Titantool
£24.00
Why do cigars keep going out?
The short version
Why do cigars keep going out?
Cigars go out primarily because they are over-humidified (above 70% RH), puffed too infrequently, or have a tight roll restricting airflow. Unlike cigarettes, cigars contain zero chemical burn accelerators. Puff gently once every 45 to 60 seconds to maintain an even cherry without overheating.
The main points
- Cigars contain 100% pure tobacco with no chemical combustion additives
- Puffing rhythm: one gentle draw every 45 to 60 seconds is optimal
- Excess humidity (above 68-70%) is the number one cause of repeated burnouts
- Cuban cigars smoke far better and stay lit easier at 63-65% relative humidity
Pure tobacco contains no burn accelerators
Commercial cigarettes stay lit when set in an ashtray because the paper is treated with chemical burn additives (such as sodium potassium tartrate). Premium cigars are 100% pure tobacco leaf and natural tree-gum adhesive.
Natural tobacco leaf will extinguish itself if starved of oxygen. A cigar relies on a gentle, rhythmic draw to supply airflow to the glowing ember.
Over-humidification: the most common culprit
If a cigar is kept at 72% or higher humidity, the leaf fibres are damp. Water absorbs heat. As you smoke, the glowing cherry loses thermal energy turning moisture into steam, causing the ember to extinguish repeatedly.
Lowering your humidor humidity from 70% down to 65% solves 90% of cigar burn complaints, especially for Cuban cigars which are rolled with dense filler.
How to properly relight a cigar that has gone out
1. Gently tap off the loose exterior ash into an ashtray.
2. Blow gently through the head of the cigar to purge stale, acrid smoke trapped in the barrel.
3. Hold your jet flame half an inch from the foot, rotating the cigar until the entire circumference glow is restored before taking your first gentle draw.
Recommended from our humidor
Duty-paid, kept at 68% humidity, and sent with a free Boveda pack.
Follow-ups
Related questions
The variations of this question people search for most.
How often should you puff a cigar to keep it lit?
Once every 45 to 60 seconds. Puffing faster than every 30 seconds will overheat the cherry and make the smoke bitter; puffing slower than once every 90 seconds will allow the ember to die.
Can you relight a cigar the next day?
Not recommended. Stale smoke settles in the tobacco oils overnight, oxidising into sour, tarry compounds. If a cigar has been out for more than an hour or two, it will taste acrid and bitter upon relighting.
Why do Cuban cigars go out more frequently than New World cigars?
Cuban cigars are rolled with a traditional entubar technique with tight tolerances and minimal chemical intervention. They require slightly lower storage humidity (63-65% RH) to burn consistently compared to looser New World rolls.
What should you do if a cigar draw is completely plugged?
Massage the cigar gently along the barrel to feel for tight bunch knots. If a knot is detected near the head, using a cigar draw poker tool (like the TitanTool) through the center of the filler creates an instant airflow channel.