Written by Chris Bajda, founder of Groovy Cigars · Updated July 2026
Lighting a cigar looks simple, but rush it and you scorch the wrapper, get a burn that runs down one side, and taste more fuel than tobacco. Done right, lighting takes under a minute and rewards you with an even burn and clean flavor from the very first puff. This guide covers what to light a cigar with, the toast-then-light method step by step, how to fix an uneven burn, and how to relight a cigar that has gone out.
Short answer: Hold the foot of the cigar just above the flame of a butane torch or a wooden match, without letting the fire touch the tobacco. Rotate the cigar to toast the whole rim, then put it to your lips and draw in slow puffs while you hold the flame close, until the foot glows evenly all the way around. Keep the flame just off the tobacco the entire time. Never use a candle, a stove, or a fluid lighter, all of which taint the taste.
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Why How You Light a Cigar Matters
The way you light a cigar sets up the entire smoke. The foot is the open end you light, and your goal is to ignite the whole surface of the tobacco evenly. Light it evenly and the cigar burns in a straight, cool line and delivers the flavor the roller built into it. Light it carelessly and one side races ahead of the other, a problem called canoeing, and the cigar smokes hot and harsh.
Two rules do most of the work. First, toast before you puff. Warm the foot with the flame held just below it before you ever draw. Second, keep the flame off the tobacco. The heat lights a cigar, not direct contact with the fire. A cigar lit by radiant heat tastes clean. A cigar charred by direct flame tastes bitter.
One more thing before you light: make sure the cigar is cut cleanly first. A ragged cut ruins even a perfect light. If you are not sure where to cut, read our guide on how to cut a cigar, then come back here to light it.
What to Light a Cigar With
The flame you choose changes how the cigar tastes and how easy it is to light. Here is what works, in order of everyday usefulness.
- Butane torch lighter. The everyday choice. A clean butane jet is odorless, wind resistant, and hot enough to toast a foot in seconds. It is the most reliable way to light a cigar outdoors or in a breeze. Keep the flame a little farther back than you think, since a torch is powerful.
- Soft flame butane lighter. A regular butane flame, like a refillable pocket lighter. Gentler and slower than a torch, which many smokers prefer for delicate wrappers. Fine indoors, but it struggles in wind.
- Wooden match. A long, traditional light. Let the match head burn off for a second or two first so the sulfur does not flavor the smoke, then toast with the wooden part of the flame.
- Cedar spill. A thin strip of Spanish cedar, often the divider from a cigar box. Light the spill first, then light the cigar from it. It adds a faint sweet cedar note and is the classic aficionado method.
Skip anything that adds fuel or fumes to the smoke. A fluid lighter such as a classic wick-and-naphtha lighter leaves a chemical taste. A candle burns too cool, coats the foot in wax and soot, and tastes of whatever scent it carries. A gas stove or grill is both awkward and full of impurities. Butane and clean wood are the only things that should ever touch the foot of your cigar.
If you are still lighting good cigars with a gas-station lighter, a proper torch is the cheapest upgrade to how your cigars taste. Browse our personalized cigar lighters, or if you are shopping for someone, a lighter tucks neatly into a cigar gift for him. Everything is engraved free by hand in Monroe, Connecticut.
How to Light a Cigar, Step by Step
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Toast the foot
Hold the cigar at a 45 degree angle and bring the flame up until it sits just below the foot, about a half inch away. Do not touch the tobacco. Slowly rotate the cigar so the heat chars the entire rim of the foot evenly. You will see the edge start to glow. This is the toast, and it takes 10 to 20 seconds.
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Rotate for an even rim
Keep turning the cigar so every part of the foot gets the same heat. An evenly toasted rim is the single best insurance against a crooked burn later. Aim for a full ring of glowing orange all the way around.
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Bring it to your lips and puff
Now put the cigar in your mouth. Hold the flame just in front of the foot, not touching it, and take slow, steady puffs. Each draw pulls the flame toward the tobacco and lights it from the heat. Keep rotating as you puff.
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Check the burn and correct it
Take the cigar out and look at the foot. You want a solid, even glow across the whole face. If one section is dark, aim the flame at that spot for a moment and puff again. Do not blow on the foot to check it, since that overheats the cigar.
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Settle in
Once the foot glows evenly and produces smoke on its own, you are lit. Give it a moment to settle, then smoke at an easy pace of about one puff a minute. Slower is cooler, and cooler always tastes better.
