If you are like most of the beginners out there you’ve had a couple cigars with your ol’ man, friends or at a sports game. Someone has always provided the goods, trimmed your stogie and lit it for you, but you’re ready to take your dabbling to a whole new level. Clear your rookie status and learn how to buy, cut, grip and light like a pro.

1. Invest in a cutter.

There are different ways to cut your cigar but if you are just starting out we recommend a basic, yet quality, cigar cutter. Don’t buy a premium cigar just to ruin it with your imperfect cut. Stop in and we will help you pick one out.

2. Be ready to smoke.

Cutting a stogie before you are ready to smoke it will only dry it out. Make sure you are ready to dive full force into cigar heaven before making the big snip. Okay, ready? Proceed.

3. Find the cap.

The closed end of your cigar, referred to as the cap, is the end you will eventually be smoking. When looking at this covered portion of your ‘gar you may notice a line where the cap ends and the cigar begins. This line will act as your marker. Taking too little off your cap will result in a difficult draw and cutting too wide will cause unravelling.

4. Make the cut.

Although we can’t stress the importance of a clean cut enough, don’t stress, you’ll need calm steady hands for the big snip. Place your cutter about 3 millimeters from the end of the cigar, or if you are like most of us who have no idea how to eyeball that, look for where the cap of the cigar starts to run horizontally. You are now ready to cut your stogie with one quick, strong and smooth motion.

Valentine’s Day is this week- are you prepared? Luckily, BCC has you covered, and with this handy list of romantic cigars, you’re sure to impress your guy or gal with a unique spin on the traditional chocolate and roses.

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Romeo y Julieta

Is it bad luck to honor a day of love with the cigar named after ill-fated lovers? Nah. This Dominican brand is widely known for excellent flavor, unparalleled construction and a full body- ideal in a cigar as well as mates!

Perdomo Champagne

Champagne on Valentine’s Day is classic for a reason- and with its cedary aroma and light sweetness, it’s the perfect smoke to find yourself enveloped in with your loved one.

Moontrance by CAO

What could be more romantic than being entranced by the light of the moon… while smoking CAO’s Moontrance? This flavored cigar mixes the aroma of exotic fruits with bourbon vanilla- tastes so good, you might want to share it with a kiss!

Grown from the higher primings in the Dominican sun, the Ashton VSG series of cigars provide a full-bodied wide array of flavors. At first glance, the VSG inhales with notes of  sweet sun grown coffee. Once lit, prepare for a rich flavor and aroma of nuts, Earthy tones, butter and roasted coffee. The smooth draw allows the rich flavors to poor out of the five-year aged wrapper.

Image Courtesy of cigarinspector.com

Ashton Cigars was created in 1985 with the expertise of the Fuente family. The private estate Chateau de la Fuente exclusively grows the leaves, dries and rolls the sun-kissed cigars. Cigar Inspector has said the Ashton VSG is gorgeous and the flavor is exceptional- and we have to agree.

The VSG is in stock at both locations, and definitely worth a try! We recommend it with a premium-roasted black coffee to start out your day- or take you from dinner to drinks, either way you’re in for a good time.

Valentine’s Day is this week- are you prepared? Luckily, BCC has you covered, and with this handy list of romantic cigars, you’re sure to impress your guy or gal with a unique spin on the traditional Chocolate and Roses.

__________________________________________________

Romeo y Julieta

Is it bad luck to honor a day of love with the cigar named after ill-fated lovers? Nah. This Dominican brand is widely known for excellent flavor, unparalleled construction and a full body- ideal in a cigars as well as mates!

Perdomo Champagne

Champagne on Valentine’s Day is classic for a reason- and with its cedary aroma and light sweetness, it’s the perfect smoke to find yourself enveloped in with your loved one.

Moontrance by CAO

What could be more romantic than being entranced by the light of the moon- while smoking CAO’s Moontrance? This flavored cigar mixes the aroma of exotic fruits with bourbon vanilla- tastes so good, you might want to share it with a kiss!

Make it easy on yourself, and get all your holiday shopping done in one place- at Broadway Cigar Company!

We have gift sets for the novice smoker, collectable items for the herfer in the know, and gift cards available in any denomination for the cigar lover who knows exactly what he or she wants!

Stop by our Lake Oswego or Portland Location for more information.

There are essentially 4 types of cigar cutters, and which one you use when is largely a matter of personal preference and the kind of cigars you enjoy. Here is a short description of each kind and when to use (or when to lose).

Guillotine: This is perhaps one of the most commonly recognized cutters, and the most popular with a straight across cut and wide opening to allow for smoke flow. These can come in single or double-blade varieties, and are useful for any shape and size of cigar, up to about a 54 gauge.

V-cutter: Similar to the guillotine, the V-cutter closes around the cigar, but instead of a straight clean cut, a wedge-shaped cut allows for more air ciruclation, and the tar and residue from the smoke will keep at the side of the wedge rather than in the smoker’s mouth. This is generally best for smaller cigars, and a good alternative to the limited flow of a punch.

Punch: The punch-style cutter is also referred to as a bullet cut. One of the main draws of this style is the sleek shape, perfect for sticking onto a key ring and travel. This cutter punches a hole rather than making a slice, and depending on how wide the punch is, can restrict or concentrate the smoke. This kind of cut will not work with Figurado shapes, but is a new twist for the chisel.

Cigar Scissor: Shaped like tiny shears, this type of cutter is meant for the heavy-duty cutting of large cigars. This is one of the easiest cutters to keep cleaned and sharpened, but also require an experienced touch for execution.

Interested in testing some out? Still not sure which one you just need to own? Stop by BCC, where our experienced staff will get you all straightened out.