Cutting

Cutting Methods

A good cut is most of a good draw. It takes about two seconds, and getting it right is the difference between a cigar that behaves and one that does not.

Every method below opens the same small cap at the head of the cigar — they just open it differently. There is no ranking here. A cut is a preference, and it is yours to have.

The straight cut

A clean slice off the cap.

The one most people learn first, and the most forgiving. One quick, level snip across the cap gives you an even opening and an easy draw. Cut a little rather than a lot — you can always take more, and you cannot put it back.

The V-cut

A wedge notch for a richer draw.

A wedge is pressed into the cap instead of slicing it off, leaving a notch that gathers the smoke as it comes through. What arrives is a little more concentrated and a little fuller — a good match if you are smoking something with depth you want to feel properly.

III

The punch

A small round hole, a tighter draw.

A circular blade takes a neat, small hole out of the cap and leaves the rest of it intact. The draw comes through narrower and more focused, which many people prefer on a thicker cigar. Tidy, and hard to get wrong.

Scissors

For a steady hand, and tapered shapes.

A pair of cigar scissors gives you the most control of all — you decide exactly where the cut lands. It is the elegant way to open a Torpedo or a Belicoso, where the whole point is the taper and you would rather not lose any of it.

✦

Or let us cut it for you.

Genuinely — just say. Plenty of people would rather settle into a chair and have it done properly than fumble with a cutter on their first visit. We are happy to open it for you and hand it back ready to light.

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