Accessory Review:  Cigar Reserve Cedar Spills

SET UP AND USE: [Score: 92]
FUNCTION: [Score: 92]
VALUE: [Score: 85]
OVERALL SCORE: 89.6/100

Using cedar spills to light cigars is a very old tradition. It harkens back to a time when most men smoked cigars and cigar smoking was considered acceptable and even genteel for a successful man. It also dates to a time when butane torch lighters had yet to be invented and when alternatives were such things as candles, a campfire, kerosene lanterns and other such dinosaurian methods. Using cedar spills to light your cigars, even in the age of butane torch-, or soft-flame lighters, still evokes a sense of history, nostalgia and a respect for traditions within the cigar industry.

Cigar Reserve of Lake Oswego, Oregon, is making cedar spills for the cigar enthusiast, albeit in a much higher tech form than in ages past. The theory behind the use of cedar spills is to light your cigar without introducing harsh or noxious chemicals to the flavor of the tobacco. Gases like propane, natural gas, kerosene, and lighter fluid will definitely taint your tobacco with off flavors due to the chemicals in these products. Butane, on the other hand, is a colorless, odorless liquid gas that is used in many cigar lighters these days and yet it burns incredibly hot and may singe the tobacco, if you are not careful.

The Cigar Reserve cedar spills allow you to gently toast the foot of your cigar and avoid the tendency to burn the leaves during the lighting process. I have used Cigar Reserve cedar spills and they work as advertised as long as you pay attention to some simple caveats... First, cedar spills are only partially effective when used outdoors. Even a soft breeze will make it very difficult to light your cigar with the spills. Second, you need to be patient with the spills. Start by letting them toast the foot of the cigar BEFORE you start puffing. The spills should burn for 30-45 seconds, so take your time. Finally, cedar spills are not self-lighting, therefore you must also have a fire source to get the spill started.

Without a doubt, it is kind of cool to light your cigars with spills, like those from Cigar Reserve. The soft flame and the slow light gives you a chance to appreciate the fine craftsmanship in your cigar and will move you unhurriedly into the smoking experience.

One of the downsides for me in using cedar spills is that I smoke outside almost exclusively and the spills are not the best choice if there is even the hint of a breeze. Nevertheless, I have hosted cigar parties and have always made cedar spills available to my guests to let them experience the time-honored method of lighting a cigar.

Another downside is cost. At $14.95 for a box of 25, that's .60 per spill, which ain't cheap. Of course, there are perks for purchasing more. You can get a box of 50 for $19.95, which works out to .40 per spill. Nevertheless, spills are a consumable and therefore should be accessibly priced so that they can be used on a regular basis.

For more information about Cigar Reserve cedar spills... Email: support@cigarreserve.com

About the Author:

David "Doc" Diaz is the publisher and the editor of the Stogie Fresh Cigar Publications. He has served as an educator, researcher and writer and has taught in the Health Education and Health Science field for over 30 years. He possesses an earned doctorate from Nova Southeastern University. Doc is a Certified Master Tobacconist (CMT), having received this certification from the Tobacconist University and is a member and Ambassador of Cigar Rights of America (CRA).

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