Why are my cigars burning unevenly?

Tuesday, May 11 2010

Q: Sometimes when I light a cigar it burns unevenly. I know I'm toasting the foot right. Is it because my torch lighter is hitting a side of the cigar to long?
- B. Ibach (hometown omitted)

A: It could be the lighter, but I doubt it. Well-made cigars will often recover from an uneven burn. (I've even done this intentionally just to prove it.) It may have more to do with how much moisture is in the cigar, or the way the cigars were rolled.

One little tip, in case you're not doing so: Try to toast the foot as evenly as possible while keeping the flame from touching the cigar. Gently blow on the foot until it is glowing completely. Then let it recede for a few seconds. At that point you should get a pretty good draw. Also, rotate your cigar as you smoke it. That will help it burn more evenly, too.