When I first heard about Cigar Reserve spills, I have to say that I was overly excited. I have used spills for quite some time but I always had to get mine by going to the cigar lounge and asking for the Spanish cedar sheets out of their used boxes. I didn’t know where else I could get them, so I would take what I could get. It was not glamorous by any means, but I really love how the Spanish cedar spills light a cigar, so I sucked it up.  The sheets that I would get from the empty boxes of cigars were always too thin or too short. Having the opportunity to try  Spanish cedar spills from a company that specializes in them really caught my attention.  I am excited to see what the Cigar Reserve Spills are all about!

What is a spill?

A spill is thin piece of wood that was used  to light fires, candles, lanterns, or fireplaces. Before we had all the technology we have today such as matches and lighters, spills were the preferred method of bringing a flame to anything that need to be lit on fire, including your cigars.

So what is Cigar Reserve?

Cigar Reserve was created in 2002 with a goal of only selling cigars and accessories.  With their top priority being quality and service, which helped them establish a strong and supportive community of cigar patrons across the country.  Now in their many years of business there was one big problem they noticed that just did not settle well with Cigar Reserve. That was the issue of their patrons tainting their cigars with butane from torch lighters and sulfur from matches. Because of their strong passion for premium tobacco products and their desire to bring the ultimate experience to their patrons, Cigar Reserve Spills were born.  Their belief that cedar spills should and will be the common way to light up have them dedicating all  of their efforts to offering only Cigar Reserve Cedar Spills while trying to further educate the industry on the benefits of using Cigar Reserve Spanish Cedar Spills. With all that being said, I’m more than ready to get into it!

First off, THE AROMA… OH MY, MY THE AROMA. They smell amazing. As soon as I got them out of the bubble wrap packaging it was like a little slice of heaven opened up for me. A large blast of beautiful Spanish cedar wood  was there to greet me ever so sweetly.  The Spills came in a very sturdy, sliding card board box. Sliding the Spill Carriage out of the box, I was met with  yet another blast of that beautiful woodland aroma.

Taking the first spill out, I noticed they are very well constructed and measured just under 9 inches in length. I like the way it felt it my hand, not too delicate like the others I have used in the past. They are very sturdy. These spills are cut to resemble a Spanish sword which, according to the company, was “engineered for a controlled and perfect soft flame.” As I examined the spill, I noticed there was a small hook at the end which really did not make any sense to me as it would be pretty difficult to hurt someone with a blade point like that. It was not until lighting that it clicked. The hook was to help with the lighting process by bringing the flame onto the blade of the sword slowly and evenly. You can tell a lot of thought went into these spills.

Lighting the spill was very easy. The spill took very well to the flame. One thing I wanted to test was burn rate. The average burn rate is right around 1.08 minutes. This should be more than enough time to get a nice toast and light.  I also like that it was very easy to control the rate of burn by just changing the angle at which you hold the spill. It takes a little bit of getting used to, but worth it once you get it down. I know this should be common sense but….. Spills are not made for windy environments, just a heads up! After a few test rounds with the spills alone, I was ready to put them to the ultimate test… time to lite my cigar. The spill once again lit right up,  releasing that gorgeous woody essence I love so  much . Gently rotating the foot just above the flame tip of the spill, allowing the flame to gently kiss the foot of the cigar, I was able to get a pleasing low heat toast.  Half way up the spill, the cigar foot was starting to glow red while rotating past the spill flame. With a few draws on the head of the cigar, letting the flame get closer to the foot, I was in business.  I was able to pick up on the ever pleasing note of cedar right off the bat, adding to the overall experience. From the construction,  the ease of lighting,  to the ease at which you can manipulate the flame,  all of these factors make for a very gratifying experience, not to mention the enhancement of the flavors I received by allowing the cigar to stay true to its natural form and not inviting in any kind of unnatural flavors caused by butane and the likes thereof… it’s a true a pleasure. I am happy to have found this company and will not be caught again without any of these little gems handy.

To get your hand on these beautiful spills, head on over to http://cigarreserve.com/ and place your order! You will not be disappointed!

Don’t forget Cigar Reserve also has a large inventory of Rare, Limited-Edition and Vintage Sampler sets for you to choose from.

~Tony

Read More of this Review and others by, Tony Rubio at:  http://www.tonyscigarcorner.com/cigar-reserve-spills/