The first time I smoked a cigar, I sat at a cigar lounge, letting the sounds of Frank Sinatra wash over me while an expert told me all about the wrap and the tobacco, the technique of smoking (piece of advice: don’t inhale, it hurts), and picking the right cigar. Then I picked up the cutter provided by the lounge and went to snip off the end. As if I was about to kick a puppy, the expert panicked and stopped me from doing the deed. I was about to cut on the cap. What the Hell is a cap? It is the wrapper that tells you which end to cut, and also, you NEVER cut on or below the cap. That is when I realized there is actually a thing here. There is a technique for cutting the cigar. But is it really that important? Actually, it is. It controls the temperature. It affects the flavor. The burn temp. All of this is tied into the cut by controlling the airflow. Well…luckily for me, I have friends over at La Aurora, and John Gaglio helped me out with a little insight.
Think of the cut like ice in a glass of whiskey. Too little dilution, and the pour does not open up in a way that can live up to its complexity. Too much, you’ve drowned the thing you liked about it. – John Gaglio, La Aurora
The different kinds of cuts
The wildest part of this is that, when I asked what I thought was a stupid question (how do I cut a cigar?), I was met with, depends on what cut you want. Wait, there are multiple cuts? Like, there are more ways to snip the tip than just snipping the tip? Yes, and John listed them out for me. You won’t be surprised by this; I didn’t understand what he was talking about. I might as well have been listening to a mechanic tell me how to rebuild a carburetor.
“Three. The straight (guillotine) cut, the punch, which takes a small circular plug instead; and the V-cut, which carves a wedge rather than removing the cap at all. I’ve also learned from John Ferrigan (National Sales Director, La Aurora) about picking the cap when you don’t have a cutter… but best to leave that to dire circumstances so far as I’m concerned. In short, relax, and so long as you don’t cut beyond the cap, your cut will be alright.
Which one is right for me?
Ok. Thanks for the rundown. But now I am starting to get the idea that there is a lot that goes into this very simple thing. So, what is the right cut for me? Easy. Just gotta decide what I want out of the stick. Apparently, looking like Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone in The Expendables) isn’t the answer he was looking for. But eventually, we got to a place where he could explain in detail what each cut did for the cigar and how I could choose the one I want.
“Straight cut: the workhorse. Maximum airflow, hardest to mess up, built for most cigars. If you’re super concerned, you can buy a “perfect cut” which features a barrier behind the guillotine so you do not cut beyond the cap.
“Punch: leaves more cap intact, concentrates the draw, tends to soften bitterness at the tip. I’ve never actually smoked using a punch, but I’m going to give it a shot now, haha.
“V-cut: My favorite for a robusto or toro. It concentrates smoke through a narrow opening and heightens flavor, but I wouldn’t use it for smaller ring gauges like a lancero.”
Now…for the cutter
A job is only as doable as the tool is effective. That means I gotta have a good cutter. Don’t get me wrong, in a pinch, I am not above a sharp knife and a quick cut. But the whole point of doing things the right way is to elevate your life. Elegance, charm, and grace. A gentlemanly approach to everything. So hacking a stogie with a kitchen knife or a pocketknife is the opposite of what we want. So, John, what kind of cutter am I looking for?
“A double-blade guillotine. Forgiving, works on nearly everything, and is affordable. Once you’ve got some cigars behind you and know what you like, and you’ve tried out a number of different styles at your local shop, invest in your favorite type of cutter, or cutters depending on the format. For me, I like to have both a straight-cut for lanceros and a v-cut for robustos and toros.”
How you do anything is how you do everything. So, if you are going to smoke a cigar, pay attention to those things that you don’t think are important. You will often be surprised at just how important they can be.