Torch vs Soft Flame
Both light a cigar well. The right one depends on where you smoke and how delicate the cigar is.
| Flame | Best for | Speed | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butane torch | Outdoors, wind, thick ring gauges, fast lights | Fast | Powerful, so keep it farther back to avoid scorching |
| Soft flame | Indoors, delicate wrappers, a slower ritual | Slower | Struggles in any breeze |
| Wooden match | Tradition, no fuel taste | Slow | Let the head burn off first, awkward in wind |
| Cedar spill | The classic method, adds sweet cedar note | Slow | Needs a second flame to light the spill |
How to Fix an Uneven Burn
Even a good light can drift, especially in wind. If one side burns faster than the other, do not panic. It is easy to correct.
- Touch up the slow side. Aim your flame at the part of the foot that is lagging and puff a few times. Bringing the slow side up to match usually straightens the burn within a minute.
- Rotate as you smoke. Turning the cigar now and then keeps heat even and prevents a run from starting.
- Slow down. Most burn problems come from smoking too fast, which overheats one channel. Ease off and let the cigar cool between puffs.
How to Relight a Cigar
Cigars go out. Set one down for a few minutes and the ember dies, which is completely normal. You can relight a cigar safely for up to a couple of hours after it went out.
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Knock off the loose ash
Gently tap or roll the dead ash off the foot so you are relighting clean tobacco, not old ash.
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Toast the foot again
Just like the first light, hold the flame below the foot and rotate to warm the whole rim before you draw.
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Puff and purge
Draw a few times to relight, then blow gently OUT through the cigar once, a step called purging, to clear the stale smoke trapped inside. The next draw will taste fresh again.
A cigar relit within an hour or two tastes nearly the same. One left overnight turns stale and bitter, so a half-smoked cigar is best finished the same day rather than saved.
Common Lighting Mistakes
- Touching the flame to the tobacco. The most common error. It chars the leaf and tastes burnt. Light with heat held just off the foot, not with direct fire.
- Puffing before you toast. Drawing on a cold, unlit foot pulls harsh, uneven smoke. Toast first, then puff.
- Rushing the light. A cigar lit in a hurry burns crooked. Give it the full 30 to 60 seconds.
- Smoking too fast. Fast puffing overheats the cigar and ruins the flavor. One easy puff a minute is the target.
- Using the wrong flame. A candle or fluid lighter taints even a great cigar. Stick to butane or clean wood.
How to Light a Cigar Without a Torch
No torch on hand? You can still get a clean light. In order of preference:
- Wooden matches. The best backup. Let the head burn off for a second or two so the sulfur does not flavor the smoke, then toast the foot with the wooden part of the flame. You may need two or three matches.
- A cedar spill. If you have a cigar box, the thin cedar divider makes a perfect spill. Light it with any flame, then light the cigar from the burning cedar for a subtle sweet note.
- A soft flame pocket lighter. A plain butane lighter works fine indoors. Keep it away from any breeze and be patient, since a soft flame lights slower than a torch.
Do not light a cigar off a candle, a stove burner, or a fluid lighter in a pinch. The fumes and soot cling to the foot and you will taste them in every puff. A couple of wooden matches always beats a convenient but dirty flame.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to light a cigar?
A proper light takes about 30 to 60 seconds. You spend the first 10 to 20 seconds toasting the foot with the flame held just below it, then another 20 to 40 seconds puffing gently until the whole foot glows evenly. Rushing it is the main cause of an uneven burn.
Do you toast a cigar before lighting it?
Yes. Toasting means warming the foot with the flame held just below the tobacco, without touching it, and rotating until the rim glows. Toasting first sets up an even burn and a cleaner flavor. Then you bring the cigar to your lips and puff to finish the light.
Can you light a cigar with a normal lighter?
A soft flame butane pocket lighter works fine, especially indoors. Avoid a classic fluid lighter, since the naphtha fuel leaves a chemical taste. A butane torch is better outdoors because it is hotter and wind resistant.
Why should you not light a cigar with a candle?
A candle burns too cool to toast a foot well, and its wax and scent coat the tobacco with soot and flavor. You end up tasting the candle instead of the cigar. Use butane or a wooden match instead.
How do you relight a cigar that went out?
Knock off the dead ash, toast the foot again with your flame, then puff to relight and gently blow out through the cigar once to clear the stale smoke. A cigar relit within an hour or two tastes nearly the same.
Should you light a cigar with a torch or a soft flame?
Both work. A torch is faster, hotter, and wind resistant, which makes it the everyday choice and the best option outdoors. A soft flame is gentler and many smokers prefer it indoors for delicate wrappers. Keep a torch a little farther from the foot so it does not scorch.
How do you know when a cigar is properly lit?
The whole foot glows evenly orange and the cigar produces smoke on its own without you drawing on it. If any part of the foot stays dark, aim the flame at that spot and puff again until the glow is even all the way around.
You must be 21 or older to purchase cigars and cigar accessories. Please enjoy responsibly.