People paying handsomely for a premium cigar, only to be disappointed by many an uneven burn and bitter taste from trying to foolishly puff away like a maniac, thinking that would make the slower burning side catch up. Not so!

There are many people who heat the foot of the cigar (the end you light) by placing the flame well below the cigar and slowly turning it in their hand. Great for impressing a date, but not adequate for preparing your cigar.

Simply take your flame and hold it slightly below the tip (foot) of your cigar. Turn your cigar slowly in your fingers while taking light puffs. Be patient and don’t worry if the flame touches the wrapper. Many a cigar aficionado may cringe at the thought, but in reality, a slight touch of the flame will not affect the quality of your smoke.

When you feel you have a good light, look at the cigar tip. If it’s glowing evenly all around, great. If not, gently blow on the embers while turning your cigar until you create an even burn.

At this point, take a shallow puff to establish the burn and let the cigar rest for a minute. This allows the cigar to settle down and not burn too hot. A cigar which burns too hot can produce strong bitter tastes, which normally would not occur in a properly burning cigar.

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