Do Cedar Spills Affect the Flavor of the Cigar?
ScotchnSmoke
Posts: 134 ✭
I really enjoy this forum, so much great knowledge here and a lot less people just shooting from the hip like you get everywhere else.
So I have been curious about cedar spills. I have heard that they don't affect the flavor at all, and I have also heard that they can affect the flavor a lot.
While we're on the subject, I have also heard that Zippo's affect the flavor of the cigar too, but haven't tried it. I think it would be kind of cool to carry around a zippo again. I had a bunch of them from my time in the military. They were like challenge coins almost, every command had one.
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I can't speak to the cedar spill question, but for the Zippo question just buy one of those better model butane inserts for your Zippo lighter and you won't have to worry about the flavor of the nasty naphtha fuel oil used in the old Zippo's.
I am going to say "Yes." I will also add I believe everything can affect the flavor/taste of a cigar from what you ate, what you're drinking, what you lit it with, to even what mood you are in. This is all subjective of course to how sensitive or "refined" your palate may be. Just my humble opinion....
Tagging off of Steve's comment, the secondary question the OP needs answered is 'do they affect flavor positively or negatively?'
Cedar spills affect flavor and I like it. Or, cedar spills affect flavor and I don't like it.
Do your own research with your own cigars. Why are you asking us if your experience will probably vary widely? Are you going to be using cedar spills either way? Or, maybe you don't care about cedar spills and are just trying to create discussion, which is okay too.
I never had much luck lighting the cigar with them. I used too many, tended to end up scorching the wrapper. And, the room smelled like burnt thumb for some reason.
"If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." -- Mark Twain
Same here. I'd break up the cedar dividers that come in boxes. I even cut down some Spanish cedar on my table saw that was left over from making trays. Other than some romantic idea that spills are a cool way to light a cigar, they offer no advantage while having serious drawbacks. Or maybe I'm just too dumb to use them.
I know, You're a big dog and I'm on the list.
Let's eat, GrandMa. / Let's eat GrandMa. -- Punctuation saves lives
It'll be fine once the swelling goes down.
Spanish cedar spills work good as long as they can be lit long enough to light the cigar. I don't notice a difference in taste lighting with one vs a Xikar soft flame or torch. Getting any cigar to hot while lighting can potentially ruin it or introduce some nasty burnt/chard taste/flavor. Then again all my cigars are stored with Spanish cedar so I might not notice anything different as I'm already used to any imparted flavor from the Spanish cedar which is minimal to my senses.
Let me just whip this 9" spill out at the lounge 😳😑👀
Nick doesn't use them. Nuff said.
I could see a regular zippo changing the taste because of the lighter fluid. With that said I have used a bic with no noticeable difference. I believe the spills do affect the flavor so use only if you like cedar in the cigar profile.
I don’t buy spills but I will use a cedar sleeve off of a cigar. They burn fast so I toast the foot first with a torch then use the sleeve to get it the rest of the way.
^^What @deadman said.
I like using cedar spills, but I do like the cedar hint it provides.
And I do toast with a torch first, then finish the light with a cedar spill.
Or, I forget all about the spills, light it up and go.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
Always great advice gentlemen. I really appreciate. I know everything we do is subjective and that is one reason I really enjoy this forum, because everyone is understanding of that.
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@Amos_Umwhat Thumbs are the worst smelling finger when burnt, what a nightmare. If I have to go with any burnt digit scent, I prefer the index finger.
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@peter4jc I'm a serial hobbyist. When I get interested in something, my favorite part is going deep into the rabbit hole. I have been smoking cigars for 15 years, but in the past couple of years I have been diving deep into it. So yes, I enjoy the discussion, and also I like to hear others out. I will be trying cedar spills because ya never know what you're going to like until you try it.... and I try everything.....twice.
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@VegasFrank fair enough.
https://youtube.com/c/RepublicofDebauchery
@deadman @Opatience, I like the idea of trying that, thank you.
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It's definitely the pinky finger using the time honored equation of "two in the pink, one in the stink."
Some dreck from a company selling cedar spills on Amazon. Nice story. I'm sure some of it is true.
Before matches, a spill was used to transfer a flame from the fire in the hearth to a candle, lamp, cigar or pipe. A true spill was not a piece of paper, a stick, or a sliver of wood, it was a specialized wood shaving, given its name from the way it “spills” from the wood plane that produces it. A spill's daily usefulness has long passed, but its been revived as a way of imparting a neutral flavor when lighting a cigar without the gasses or odors from the flame source. With a spill, the cigar lighting process is slowed, highlighting the nuances, character, and flavors in the cigar.. Much like hand-rolled cigars, our spills are a truly hand-made product. Each is hand-planed from select Spanish Cedar, individually inspected, and packaged in a clear tube highlighting the beauty of the wood from which it was produced.
This makes me think that if you're making your own spills you could use other woods; some may burn better and have a more desired flavor.
Along the lines of cedar spill flavoring a cigar, if it does at all, in my thinking it would only be for the initial light.
Spills were one step up from wood swarf.
I have an old pressboard desk. Maybe I'll light that sumbeetch on fire and see if I can detect notes of glue.
You know what, you're right! Cedar really did something for this Gran habano vintage 2002 that the devious bastards @Trykflyr_1 and @Far_North_64 sent my way. Thanks for the tip!
Cherry, and apple are pretty good dor spills. But I do like maple spills.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
Mesquite wood isn't particularly nice, "somebody I know" tried it once.
A few years ago, I went to a cigar bar at Broadway on the Beach in Myrtle Beach, SC. There was a very well endowed bartendress, who would lean over the bar and light your cigar with a spill. My cigar always tasted better.