And a nice pipe pays for itself in my opinion. I loved a good cigar back in the day, but they NEVER relaxed me like a bowl of a nice CHEAP Whiskey Blend of tobacco.
[rant] I’m on the verge of giving up cigars [rant]
- Thread starter Toothpick
- Start date
I’ve smoked cigars for years, mostly Havana’s and while some cigars are far better than others they all taste like cigars. I’ve thrown in the towel and gone back to pipes. Get a pipe and the world of flavor is your oyster (never really understood that expression but it seems fitting). I’m not knocking cigars and will have one from time to time - just prefer the variety of pipe tobacco as a daily smoke.
From the Shakespeare play The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Falstaff: I will not lend thee a penny.
Pistol: Why then the world’s mine oyster, Which I with sword will open.
Falstaff: I will not lend thee a penny.
Pistol: Why then the world’s mine oyster, Which I with sword will open.
Have you tried purging?
I got over having a long ash on my stogies many moons ago. I actually think they burn better the more I rollgently in the bottom of a smooth ashtray.
I also think purging them keeps them more evenly lit, even if you’re experiencing tunneling. I find that it also keeps the cigars smoking cooler, which means less tongue bite.
This guy is kinda annoying, but he does a great job showing how to purge properly. Half the time I don’t even purge with a lighter.
I got over having a long ash on my stogies many moons ago. I actually think they burn better the more I rollgently in the bottom of a smooth ashtray.
I also think purging them keeps them more evenly lit, even if you’re experiencing tunneling. I find that it also keeps the cigars smoking cooler, which means less tongue bite.
This guy is kinda annoying, but he does a great job showing how to purge properly. Half the time I don’t even purge with a lighter.
- Thread starter
- #26
Never heard of purging. Thanks! Might as well give it a go sometime.
[rant]
Rocky Patel 1990. A good cigar. I remember a long time ago,....around...2009 lets say... I had one and it burned great, smoked great.
View attachment 1117881
View attachment 1117882
Cut to 2020, tonight - it sucked. Look at the ember! Still sucked! But that’s not unusual because 95% of the cigars i smoke.....suck. Except for the small cigarillos. I have no issues with those. But the full sizes cigars - all bastards. Even with a good ember - look at it! Just terrible after a few minutes.
Tunneling, uneven burn, won’t stay lit. Just take your pick of all the various cigar issues and I’ve experienced them. Every single one. I’m loosing my freaking mind because I’m wasting some seriously good cigars because they just won’t burn.
I have no idea what I am doing wrong. None. Not a clue. Back in the day, back in the 2004ish day when I first got in to cigars I never had an issue. I would get a long 2 inch ash with no problem. In fact - back in 2013 I started this thread!
That's some serious ash.
I've always heard that you can judge a good cigar by how well it holds it's ash. So let's see your ash! Many folks scoff at Acid cigars, but that's some serious ash! Acid 1400cc, powered by me.www.badgerandblade.com
Never had any issue with keeping a cigar going until recently. Until I invested hundreds of dollars in humidors and cigars. Now I look at it all and I think...what a waste! It just grinds me gears! I pull out a smoke, I light it just the same as I lit every other cigar. I get a full puff of smoke. Taste pretty good. A nice red ember. An even burn. And then somehow it all goes to crap. Just goes out. Only burns right down the middle. Burns like a canoe. Just flip a coin and pick an issue, I’ll have it. Every cigar.
I torch the end then bring it to my mouth and continue lighting while rotating and puffing. Sometimes I light the cigar without ever puffing on it. I’ve even used the cedar spills. I’ve used every freaking lighting method I know of. A 3 flame torch. A single flame torch. A 4 flame torch!
I use a 65% Boveda in the humidor. THAT is the only thing that I can think of that is different from back in the day when I actually enjoyed a full cigar from start to finish. Back in the day I never used Boveda, I only used the green foam in the small round plastic with distilled water. So what I’m thinking is that my cigars are getting to much humidity since I’m using Boveda and in Middle TN.
