The Cigar Cutter

If you’re looking for quick and uncomplicated smoking pleasure, cigarettes are undoubtedly the best choice: tear open the pack, pull out a cigarette, place it in your mouth, light up, and you’re done. By comparison, savoring a hecho a mano cigar might seem more "complicated." But there’s a reason cigar smokers refer to themselves as aficionados, which translates to “connoisseur.” A connoisseur doesn’t seek quick (and cheap) enjoyment; they celebrate their passion. For a complete and refined cigar experience, one should follow some basic craftsmanship principles to maximize smoking enjoyment—beginning with cutting the cigar to make it ready to smoke.

Making Cigars Easy to Smoke

Cigar cutters are tools used to open the closed wrapper at the head of the cigar, thereby exposing the smoke channels. Beyond the popular cutters or cutters, there are alternative methods to remove the cap, once again showcasing the ingenuity of cigar enthusiasts. A very rustic approach is simply to bite off the end; this method appears to have been popular in the Wild West and remains common among some locals in the Caribbean. Another similarly archaic method involves using a long and strong fingernail to pinch off the cap. It seems that some either cannot or do not wish to invest in a proper cigar cutter.

Inexpensive cigar cutters, also known as cutters, make it easy to remove the cap—especially the double-bladed cutter. It provides a clean, smooth cut without damaging the wrapper. The large opening of the cut allows the flavors to unfold fully. The so-called guillotine cutters appear somewhat more “martial.” They are small and easily portable. With this type of cigar cutter, the cigar is placed through a central hole and then quickly decapitated. A clean cut is important here as well, significantly affecting the burn behavior of the cigar while smoking. The cigar scissors, which Zino Davidoff himself frequently used, have the additional advantage of providing a precise, circular cut, regardless of the cigar's diameter.

Wolfertz CTS

Cutter

7 7 variants

from 8.90 €

Dunhill

Cigarpunchs

4 4 variants

149.00 €

Adorini

Cigar scissors

2 2 variants

24.00 €

The Professional’s Choice: Specialized Tools

Quality cigar cutters come at a price, which aficionados appreciate. This is also true of the next type of cutter we’ll introduce: the V-cutter, also known as a notched cutter. With this tool, the cigar is pushed through a rounded opening and cut by a V-shaped blade. The downside of this cutter is that, if the blade becomes dull or too much pressure is applied, the wrapper may be damaged. The cigar punch, on the other hand, offers a more elegant approach. The punch makes a clean opening in the cigar’s wrapper and even extracts a bit of tobacco from the layer beneath. Another advantage of this method is a crumb-free smoking experience, as no pieces of wrapper end up on your tongue. Using it is simple: press the punch into the head of the cigar, creating a sharp-edged, round hole. However, the punch is not suitable for every cigar, particularly for tapered shapes. Another simple and somewhat traditional method is to use a cigar knife to cap the mouthpiece with a clean cut. The blade should be exceptionally sharp to avoid squeezing or crushing the cigar during the cut. A knife is especially practical for tapered formats, such as torpedoes or pyramid cigars. Whichever cigar cutter you prefer, a well-made cut is always the start of a pleasurable smoking experience.