When to Ash a Cigar

The first few puffs of a cigar always entail the hottest ember. The flame generated by high-end cigar lighters, such as a Colibri lighter, is very hot and, thus, is held a bit back from the stogie. However, the ember still needs to cool a bit before the taste is at its best.

While a cigar is certainly hot, it should not be so hot that it affects the taste of the tobacco. This is why very powerful lighters, such as the various Lotus torch lighter models, are held a bit away from the cigar during the lighting process. To burn, fire or embers require fuel, oxygen and heat. The ash regulates the amount of oxygen the cherry receives and, thus regulates the overall temperature of the burn. As any smoker is aware, the first puff off of a cigar is usually the hottest. The temperature of the smoke mellows as ash is generated.

Etiquette is also a part of deciding when to ash. Remember that a long ash will tend to shed all over the place and, in environments where there is carpet or expensive furniture, this can result in some significant embarrassment. It's best to keep the ash to a short enough length that one can be assured that it stays fixed to the ember and doesn't fall in any inopportune places.

The cigar ash may still have some very hot embers within it, so keep this in mind when smoking in outdoor locations. Especially in areas with dry grass or wood, this can pose a risk of fire. To make sure the ash is cooled, flick it first into the palm of the hand and then toss it to the wind once one is sure it's cooled off. Aside from determining the flavor of a cigar, the ash presents one of the hazards of smoking and should be watched.