Before matches, a spill was used to transfer a flame from the fire in the hearth to a candle, lamp, cigar or pipe. A true spill was not a piece of paper, a stick, or a sliver of wood, it was a specialized wood shaving, given its name from the way it “spills” from the wood plane that produces it.
A spill's daily usefulness has long passed, but has been revived as a way of imparting a neutral flavor when lighting a cigar without the gasses or odors from the flame source. With a spill, the cigar lighting process is slowed, highlighting the nuances, character, and flavors in the cigar, bringing total fulfillment to the smoking process.
Much like hand-rolled cigars, our spills are a truly hand-made product. Each is hand-planed from select Spanish Cedar, individually inspected, and packaged in a clear tube highlighting the beauty of the wood from which it was produced.
Why use a spill to light your cigar?
Softer flame: 500° vs 1500° - 2500° of lighters
Less chance of scorching the tobacco
Imparts a neutral aroma
No Sulfur aroma of matches
No lighter fluid aroma
Slow the lighting process to savor initial flavors and aromas of the cigar.
How to Use
Hold the Spill a few inches in from the narrow end and light the large end
Keep the Spill level and slowly roll and toast the foot of the cigar, keeping the cigar out of the direct flame. The spill will burn for about one minute giving plenty of time to form an ember.
Enjoy!
Why Darkfire?
First, The darker the flame, the lower the temperature. The natural flame from a spill will be orange, as opposed to yellow, white or blue indicating the higher temperature of a lighter flame.
But also, to recognize our family farm's 200-year history of growing some of the finest Dark Fire Cured tobacco in the “Black Patch” area of Tennessee and Kentucky. A tradition we carry on to this day.
The Black Patch nickname was given to this region as 90 percent of the world’s Dark Fired tobacco is grown in the few surrounding counties. After harvest, this special variety of tobacco is hung in the barn and cured with hardwood fires, giving it a rich smoky aroma and a shiny caramelized finish. The firing process is truly an art form, passed down through generations. Dark tobacco is primarily used for smokeless, pipe tobacco and cigar blends, but the highest quality leaf is reserved for cigar wrappers.
We give as much attention to this hand-crafted product as we have through seven generations of producing our tobacco, and hope they make your cigar smoking an even more pleasurable experience.
Darkfire Spills can also be purchased in case and bulk quantities for cigar retailers, lounges and bars. Please contact us using the contact form.