How to Relight a Cigar

Cigars, much to their credit, can burn a long while. The idea of having a long, relaxing smoke is one of their principal selling points, and where truly high-end cigars are concerned, smokers are often willing to pay quite a premium for that experience! There will come a time, however, when one won’t be able to finish their entire cigar without interruption and many smokers wonder if it’s okay to relight a cigar or if the whole thing is ruined if put out before it’s finished. The good news is that a cigar can be relit, though with some change of flavor. Here’s how to relight a cigar and finish enjoying your smoke.

As tar builds up in the tobacco during the smoking process, the flavor of the cigar inevitably changes. This change in and of itself is not necessarily unpleasant. In fact, some cigar smokers enjoy the flavor of a half to almost completely smoked cigar to a fresh one. The effect can seem more pronounced when a cigar is put out and relit, however.

The tobacco in the center of the cigar will likely have a different appearance than that around the edges. In most cases, it will be a bit darker. This is nothing to worry about and the cigar will smoke fine. The lighting process for relighting a cigar is identical to the first light, involving turning the cigar over the flame. Torch lighters, liquid-fuel lighters or butane lighters will work fine, there is nothing at all that differs in the lighting process.

Before relighting, either knock off the ash at the foot of the cigar or trim the cigar back to where the fresh tobacco and wrapper is exposed. Any cigar smoker should have either a cutting tool or one of the many cigar cutter lighters available on the market. When the cigar is cut back, the tobacco will likely appear somewhat discolored, usually darker, especially around the center of the cigar. This is nothing about which one needs to be concerned.

Given the size of most high-end cigars and the price that many of them command, it would be a terrible waste to throw half of one away. Cigars will sometimes go out on their own, as well, particularly if one takes a while between puffs. Whatever the reason, one doesn’t need to be wasteful and the cigar can always be relit. Remember that multiple relights will increase the change in flavor so there may be a point where the quality of the smoke changes enough to make it undesirable to some smokers. Most often, however, even the most sensitive and discriminating smokers will find the taste of a cigar that has been relit once or twice completely acceptable and just as enjoyable.