Ember Triple Jet Torch Lighter

Three jets, and when you need them

A triple jet covers a wide foot in one pass, which matters on large ring gauges where a single jet takes long enough that one side dries before the other is lit. On a slim corona it is more heat than necessary, so this is the lighter for gordos and toros rather than cigarillos.

Toasting properly

Hold the flame just below the foot without touching it and rotate the cigar until the rim glows evenly. Then draw gently with the flame close by. Contact between flame and tobacco is what scorches a wrapper and puts a bitter edge on the first third.

Why butane

It burns without odour. Petrol lighters leave a taste on the first draws that ruins the opening of a good cigar. Use refined butane rather than the cheapest available: residue from poor gas clogs the jets, and a sputtering torch is nearly always a fuel problem.

Refilling

Purge the tank, refill, then wait about a minute before lighting to let the gas settle and the tank return to temperature. Lighting immediately gives a weak, erratic flame.

Heat safety

Never leave a butane lighter in a parked car. Pressure rises sharply with temperature and the seals can fail.

Alternatives

The Dual Jet is more controlled for everyday cigars; the Soft Flame suits pipes.