Relighting a cigar

I got this from the cheaphumidor newsletter about a week or so ago. I'm sure some of you have seen it already, but for those who haven't or have not tried it, I have tried it twice and it works like a charm.

If your cigar starts to get a bitter taste to it as you near the end, or perhaps if it went out and you are relighting, tap the coal end to clear as much ash as possible. Then take a butane torch and hold the flame so it goes directly into the ash. Hold it there until the entire ash becomes white hot (generally about 10 - 15 seconds). Then put the cigar into your mouth and put the flame a short distance from the coal. Blow through the cigar fairly hard (no, we're not trying to launch the white hot coal to the other side of the room). When you start blowing you will create a yellowish-orange flare. This color will change as you continue to blow. When the flare goes to blue or clear, the cigar is ready to smoke. There shouild be very little harshness . It should taste GOOD!!

Thanks Mark. I'll have to give it a try.

I'll give it a shot as well.

Lately when one goes out on me I have been knocking or raking the ash off and then using a torch and just heating the end really well (maybe 5-10 seconds) without drawing and I can smoke it from there. There is no need to draw while the flame is present.

I smoke so slow that I usually have to relight as least once.

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Originally Posted by planenut

I'll give it a shot as well.


I smoke so slow that I usually have to relight as least once.

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Same here. This is difinitely the first time I have ever heard of a color change while blowing in the cigar.

Called "purging".

Maybe it's just me, but I very rarely re-light a cigar. If I can tell it's going out and I'm not finished I'll hit it with the lighter and try to keep it alive, but I just can't stand the taste of a "used" :smiley36: cigar. Just personal taste I guess.

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Originally Posted by Desert Rat

Called "purging".

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Thank-you. My mind went blank earlier. :smiley29:

Thanks for the info

I've read and heard that purging the cigar also purges the taste. But if it's a choice between having to stop smoking the cigar and having to rebuild the flavor then it's probably not a bad choice.

By the way, purging that flavor can be useful if your cigar is getting harsh.

I learned this technique years ago at a cigar dinner from a rep of a cigar manufacture. Works pretty good most of the time. Personally I dont think it takes away from the base taste of the stick but it can remove the harshness. I think it was really developed to refresh your cigar if you've let it go out and it has sat around for some time. For example you finish half the cigar the night before and want to spark it up again the next day it removes the burnt stale taste.

Followed this method exactly last night, and it worked like a champ. :smiley20:

Yeah, this works good. I have yet to see the yellow flame though.
:smiley20: