Lighting your Cigar

I often hear many debates on the proper way to light a cigar. Some say a wood match is the only way and others say the handy torch flame is quicker and easier. It seems there is usually a direct correlation between the cedar match and the “seasoned” cigar smoker. In the pre-torch era the only alternative to lighting a cigar with a match was to do so with a Zippo or other non butane lighters. Because of the petroleum based fuel used in Zippo lighters an unpleasant taste was often left lingering in a smoker’s cigar. The cleanest way to light a cigar then was to use sulfur tipped wood matches. Once the sulfur burned off the flame was kept burning from the cedar wood. The cedar would leave no unwanted taste in the cigar thus making it the most desirable way to light a cigar. Fast forward to present day and the invention of the butane fueled torch flame. Butane, unlike petroleum based fuels, is colorless, odorless, and clean burning. Like the match, the torch leaves no lingering aftertaste and in fact because of the sulfur used in matches, is cleaner burning than the match. Most all cigar smokers from the Zippo era will share the same thoughts on proper lighting techniques; you don’t use lighters. In the end it comes down to a matter of preference and shouldn’t be a reason to be scrutinized. Really there is no right or wrong way in the enjoyment of cigars, just products of an era.