Monday, November 29 1999
Relighting a cigar can be a tricky business. One technique is to clear the entire
foot of all ash by gently
rubbing and/or tapping it on the ashtray. You then re-toast the cigar to get the
wrapper going. Relight the
cigar by puffing, then blowing OUT through the cigar, which is supposed to clear the foot of tar and resins
left from the previous light. The downside of this technique is that sometimes you blow out sparks, turning
your cigar into a Roman candle.
I've tried this in the past with some success, but I stumbled upon what I think is a better way to go. Cut
the foot of the cigar about 1/4 to 1/2-inch back. This leaves you with mostly "fresh" tobacco. However, you
may often find the tobacco in the center a little scorched or blackened depending on how deep you cut it back,
but it will help keep the cigar from tasting bitter.
