Yes — there is more than one way to cut your cigar. And yes, it matters.
In my recent overview of the various shapes and sizes of cigars, I mentioned that I used to find cigars somewhat intimidating. I didn’t know what to buy, what brand was what, or why some cigars were darker than others… and on top of that, there were different methods to cutting and lighting. I’ll expand on lighting cigars another time, but let’s start with cutting, as this is the first step to enjoying a premium smoke.
Almost every premium cigar must be cut. This seems straightforward, right? Well, not exactly… there are many ways to cut a cigar. In theory, you could use a knife, your kitchen scissors, or even bite off the head... but, there are only three elegant and respectful ways to cut your cigar (in my opinion). In this article, I run through these three methods and provide my thoughts on how each cut impacts your smoking experience.
First, as a general rule, you want to cut your cigar at (or slightly before) the cigar’s shoulder. The shoulder of the cigar is toward the head, where the curved end of the cigar starts to straighten out. This rule is not as applicable to Figurados like a Perfecto, but it’s a useful guideline for regular Parejos.
Straight Cut
The straight cut seems to be the most common method. It’s also the easiest. With that said, you can still mess things up…
Achieving a straight and clean cut depends on the following:
- You need a sharp cutter.
- The cut should be straight, not angled.
- Don’t slice off too much.
Most cutters come sharp enough, but a good cutter, like this one from S.T. Dupont, will last much longer. You’ll know your cutter is dull when the wrapper pulls or tears when you attempt to cut your cigar (Note: this could also mean your cigar is simply too dry… I’m making the assumption here that your cigars are kept in a humidor between 62(ish)% and 72% humidity).
Making a straight cut is just practice. After a few cigars, you’ll get the hang of it. Simple as that.
Number 3 is most important — do not slice off too much. You want to cut off enough of the head to allow for a healthy draw. If you remove too much surface area from the head, this could make the cigar run hot, which alters the flavour profile and makes the smoke taste unpleasantly burnt. If you’re unsure how much you should slice off, air on the side too little, as you can always trim more. If you cut off too much, there is no going back and the cigar’s flavour balance could be ruined.
Punch Cut
Punch cuts are my personal favourite. I find this method to be clean and crisp.
A punch cut creates a very small circle in the centre of the cigar’s head. A good puncher is relatively cheap — I’ve had this $10 puncher on my keychain for a couple years now, and it still works great.
A down side to the punch cut is that they cannot be used on Figurados like a Perfecto or a Belicoso. Also, keep in mind that the volume of smoke may be less with a punch cut than with a straight cut, as a punch results in a smaller opening at the head.
Overall, punch cuts create a tight draw and are best suited for cigars with a larger ring gauge.
V-Cut
I think the V-Cut is by far the most aesthetically pleasing cut; however, it can be difficult to properly execute.
V-cuts require a special cutter with a spring loaded blade that creates a wedge in the head of the cigar. Similar to the punch, the cigar head is partially left in tact, resulting in a clean cut.
Aside from needing a special cutter, one drawback of the v-cut is that you won’t get as much smoke from the cigar as you may get with a straight cut. Also, similar to a punch, v-cuts will not work on Figurados.
Summary
The type of cut you choose depends on your personal preference and the shape of the cigar you’re smoking.
Other methods of cutting your cigar do exist, such as the cross-cut, which creates an X by completing two perpendicular slices with a V-cutter; however, I’ve mentioned the three most popular methods.
Ultimately, it comes down to experimenting with different cuts to see which one you prefer. Once I became comfortable cutting my cigar, I really enjoyed trying to get that perfect cut. A clean cut, or a perfect punch, is the first step to enjoying a premium cigar.
Thank you for reading.
CIGARRO | Thoughts from the humidor…
