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Okay, have to ask...

dan7876dan7876 Posts: 47
in Cigar 101

See Exhibit A - the perfecto on the left in the "different cigars next to each other" shot. 

 

http://www.cigar.com/cigars/viewcigar.asp?brand=654

 

The difference in width has me thrown...not like with a regular torpedo where the end you smoke from is thinner, but the end you light starts and remains the same width.

 

So in this case, obviously you light the end opposite the label, but are you supposed to cut that end to an even width first?  Or do you cut just a little bit and light the end (even though it's smaller and the burn has to work its way outward to get the rest of the stick going eventually).   Reason I ask is the only time I've tried smoking a cigar with a recessing width on the lighting end, the burn never really caught on right, seemingly because I didn't cut it far enough up to have an even width to burn.

 

Did it not work for me because I just screwed it up, or is there a rule of thumb that I don't know about lighting these shapes of cigars?

 

- Dan

Comments

  • dutyjedutyje Posts: 2,263 ✭
    I cut the end that I'm going to put in my mouth (obviously) just like a torpedo. I light the other end without cutting it at all.

    Perfectos tend to have burn issues in general, so what you saw was not unusual.
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    Don't cut the burning end(the foot) at all. Just light it. Part of the beauty of a perfecto is that they are inherently more complex than another shape(vitola) of the same cigar. The downside of a perfecto is they frequently have burn issues.
  • dan7876dan7876 Posts: 47
    Thanks for clarifying!
  • Rob1110Rob1110 Posts: 1,577 ✭✭✭
    madurofan:
    Part of the beauty of a perfecto is that they are inherently more complex than another shape(vitola) of the same cigar. The downside of a perfecto is they frequently have burn issues.

    I agree 100%. They're my favorite shape due to the complexity, but often have burn issues, which can be a pain.
  • LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    Yessir! Just cut and light like normal, just keep the lighter around for corrective lighting
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    Lasabar:
    just keep the lighter around for corrective lighting
    And make sure you fill it beforehand...you may have a fair bit of correction to do.

    Though, in all fairness, I've had a couple perfectos burn dead even the whole way down.
  • Big DanBig Dan Posts: 69 ✭
    i dont understand all the torpedo hype i personally find it to b unappealing and with all the trouble u guys make it sound like its impossible to smoke im just getting the hang of normal cigars and its still a little difficult. i also just hate the look of the torpedo idk mayb it will grow on me
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517 ✭
    Well now, a torpedo and a perfecto are 2 different things. A torpedo tapers at the mouth end, a perfecto at both ends. (And some figurados like the Hemingway and the Oliva Special S taper just at the burning end.)

    There's nothing about a torpedo that's more difficult to smoke than a "normal" shape. You clip off the end, light it and smoke it. Perfectos, OTOH, tend to have more burn issues than other shapes; although, I've smoked quite a few and very rarely have burn issues.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    Big Dan:
    i dont understand all the torpedo hype i personally find it to b unappealing and with all the trouble u guys make it sound like its impossible to smoke im just getting the hang of normal cigars and its still a little difficult. i also just hate the look of the torpedo idk mayb it will grow on me
    One of the selling points of a tapered head cigar, and that term will apply to torpedos as well as perfectos, is that you are able to direct the smoke better. With a standard cigar, a parejo (straight sided, rounded head, open, flat foot), you don't really get any say over where the smoke is directed when you draw on it, a tapered head cigar can be cut to direct the smoke more toward your palate thus allowing you to taste it better/differently.
  • Big DanBig Dan Posts: 69 ✭
    hmm well mayb ill give it a try in a while im gna get used to normal smokes first and see how that works out and learn the tastes and trade and what not and then ill try one of these torpedos but idk i think they look tacky
  • MaduroScottMaduroScott Posts: 53
    Big Dan:
    hmm well mayb ill give it a try in a while im gna get used to normal smokes first and see how that works out and learn the tastes and trade and what not and then ill try one of these torpedos but idk i think they look tacky

    Torpedos are definitely worth giving a try. I've never tried cutting at a funny angle to direct the smoke, which I think is what j0z3r means (?), but I do like the difference. Try buying your favorite stick in both a toro (6x50 usually) and a torpedo (often similar length/ring) and see the difference that just that little bit of tapering makes. It is much more than I expected.

    As for perfectos, I think they're fun on occasion, but I find all of the corrective relights annoying. Like others have said though, if you find one that burns right, they're great.
  • dutyjedutyje Posts: 2,263 ✭
    Big Dan -

    Check out some of the info in this thread

    The folks on here really helped me out with essentially the same question back in my youthful days of 3 months ago :)
  • Big DanBig Dan Posts: 69 ✭
    well that was a great article actually and it was a lot of help. now i need to figure out the right size for me. also is there any articles on this forum or does anybody know anything about the types of wrappers and there flavors and such? wow there is so many aspects to each cigar and each one is so unique and like there is a million variations of each its incredibly overwhelming
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