Wetting a cigar is a practice adopted by many cigar enthusiasts primarily to enhance the flavors, create a smoother burn, and reduce bitterness during the smoking experience. This technique helps optimize the cigar's condition, particularly if it feels dry, leading to a more enjoyable and consistent smoke.
Key Benefits of Wetting a Cigar
The primary reasons behind lightly wetting a cigar before lighting up revolve around improving its performance and taste profile:
- Enhanced Flavors: Proper moisture allows the tobacco's natural oils and aromatic compounds to develop fully and burn efficiently, bringing out the cigar's intended taste nuances. A dry cigar can burn too hot, scorching the tobacco and muting complex flavors.
- Smoother Burn: A well-humidified cigar burns more evenly and consistently. Wetting can help prevent common burn issues such as "canoeing" (one side burning faster than the other) or "tunneling" (the center burning out while the outside remains unlit), ensuring a steady, slow combustion.
- Reduced Bitterness: When a cigar is too dry, it tends to burn hot and fast, which can lead to a harsh, acrid, or bitter taste. By introducing a small amount of moisture, the burn rate is regulated, preventing the tobacco from overheating and preserving a clean, pleasant flavor.
Detailed Explanation of Benefits
To illustrate how wetting achieves these benefits, consider the following aspects:
| Benefit | How Wetting Helps |
|---|---|
| Enhanced Flavors | Moist tobacco burns cooler and more completely, allowing the complex notes of the different tobacco leaves (wrapper, binder, filler) to emerge without being overwhelmed by harshness. |
| Smoother Burn | By increasing the moisture content slightly, the tobacco's resistance to combustion becomes more uniform across the cigar's cross-section. This promotes an even "cherry" (the burning tip) and ash. |
| Reduced Bitterness | Overly dry cigars combust rapidly, producing higher temperatures and often leading to an unpleasant, bitter aftertaste. Controlled moisture slows the burn, mitigating this issue. |
This controlled moisture content ensures the tobacco combusts at an optimal rate, preventing common issues that detract from the smoking experience.
How to Properly Wet a Cigar (Briefly)
While the focus is on why to wet a cigar, understanding how it's done reinforces the benefits. It's crucial not to soak a cigar. Instead, methods typically involve a very light misting or gently wiping the wrapper with a damp cloth or even saliva. The goal is to add minimal, surface-level moisture, not to re-humidify a completely dried-out cigar. For more on general cigar care, resources like Cigar Aficionado offer detailed guides on humidification.
Important Considerations
It's important to note that wetting a cigar is generally practiced when a cigar feels slightly dry or for personal preference. Cigars stored in a properly maintained humidor at optimal humidity (around 65-72% RH) should not require wetting. Over-wetting can be detrimental, leading to a plugged draw, an uneven burn, or even damage to the wrapper.
