CIGARS
MOTZEI SHABBOS PUFF By: Rabbi Benjamin Flax
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inety-nine percent of the time, a premium cigar will have a capped end that needs to be cut before smoking. Yet, we all are faced with the perpetual dilemma, “I’m not a mohel! But fear not, there are many options to make sure you are taking off enough, and, as always, practice makes perfect. The traditional ways to cut a cigar are straight or guillotine, V or cat’s eye, punch, or poke. Straight/Guillotine Cut Whether you use a freebie plastic cutter or a Xikar Xi, the principle is the same. There is a blade, preferably two, and the cap of the cigar gets sliced off. You want to cut above the shoulder, where the cap of the cigar curves in—about 2mm down. If you take off too much, you run the risk of unraveling the wrapper. Some cutters claim to provide “the perfect cut” by having a backing that will not allow too much to be sliced off; while suitable for learning, they do not last long. Single blade cutters tend to smush the cigar
MOCHERS
if not remarkably sharp, which is why I always advise a double blade. This can also be achieved with cigar scissors. Yes, you can use a knife, but remember there will be smushing, and you will need to be precise. V/Cats’ Eye Cut This type of cutter will make a V-shape into the cigar from shallow to deep. These look like a classic cigar cutter but have a wedge blade. A nice aspect of this cut is that you cannot take too much off because of the receiver of the cutter. But, as they are single blades, they can smush the cigar if not remarkably sharp. Many manufacturers will tell you to avoid a V cut because it removes a chunk of tobacco that helps with the rounded flavoring. However, if the cigar is tightly rolled, this can help open up the flavor. Punch Cut This is the easiest one to carry and is frequently seen on keychains or the circular blade on the bottom of many lighters. The punch cut takes a small round off the cap. The smoke here is much more focused through a smaller exit point, but remember your lips are
now on the cap, which some argue distorts the flavoring of the cigar. You could use a cigar holder, like FDR’s cigarette holder. However, for a cigar, the punch is the way to go. Poke Today, this method is mainly used to open a tightly bound cigar. Historically, the small nail-like poker would create 3-4 pinholes in the cigar’s cap. As this limits the amount of smoke being drawn out and the interference of the cigar cap, many discredit this style today. “I have heard you can pinch or bite off the cap.” Well, yes, some people do that, but it ruins the integrity of the cigar. First, it is nearly impossible to get a clean cut this way, which will cause loose tobacco to fleck on teeth and potentially break the wrapper. Secondly, if you bite the tip, the cap still should be disposed of, and spitting is not a heimish thing to do. Lastly, If you are smoking a torpedo/ belicoso stick, I recommend either a straight cut on a 30-45 degree angle or a deep V cut.
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