Mark of a good cigar

Alex Williams

What is your mark of a good cigar? I was always fought that it was how long it could gold its ash. I'd this a valid statement? Also, do you prefer to let the ash grow or do you tap it off?

MAJORdorMo

brsmith21

0 That Guy 0

I have heard not to tap the cigar if your trying to get rid of the ash but to lightly roll the edge of the ash on an ashtray until it falls off. I guess this would just be a more a gradual/natural process but I honestly don't think there's a right or wrong here.

0 That Guy 0

While on this topic, what is the best way to fix a cigar that canoes? I always just wet my finger and dab it on the side thats running in hopes that the other sides will catch up. This usually works but is a pain in the ass and annoying.

brsmith21

0 That Guy 0:

While on this topic, what is the best way to fix a cigar that canoes? I always just wet my finger and dab it on the side thats running in hopes that the other sides will catch up. This usually works but is a pain in the ass and annoying.

I tend to give it a touch-up light on the side that isn't burning.

kuzi16

betasynn

0 That Guy 0

gmill880

From what i understand the longer ash helps the cigar burn cooler

madurofan

kuzi16

gmill880

madurofan

nsezell

I've personally experimented with this quite a bit. It definitely keeps the stick cooler. The lack of oxygen just slows down the burn. Consider the temperature of the smoke coming through before and after the ash drops. Plus, once my first ash drops, I can definitely taste a slightly more "charred" a few minutes after the ash drops. The spitting theory is just BS from what I can tell tho...

madurofan

nsezell:

I've personally experimented with this quite a bit. It definitely keeps the stick cooler. The lack of oxygen just slows down the burn. Consider the temperature of the smoke coming through before and after the ash drops. Plus, once my first ash drops, I can definitely taste a slightly more "charred" a few minutes after the ash drops. The spitting theory is just BS from what I can tell tho...

Other than being able to taste the 'char', how exactly have you experimented with this?

xmacro

kaspera79

gmill880

kaspera79

gmill880

Ha ! Good story Kas ...

Matt Marvel

I don't really try to get that deep with what's good and what isn't. Sure, a cigar that burns well, stays together, and has a good taste is good stick. But, here's a philosophy I've picked up in my short time as a cigar smoker. If you're disappointed that the cigar is over once you put it out, then it was probably a pretty damn good smoke.

ilikebigbutts-cigarbutts

Heres my slightly uneducated unscientific guess at letting the ash go. Has anyone tasted ash? I have and as u guessed its not very good. So i believe and can also reassure as stated erlier that the cigar flavor basically comes back after the ash has fallen off. I look at it this way, when u take your drag on a cigar that lets say has an inch of ash, not only are you getting the cigar flavor but your bringing in the ash flavor with it. I mean how can u not, the air goes thru the ash into the cigar then your mouth to your taste buds. Also when a cigar is just bout out and you try to save it. You get that ashy taste. Along with everyone agrees to blow thru a cigar to get old stale smoke out when cigar has gone out. Just my idears.

adamkhalil

j0z3r

ilikebigbutts-cigarbutts:

Heres my slightly uneducated unscientific guess at letting the ash go. Has anyone tasted ash? I have and as u guessed its not very good. So i believe and can also reassure as stated erlier that the cigar flavor basically comes back after the ash has fallen off. I look at it this way, when u take your drag on a cigar that lets say has an inch of ash, not only are you getting the cigar flavor but your bringing in the ash flavor with it. I mean how can u not, the air goes thru the ash into the cigar then your mouth to your taste buds. Also when a cigar is just bout out and you try to save it. You get that ashy taste. Along with everyone agrees to blow thru a cigar to get old stale smoke out when cigar has gone out. Just my idears.

I would tend not to agree with that, mainly because I never let an ash go with less than an inch hanging on and the ash being there has never affected the taste of my smoke, likewise it has never gotten better after ashing. A lot of the bad tastes you get during a cigar are caused by puffing too frequently as it causes the ember to burn hotter and makes a bitter taste come through.

ilikebigbutts-cigarbutts

That was just my view, hence different people have different tastes and such. I smoke slow so no overdoing the cigar.

j0z3r

This is true, different strokes for different folks as they say. Or as I say...different smokes for different folks.

Garen B

ilikebigbutts-cigarbutts:

Heres my slightly uneducated unscientific guess at letting the ash go. Has anyone tasted ash?

Yup, about a week ago I was helping my brother fix the light on his stick and once I was finished fixing it, he handed me my cigar backwards. You can guess how that turned out, and the worst part was I burnt my tongue and put out most of the cherry.

j0z3r

OUCH! Were you able to keep your tongue after that?

Matt Marvel

Garen B:

ilikebigbutts-cigarbutts:

Heres my slightly uneducated unscientific guess at letting the ash go. Has anyone tasted ash?

Yup, about a week ago I was helping my brother fix the light on his stick and once I was finished fixing it, he handed me my cigar backwards. You can guess how that turned out, and the worst part was I burnt my tongue and put out most of the cherry.

I don't even want to know what that must've felt like. I've actually tasted ash, and it's not something you want to try. About a year after I graduated high school, I got a job as an overnight stocker at Wal-Mart. I would obviously sleep during the day, and was up all night. Well, on one my days off, I had gone to Jack in the Box at about that night, and grabbed a bite to eat. I left my drink next to the computer when I was finished, and went to bed. Throughout the day as I was sleeping, my mom had been on the computer, and used the Jack in the Box cup as an ashtray. I wake up, and decide to get a drink of it, not knowing she had done this. I take a sip and get mouthful of ash and burned cigarettes.

Garen B

Man, that's nasty Matt, I did keep my tongue only because I had literally just lit it, took one puff, then fixed my brother's light, so it wasn't all quite lit up. Only lingering effect is that I look really hard at what end is headed towards the face. If I recall, it ended up being a pretty good stick too.