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How to Properly Cut & Light a Cohiba Cigar
The Right Way to Enjoy Cuba’s Finest
If you’ve just got your hands on a Cohiba Cuban cigar, the last thing you want to do is ruin the experience before it even begins. A bad cut or a poor light can affect the draw, the burn, and ultimately the flavour of one of the world’s most prestigious smokes.
The good news? It’s not complicated. You just need to know the basics and once you do, every Cohiba Cuban cigar you smoke will be a pleasure from the very first puff.
Let’s walk through it, step by step.
First Why It Matters
Cohiba Cuban cigars are hand-rolled masterpieces. The wrapper, binder, and filler tobaccos inside are carefully selected and crafted by Cuba’s most skilled torcedores at the legendary La Corona factory in Havana. cohiba cuban cigars
When you cut or light incorrectly, you risk:
- A tight or uneven draw
- Tunnelling or uneven burning
- A harsh, bitter taste
- Damaging the wrapper leaf
Taking two minutes to do this properly makes all the difference.
Step 1 — Let Your Cohiba Rest
Before you do anything, make sure your Cohiba Cuban cigar has been properly stored. Cohiba cigars should be kept at around 65–70% humidity and 18–21°C in a quality humidor.
If your cigar has just arrived by delivery, give it a little time to rest and acclimatise ideally a few hours. A well-rested cigar burns more evenly and draws more smoothly.
Step 2 — Inspect Your Cigar
Hold the cigar gently and give it a light squeeze along its length. It should feel firm but with a slight give not rock hard and not spongy. Check the wrapper for any cracks or unravelling.
Also give it a cold draw before cutting. Simply place the uncut cap end in your mouth and draw gently. You should feel a light, easy resistance. If it draws freely, the cigar is fine. If it’s very tight, the cigar may need a different approach.
Step 3 — Choose Your Cut
The cap of a Cohiba Cuban cigar the rounded, closed end needs to be cut before you can smoke it. There are three main ways to do this:
The Straight Cut (Most Popular)
Use a sharp double-blade guillotine cutter. This is the most common and most recommended cut for Cohiba cigars. Place the cap just inside the blade you want to remove only 2–3mm from the tip. Never cut too deep or you risk unravelling the wrapper.
The V-Cut
This creates a wedge-shaped notch in the cap. It concentrates the smoke slightly and works beautifully on many Cohiba formats, particularly larger ring gauges. cohiba cuban cigars
The Punch Cut
A small circular punch is used to create a neat hole in the cap. This is a clean, low-risk option that many connoisseurs prefer for a tighter, more concentrated draw.
Our recommendation? For most Cohiba Cuban cigars, a clean straight cut with a quality guillotine cutter is the safest and most reliable choice.
Step 4 — Cut With Confidence
Whatever cutter you choose, the key is to be swift and decisive. A slow, hesitant cut can crack or tear the wrapper.
- Position the cutter carefully
- Take a breath
- Cut in one clean, firm motion
That’s it. Done right, you’ll have a clean, even opening ready for lighting.
Step 5 — Choose the Right Flame
This is where many people go wrong. Never use a regular petrol lighter or a scented candle to light a Cohiba Cuban cigar. The chemicals and impurities in these flames will contaminate the tobacco and ruin the flavour.
The best options are:
- Butane torch lighter The most popular choice. Clean, windproof, and precise.
- Long cedar matches or cigar matches. A traditional and perfectly acceptable option. Allow the sulphur to burn off first before bringing the flame near your cigar.
- Cedar spills A strip of cedar wood lit from a flame. Used by purists for a reason they add a subtle woody note that complements Cuban tobacco beautifully.
Step 6 — Toast the Foot First
This is the secret step that separates experienced smokers from beginners. Before you put the cigar in your mouth, toast the foot the open, cut end by holding it above the flame at a slight angle.
Rotate the cigar slowly, warming the tobacco evenly. You’ll see the edges of the foot begin to glow and the tobacco start to darken. This is called pre-lighting, and it ensures an even burn from the very start.
Do not touch the flame directly to the tobacco at this stage keep it just close enough to warm it.
Step 7 — Light It Properly
Now bring the cigar to your lips. Hold the flame just below the foot again, not touching and draw slowly and gently while continuing to rotate the cigar. Take your time. This is not something to rush.
After two or three gentle draws, remove the cigar and check the foot. Is it burning evenly all the way around? Give it a gentle blow on the lit end you should see an even, glowing orange ring.
If one side is burning faster than the other, hold the slower-burning side closer to the flame for a moment to even it out.
Step 8 — The First Draw
Congratulations. Your Cohiba Cuban cigar is lit.
Take the first draw slowly. Don’t rush this is a luxury experience, not a race. Allow the smoke to roll across your palate. With a properly lit Cohiba, you should notice the characteristic flavours immediately cedar, cream, a touch of spice, and that unmistakable Cuban earthiness. cohiba cuban cigars
A Few Golden Rules to Remember
- Never relight a Cohiba that has gone out more than an hour ago. The flavour changes significantly once a cigar has fully cooled.
- Never inhale cigar smoke. Unlike cigarettes, cigar smoke is meant to be tasted and savoured in the mouth not inhaled into the lungs.
- Let the ash build naturally. A long, firm ash is a sign of a well-made cigar. Don’t tap it off too early.
- Smoke slowly. Around one puff per minute is ideal. Smoking too fast overheats the cigar and creates a harsh, bitter taste.
The Right Tools Make All the Difference
Investing in a good cutter and a quality butane lighter is one of the best things you can do as a Cohiba Cuban cigar enthusiast. These two tools, used correctly, will protect every cigar you smoke and ensure you get the full flavour experience that Cohiba is famous for.
Ready to Smoke?
At Cohiba Club, we stock the full range of authentic Cohiba Cuban cigars from the iconic Siglo series to the ultra-premium Behike collection delivered straight to your door across the UK and Europe.
Every cigar we sell is 100% genuine. Because a ritual this good deserves nothing less.
