You know those flimsy-ass sheets of cedar stuffed between layers of stogies inside a cigar box? Well, once upon a time, those strips of wood, which are called "cedar spills," were the preferred form of sparking a stogie, and are still one of the best ways of lighting a cigar with a low-temp flame.

But with the advent of the fuel-powered lighter, and later, the mighty cigar torch lighter, the wafer-thin Spanish cedar spill slowly fell out of favor. Dismayed by the fact that this vital piece of cigar smoking culture may be nearing extinction, Klaro has decided to bring back the cedar spill in a big way.

Like premium cigar blends, balance is key when it comes to cedar spills. That is why Klaro has taken the extra step and had custom cedar spills milled for us that are just the right thickness, length, and width. Preserving cigar culture and heritage is just as important as embracing the direction in which we are going as a community.

So, here is a bit of backstory on the ubiquitous, yet often discarded cedar spill, along with some tips, precautions, and the cigar smoking etiquette that comes with it all. For when done correctly, something as simple as a strip of Spanish cedar has the ability to turn the act of lighting a cigar into a classy, time-honored smoking ritual.  Let's get to it, shall we?

To Divide & Protect

The vast majority of the sheets of cedar you encounter within the confines of a cigar box likely smell absolutely divine, but only to certain species. Spanish cedar may be pleasing in aroma to humans, but bugs tend to despise the smell of the stuff, which is another reason why it is so widely used.

That being said, packaging and protection continue to be the primary purpose of that sheet of Spanish cedar inside your cigar box. They help keep lower layers of cigars in place and protected during packaging, as well as upon opening, and when your drunk uncle hits up the local walk-in humidor. 

Built to Spill

But while those dinky sheets of Spanish cedar stuffed between the layers of stogies inside a cigar box are indeed the real deal, they aren't always ideal for lighting a cigar, and here is why.
While the smoke shop down the street probably has stacks of cedar scrap sitting unused somewhere, the average sheet is typically entirely too thin, and therefore produces more smoke and ash than heat. Furthermore, ripping off a strip from a cedar sheet will often result in an uneven spill, and that can produce any number of issues. 

Rip a strip that is too wide and you will have a bonfire on your hands and run the risk of burning down the whole damn block. Remove too thin of a strip, and you aren't going to do shit outside of adding some cedar smoke flavor to the foot of that stogie. So again, balance and consistency are key, hence Klaro now machining its own line of cedar spills.

"Cedar spills, or cedar splits, are an historic and traditional method for lighting a cigar. Use of the cedar spill helps preserve and protect the taste and/or flavor of the cigar. The user lights the cedar spill and then carefully lights the open tip of the cigar by rotating the cigar over the flame. Alternatively, matches or butane lighters may be used to light the cigar, but these lighting devices frequently scorch or contaminate the tobacco, oils and water within the cigar upon lighting giving the cigar an off-taste.” —Patent Application Publication US20130052397A1

Neutral Ignition & Ready for Takeoff

Even the cleanest combusting torch lighter loaded with celestial gases pulled straight from the glowing ring of Uranus will add some unwanted chemicals to a premium cigar blend. It may not affect the cigar flavor profile or aromatics in any specific way, but sometimes you can’t help but wonder what went into refining that can of butane…

While a cedar spill will put off a fair deal of soot-rich smoke, it is still widely considered to be one of the most neutral methods of lighting a cigar. Spanish cedar tends to impart a very pleasant aromatic and flavor profile when it is time to light up, thus causing many purists to prefer this form of combustion over others. 

Additionally, since Spanish cedar strips do not contain any fuel or batteries, they are TSA approved, and make for ideal cigar travel companions since they easily fit inside most cigar travel humidors. So, even if you get stuck with a crappy gas station lighter while on vacation, you can still successfully light your stogie without contaminating it.

Bring on the Cool Points

Lighting a cigar with a badass-looking multi-flame torch lighter may have caused you to garner some serious cool points back in the 1990s, but nowadays, everyone uses this form of flame to light their cigar. Cedar spills, on the other hand, are timeless.