So next time I smoke I’m going to leave the cigar sit out for a half hour before I light it up. Maybe that will make the difference.
Otherwise - screw this. It’s not worth it to me to spend 20 bucks on a cigar only to enjoy 1/4 of it because it won‘t burn right.
[/rant]
I agree with a few of the the others. Everything you are describing is indicative of a wet cigar. Not so damp to get moldy. But definitely too soggy for a sustained burn. Everyone needs to relight. It is a regular occurrence. So if you are leaving your sticks for 5-10 minutes between puffs and they are burning out, that is within normal. But if it's burning out in a minute or two and you are huffing it to keep it going, it's usually a soggy cigar.
I don't recall, but I thought you were the gentleman who bought a few fancy desktop humidors (maybe I am mistaken). If a desktop box is over packed with too high a humidifier, they can get and stay on the soggy side. They need some air circulation. Perhaps you need some more storage capacity as your stock has grown.
Take a couple sample sticks, and segregate them down to 60% in a separate container for a couple weeks. See if that improves their burn. If so, you've isolated the issue.
Removing those crazy ash poles also helps with a decent burn. All these young men on the Internet cigar websites seem to do it as some kind of sport. I don't know when that recent practice started, but it's silly IMO. Cigar smokers have been tapping their ash for centuries. It better facilitates oxygen flow to the burning tip. Tap your ash as you smoke.
The only other thing I will point out to you is that cigars at the cigar store or in a lower end salon are typically un-aged. They will smoke sharper and more crisply as to the spicier notes in particular. If your sticks have aged for more than 6-8 months, some of the effects of aging may be underway, which will start to round off those harsher edges. They will taste differently. You gain smoothness and a more integrated flavor spectrum, but you give up those sharp edges. You may like those sharp edges. That means you may be ready for a stronger, spicier cigar for those you age. Mild cigars can get too 'creamy' for some smokers as they age; the complaint is typically 'blandness' or 'loss of flavor'. It is just that your palate demands a little more pepper and spice that they can no longer deliver with that edge.
Good luck to you. Don't give up on the fire sticks just yet. As much we love our pipes, smoking a nice stogie on the patio on a mid-summer evening with your favorite beverage is hard to beat.
Hmmm purging is an interesting concept. I’ve found with my pipe, massaging the smoke back and forth occasionally through the pipe helps the burn and gives off good flavor. Makes sense it applies to cigars! Gonna go buy one and try it now haha
Couldn’t do it, he’s so annoying I couldn’t get past 30 seconds.
Anyone that can sit thru an entire video from that guy deserves some sort of an award
- Thread starter
- #30
I’m subscribed to his channel and have been for a while. I skip through to find the info I want. I do that with 99.99999% of every YouTube video though because 99.999999% of YouTube is blah blah blah (20 minutes) HERE’S THE INFO YOU ACTUALLY CAME TO SEE (5 minutes) blah blah blah (20 more minutes).
Too true. This is exactly what I do.
This is why I prefer pipes. Just one of many reasons, actually.
I know my boxes are too wet. I have the 70% Xicar gels. I have one box at 67 and they smoke a heck of a lot better. If I think I'm going through more than that small box or something in really craving but don't have in there, I'll either let it set out or out it in my herfador to smoke when I get to it.
CigarObsession is way better education and entertainment. Bryan has been doin it for so damn long he’s got topics for everything cigar related
Chandu
I Waxed The Badger.
100% true. And some of the loud annoying hyped up intro music designed to wake up someone on crack and meth, needs to be missed.
Rib eye is more expensive than sirloin. If I have the choice between a sirloin steak once a week or rib eye once a month, rib eye wins.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
PooTube is so annoying. I have a little rule where I stop videos as soon as they start begging for like and subscribe, even if they haven't got to the content yet.- Thread starter
- #38
I changed batteries and calibrated the Butlers. These are pretty much spot on now.
Looks like the Butler did it.
I'm here all week!
I'm here all week!
Yea you should get rid of those cigars and humidors! I'll send you my address so you can send them to me. I'll dispose of them properly for you!
