July 14, 2009

Using Cedar to Light a Cigar

By Dave Sabot

Smoking is as much about the accessories attached to the activity as it is about the tobacco itself. As is the case with cooking a gourmet meal, a smoker oftentimes spends an equal amount of time deciding upon the best way to go about their preferred leisure activity as they do deciding upon which type of tobacco or cigar they prefer. Among the very gourmet methods of smoking cigars is the lighting of the stogie with a cedar strip.

Many cigar smokers seek to experience their smoke in a way that keeps it completely free of flavors imparted by chemicals. Some smokers claim to be able to taste lighter fluid when using lighters fueled by liquids and, for them, a butane cigar lighter or a match is the typical choice. Cedar strips are used by those who want something entirely different out of their experience.

Cedar burns quickly and hot and provides a vibrant flame for lighting the actual cigar. Some smokers, depending on their sensitivity to taste, claim to be able to taste the cedar a bit while others say there is no taste at all. Either way, no one seems to find the experience unpleasant in any regard. The cedar is used to light the cigar as would be any other implement, the cigar is rotated, the smoker puffs until an even and hot cherry is generated.

A match or a lighter"butane, if chemicals are the issue"is used to ignite the cedar strip. These strips will usually burn for more than long enough to light a cigar. Sometimes they can be used for several. The flame is applied to the cigar as would any other flame: The cigar should be rotated while puffing to produce a nice, even cherry and to avoid any part of the cigar from becoming too hot. Be sure that the strip is extinguished fully before setting it aside!

While cedar does have its advantages, many smokers who are particularly concerned about the taste of chemicals have switched to butane lighters to fire-up their stogies. Like a match or a cedar strip, they impair no taste and there are no chemical fumes emitted by the flame. While high-quality lighter fluids virtually eliminate any such concerns, purists still tend to stick to butane or matches. Butane lighters are much easier to carry about, of course, and aren't vulnerable to moisture or falling apart as are cedar strips. For adding an old-fashioned touch to one's cigar smoking, however, there are few things that do it so well as do cedar strips. For a change of pace, consider picking up a few and giving it a try!

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