In fact, nothing says "badass" quite like taking a flaming slat of wood and calmly toasting the foot of your cigar with it. Part James Bond villain calling card, part cowboy campfire practicality, the act of lighting a cigar with a cedar spill is undeniably raw and suave at the same time. 

Tobacco Nerd Note: Adding a pack of custom-milled cedar spills to your Klaro cigar of the month subscription has never been easier. Just drop a note in with your order or via chat, and we will make sure that a bundle gets shipped with your order.

Using a Cedar Spill to Light a Cigar

Do you see the image above? That is a prime example of how NOT to light a cigar with a cedar spill. That flame may be gentle, but it still has enough heat to char the ever-loving hell out of a cigar wrapper. So, try to keep that flame in front of the foot and away from the barrel.

Fiery disclaimer complete, it's stogie sparking time!

For those who want to try their hand at splitting up a cedar sheet, we find it is best to fold the sheet first so that you have a spill that is about a thumb’s width, and then breaking it off. Try to keep the spill as straight and even as possible in width to prevent inconsistent burn rates. If you do happen to create a spill that is slightly larger on one end, attempt to strip off any excess on the wider side. That, or hold the slimmer end, as this will prevent a sizable flame from developing toward the tail end of the cigar ignition process.

Light one end of the spill, the cigar grasped in your other hand, ready and waiting to rotate as needed. Keep the spill at a slight downward angle so that the flame can slowly climb toward the hand that’s holding it. The spill should never be held horizontally, as this will cause it to go out. Avoiding too sharp of a sloped angle is also important, for that will cause the spill to burn at a rapid rate, and the flame will likely become quite large. 

Cedar spill lit and angled appropriately, carefully toast the foot of the cigar over the flame like you would with any lighter. Then, after placing the cigar in your mouth, light the foot, remembering to keep the flame well in front of the foot to prevent any risk of over-charring. Foot thoroughly lit, begin the puffing process, knowing full well that you have just leveled up your cigar smoking game.

Tobacco Nerd Note: In order to light the foot of a larger ring-gauge cigar, multiple cedar spills may be required. So don’t skimp on the Spanish cedar when packing that travel humidor, because running out halfway through the ignition process is only going to make you look and feel like a complete jackass.

Don’t Be a Twisted Firestarter

As the classic flame-filled Kurt Russell flick, Backdraft, clearly illustrated, playing with fire comes with a certain level of risk and responsibility.

Even though it might have the density of a dollar bill, that cedar spill in your hand is going to burn like all hell once you give it a light. This can create quite a scary scenario if you are not careful, with the following three being the most common.

Overly-Charred Cigars

Going from lighting the foot of a cigar to charring entirely too much of the barrel is a thin line that can be easily crossed. This is not some tightly controlled torch jet that’s impervious to sudden wind gusts, but a sizable flame that will blow in any direction. As mentioned earlier, always mind the angle and distance of your cigar's foot from the flame when lighting, and be sure to light up in an area where there is no wind.

Kicking Ash All Over the Place

As with any wooden fuel source, ash is inevitable when a cedar spill is set ablaze. Due to the slender thickness of the average cedar spill, remnants are wispy, feather-light, and prone to going everywhere. Fortunately, they also tend to extinguish themselves rather rapidly, thus greatly reducing any risk of fire.

Burning Hair Stinks… Literally

Singed eyebrows and flaming locks of glory are a smelly way to ruin a perfectly good cigar smoking session. Remain mindful of your cedar spill lighting etiquette, and toast carefully, folks.

Parting Puffs

Spanish cedar is everywhere in the cigar world. Without it, we would be lining our cigar humidors with all manner of inferior material, thus missing out on a ton of fantastic aromatics. And while utilizing the unwanted remnants from the cigar box production process will get the job done, it is typically best to obtain a pack of cedar spills that are all of the same size.

Cedar spills smell great, are gentle on tobacco when it comes to heat, and make you look like an absolute boss when you spark up, just as long as you do so with great care. So, give this classic style of cigar lighting a try, and take your cigar smoking experience to the next level with a cedar spill. It may just change the way you light and smoke your cigars forever.