Uploaded December 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Bespoke Unit joins Davidoff's Klaas Kelner to demonstrate how to cut & light a cigar. Watch our video to see how a pro lights his cigar!
BUY KLAAS' FAVOURITE CUTTING & LIGHTING TOOLS:
ST Dupont 2 Finger Cutter: amzn.to/2Ki9N2y
ST Dupont Defi Torch Lighter: amzn.to/2Qbqnoo
ST Dupont Ligne 2 Lighter: amzn.to/2CAeKPJ
CONTINUE WATCHING:
See our other #davidoffcigars Dominican adventures with Klaas and others!
Davidoff's master rollers roll a cigar: youtu.be/sIx9-59oVgI
Paul & CP try to roll cigars: youtu.be/znVksViJaaA
Watch From Seed To Smoke, our Davidoff documentary: youtu.be/_mGFeOwjfbs
Our Davidoff playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfsWHCy_hDdq-Cir85QVpMqilLi9mMCH8
Learn to store an (unsmoked) cigar in a pinch: youtu.be/LQyXs0FPBKc
READ ABOUT CIGARS:
Detailed step-by-step guide to lighting a cigar: bespokeunit.com/cigars/lighting/how
How to cut a cigar properly: bespokeunit.com/cigars/cutting
All of our written content on cigars: bespokeunit.com/cigars
Visual guide to cigar and tobacco plant anatomy: bespokeunit.com/cigars/anatomy
How To Light A Cigar: Best Lighting Method For Cigars
Here at the Ocean Club & Luxury Collection Resort in Costa Norte, Dominican Republic, Klaas Kelner shows us how an expert lights his cigars!
For Klaas' demonstration, he will use a double guillotine straight cutter, which he prefers. This is because the wider resulting opening; however, the type of cut is up to your personal preference.
[03:49] 1. Moisten The Cigar
The first step only applies if you're lighting your own cigar, rather than a smoke for someone else. Lightly moisten the head with your mouth.
Moisture facilitates clean cutting, both on your cigar and on your table, as tobacco clippings won't fly when you cut.
[04:30] 2. Go In For The Cut
Placement of your cut is very important—try to get it right where the head starts to curve.
You need a big enough opening, but if you cut too far, you'll go below where the glue adheres the tobacco. This would cause the cigar to begin unraveling.
Cut where there's still glue, but not too high, and make a clear opening. You can use your fingers to kind of guide the cutter, and to block tobacco from flying about.
At this point, you can check for the draw. Next, you're clear to light!
[06:07] 3. Lighting
Here we have two lighters: a soft flame and a torch. A torch is preferable when there's a strong wind, like we have out here.
Hold your cigar at a 45 degree angle, foot downwards. Aim the flame towards the top edge of the foot. Going towards the bottom could allow the flame to lick the whole underside of the cigar.
Single flame torches allow for a very precise light. Holding the lighter below, aim the flame at the top edge, and rotate the cigar as you light, evenly burning all around the foot. Note that if you only light the center, you risk tunneling.
Blowing on the foot will feed oxygen into the burn, letting the burn line recede. The lit areas will glow red, showing you if everything's properly lit. If you're lighting a cigar for someone else, however, gently wave it in the air instead of blowing.
Although puffing while you light is common, and won't damage the cigar, it will generate smoke at a different temperature than normal. As Klaas points out, this can deliver puffs of smoke with an incomplete burn, affecting flavour.
Where the cigar is burning black is the "burn line." The thin burn line we see here is because it's a light cigar. Were it thicker, the burn line would likewise be thicker.
It's important to ensure your cigar is up to a sufficient temperature before smoking. When it is, the burn line will recede when you puff on it.
[11:48] 4. What If My Cigar Burns Unevenly?
If you've lit your cigar, and it's begun to burn unevenly, you ash first. Next, go straight at it with your flame to help the longer part catch up.
REMEMBER to comment! What's your preferred type of lighter, and does your lighting process include any steps we didn't cover? Finally, feel free to request any cigar topic you'd like us to feature on Bespoke Unit!
Yours,
The Bespoke Unit Team
CONNECT:
Web: BespokeUnit.com
Instagram: Instagram.com/BespokeUnit
Facebook: Facebook.com/BespokeUnit
Twitter: Twitter.com/BespokeUnit
Subscribe to Newsletter: BespokeUnit.com/newsletter
How To Light A Cigar: Best Lighting Method For Cigars:
youtu.be/z3E-LqcX9r8
Bespoke Unit joins Davidoff's Klaas Kelner to demonstrate how to cut & light a cigar. Watch our video to see how a pro lights his cigar!
