To get the best out of your torpedo cigar, you must know the best way to cut it. How much you cut and your style of cutting can be down to personal preference, but you should also follow certain guidelines to make sure you get a nice, clean cut every time.
What Is A Torpedo Cigar?
Torpedo cigars are so called because of their shape: they look just like a mini torpedo. They are often classified as figurados, and can include Belicosos and Pyramids. The sharply tapered end gives you a more concentrated smoke and you can savor a fuller, richer flavor.
Tips For Cutting Cigars
Before you embark on cutting your torpedo cigar first take a look at these important tips.
- Unlike other cigars torpedoes are not always capped. You need to be very careful when cutting it, that you do not go so far down the cigar that it begins to unravel.
- It’s always best to use a cigar cutter as this gives you a straight, clean cut. To fully enjoy your torpedo don’t cut it with your teeth or scissors as you may get a jagged edge and an uneven draw.
- If you’re new to cutting torpedo cigars, it can feel very daunting cutting that tapered end. If in doubt about how much to cut off, always cut less than you think rather than more. If you make a mistake it’s far easier to cut a bit more off than ruin a good cigar.
How To Cut A Torpedo Cigar
Now that you have your cigar and your cutter, you are ready to relax and enjoy it. Just follow these simple instructions to get the best cut every time.
There are a few different options you can use, but here we will look at the two most common – straight cut and v-cut.
The Straight Cut
To get the perfect straight cut, always use a guillotine cutter. Your torpedo cigar is cut very similarly to a normal cigar and if you can, use a double blade cutter.
- The first thing to do is find the edge of the cap. This is very important so that you don’t accidentally cut too far down the cigar.
- Opinion is divided on this next step. Some people recommend that you moisten the cap before cutting, while others say this affects the flavour. If you do choose to moisten it you can simply lick it, use a dab of water or if you want a really special smoke, a dab of your favourite whiskey or spirit of your choice.
- Open your cutter and put the head of your cigar inside. If you’re not sure how much to cut the estimate is for a quarter of an inch and you can always increase it if you feel you need to. The exact amount you cut off will be totally down to your own preference and the draw that you want. Make sure you keep the cigar completely level.
- With the cigar in the right place slowly push the blades so that they rest on the edge, but don’t push down too hard so that you begin to cut. This gives you the chance to realign the cigar before you actually cut it.
- When you’re sure the cigar is exactly where you want it close the cutter in a very quick sharp action. A quick cut will give you a much cleaner end.
- When your cigar has been cut remove any loose bits by blowing gently on the head.
- You can now test the draw and if you feel it is too tight for your own tastes, you can repeat the action by cutting small amounts each time until you are happy with the result.
One variation of the straight cut is the angled cut. This cut will expose a larger surface area and provide you with a much better draw. To get this cut follow the steps above, but when you are ready to cut, angle the cigar to about 45° and cut it with a swift, clean cut.
The V-Cut
The other option we are going to look at is the V-cut, which gives the head the shape of a V. The shape of this cut exposes a good surface area to give you a nice clean draw.
As with the straight cut be very careful about cutting too much off the head and it’s best to start with just a few millimetres and then test the draw until you are happy.
Want to visualize the process? Enjoy the YouTube video below.
Enjoy Your Cigar!
As any cigar smoker will tell you there is usually a preferred method of cutting your cigar and you may need to experiment until you find the right one for you. Once you’ve got your cut you will be able to enjoy your torpedo cigars to the full every time.