, even after proper purging, still yields a strongly bitter or acrid flavor, it is best to abandon the remainder, as the flavor profile is too compromised to salvage.