Lighting a cigar is equal parts art and science. For many smokers, it is the opening act in the smoking ritual and, in many ways, one of the most enjoyable. Zippo lighters are regarded by some as a poor way to light a cigar owing to the lighter fluid imparting a chemical taste to the tobacco. Other smokers claim that this is simply not true and wouldn’t use anything else to light their stogie. The individual should always feel free to make this determination for themselves.
Lighting a cigar with a Zippo has been a debate in the cigar aficionado community for a long time. These lighters have been around since World War 1 when they were offered to soldiers as a way of generating light without the position-betraying flare characteristic of a match. While matches may have been a liability in the trenches, many cigar smokers prefer them for lighting up in modern times, claiming that it is the best way to get a cigar burning without adding any unpleasant taste.
The reason Zippos remain popular for outdoor use is that they are an inherently windproof lighter. The lighter fluid used to fuel them is slow to evaporate and is thick enough that it will stick to the wick and ignite even in very windy conditions. This makes them popular with sailors and fishermen.
As is the case with everything concerning cigars, whether or not to use a Zippo is a matter of personal preference. These lighters are often heirloom items and using them is something of a ritual for some people. If one should detect an unpleasant chemical taste fouling that of their favorite cigar, the solution may be to purchase a higher-end fluid. Some fluids advertise that they give no taste to the tobacco at all and, even among very discriminating smokers, these fluids are a popular option.
Whether or not the taste of lighter fluid is something about which one should harbor concern is entirely for the smoker to decide. Being outdoors is as much about the equipment as it is about anything else and using a Zippo has something of an adventurous feel to it. These lighters long history of reliability makes them an advantageous choice for outdoor enthusiasts. The butane models, however, are very affordable and there’s nothing to say that it’s a bad idea to bring along more than one lighter and to see which proves superior in adverse outdoor conditions.
Brian is a business consultant for an online Zippo butane lighter store and has expert knowledge of jet lighters.
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