BUY KLAAS' FAVOURITE CUTTING & LIGHTING TOOLS:
ST Dupont 2 Finger Cutter: amzn.to/2Ki9N2y
ST Dupont Defi Torch Lighter: amzn.to/2Qbqnoo
ST Dupont Ligne 2 Lighter: amzn.to/2CAeKPJ
CONTINUE WATCHING:
See our other #davidoffcigars Dominican adventures with Klaas and others!
Davidoff's master rollers roll a cigar: youtu.be/sIx9-59oVgI
Paul & CP try to roll cigars: youtu.be/znVksViJaaA
Watch From Seed To Smoke, our Davidoff documentary: youtu.be/_mGFeOwjfbs
Our Davidoff playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfsWHCy_hDdq-Cir85QVpMqilLi9mMCH8
Learn to store an (unsmoked) cigar in a pinch: youtu.be/LQyXs0FPBKc
READ ABOUT CIGARS:
Detailed step-by-step guide to lighting a cigar: bespokeunit.com/cigars/lighting/how
How to cut a cigar properly: bespokeunit.com/cigars/cutting
All of our written content on cigars: bespokeunit.com/cigars
Visual guide to cigar and tobacco plant anatomy: bespokeunit.com/cigars/anatomy
How To Light A Cigar: Best Lighting Method For Cigars
Here at the Ocean Club & Luxury Collection Resort in Costa Norte, Dominican Republic, Klaas Kelner shows us how an expert lights his cigars!
For Klaas' demonstration, he will use a double guillotine straight cutter, which he prefers. This is because the wider resulting opening; however, the type of cut is up to your personal preference.
[03:49] 1. Moisten The Cigar
The first step only applies if you're lighting your own cigar, rather than a smoke for someone else. Lightly moisten the head with your mouth.
Moisture facilitates clean cutting, both on your cigar and on your table, as tobacco clippings won't fly when you cut.
[04:30] 2. Go In For The Cut
Placement of your cut is very important—try to get it right where the head starts to curve.
You need a big enough opening, but if you cut too far, you'll go below where the glue adheres the tobacco. This would cause the cigar to begin unraveling.
Cut where there's still glue, but not too high, and make a clear opening. You can use your fingers to kind of guide the cutter, and to block tobacco from flying about.
At this point, you can check for the draw. Next, you're clear to light!
[06:07] 3. Lighting
Here we have two lighters: a soft flame and a torch. A torch is preferable when there's a strong wind, like we have out here.
Hold your cigar at a 45 degree angle, foot downwards. Aim the flame towards the top edge of the foot. Going towards the bottom could allow the flame to lick the whole underside of the cigar.
Single flame torches allow for a very precise light. Holding the lighter below, aim the flame at the top edge, and rotate the cigar as you light, evenly burning all around the foot. Note that if you only light the center, you risk tunneling.
Blowing on the foot will feed oxygen into the burn, letting the burn line recede. The lit areas will glow red, showing you if everything's properly lit. If you're lighting a cigar for someone else, however, gently wave it in the air instead of blowing.
Although puffing while you light is common, and won't damage the cigar, it will generate smoke at a different temperature than normal. As Klaas points out, this can deliver puffs of smoke with an incomplete burn, affecting flavour.
Where the cigar is burning black is the "burn line." The thin burn line we see here is because it's a light cigar. Were it thicker, the burn line would likewise be thicker.
It's important to ensure your cigar is up to a sufficient temperature before smoking. When it is, the burn line will recede when you puff on it.
[11:48] 4. What If My Cigar Burns Unevenly?
If you've lit your cigar, and it's begun to burn unevenly, you ash first. Next, go straight at it with your flame to help the longer part catch up.
REMEMBER to comment! What's your preferred type of lighter, and does your lighting process include any steps we didn't cover? Finally, feel free to request any cigar topic you'd like us to feature on Bespoke Unit!
Yours,
The Bespoke Unit Team
CONNECT:
Web: BespokeUnit.com
Instagram: Instagram.com/BespokeUnit
Facebook: Facebook.com/BespokeUnit
Twitter: Twitter.com/BespokeUnit
Subscribe to Newsletter: BespokeUnit.com/newsletter
How To Light A Cigar: Best Lighting Method For Cigars:
youtu.be/z3E-LqcX9r8
