How Aficionados Cut a Cigar

One of the great pleasures in life is the enjoyment of a fine cigar. It’s a great way to end a busy day or cap off a perfect day of fishing. Before you can enjoy that wonderful tobacco taste though, you have to cut the cigar. If this isn’t done just right, it can tarnish a great experience. You may end up with loose tobacco leaf in your mouth, or worse yet, that quality cigar may begin to unravel on you. Here are some tips to help you achieve a great cut both with a cutter and without one.

The Guillotine Cutter

The preferred method for most cigar enthusiast is to use a guillotine cutter. When used correctly they produce a quick clean cut and you get to enjoy a smooth full-bodied flavor you’ll enjoy. The key is to apply the cutter just before the end of the cap – about 3 or 4 mm from the end of the head. That way the wrapper won’t tear or unravel and you’ll have the perfect cigar ready to be lit.

The V-shaped cut

The V-Cutter is contoured for beauty and to fit securely in your hand. The stainless steel blade is spring-loaded and is purposefully designed with a cute and deep angle, so as to penetrate up to 7mm into the cap to provide a rich and robust draw. This is a classic preparation for a cigar and has come back into popularity as enthusiasts explore new flavor profiles and blends—and ways in which to enjoy them.

A Punch Cutter

While punch cutters aren’t as common, many cigar lovers swear by them. As you might suspect they punch a small hole in the cap of the cigar. It’s clean and rarely results in any damage to the structure of the cigar. For some, the hole may be too small though. You can get around this by punching more than one hole close together.

When You Don’t Have a Cutter 

There are few things more frustrating than arriving at that great cabin on the lake, ready to enjoy your favorite cigar only to realize you forgot your cutter at home! There are a few solutions to this problem. 

Some like the old-fashioned biting method – this will work, but it can be messy. Another option is to pull out your old pocketknife and cut the cap carefully. Again, this can be messy if you have a dull blade. A more creative method is to fashion your own punch with a sharp tree branch. Forgetting your cutter at home should never prevent you from enjoying a good cigar!