what am i doing wrong?
robert.beecher
Posts: 9
in Cigar 101
I am a newbie to be sure and I didn't think smoking would be this hard. For the last few days each stick I try is plugged... or gets plugged? I am currently alternating the last of the machine made grocery store purchases with the Primeros Regionals-Dominicans I picked up here. All was well a week ago but now it is frustrating as each smoke will get tighter and tighter as I smoke it. Am I doing something wrong?
0
Comments
You mentioned that the draw gets tighter and tighter as you smoke it. How fast are you smoking? If you smoke too fast, it may increase the tar buildup throughout the course of the smoke, which can create a blockage.
Are you using a humidor? What kind of Hygrometer do you have? Is it calibrated? What RH is your humi holding at?
I would also suggest you try a few different sticks. Those Premiros are not the most consistent stick. I burned thru several of them when I was starting out and I remember how inconsistent they were. I would suggest you try out several of the house blends. These are well made, represent a good portion of the sticks out there on the market and can be had for cheap.
Thinking back we have gotten inches of rain in the last few days so I am sure the moisture didn't do any good.
I have been smoking fast. I only get about an hour on my drive home during the week so I tend to rush things.
Tonight I will be able to sit out on the deck and take my time.
I have not yet bought a humidor ( I have only been smoking for about 2 weeks) but will look to this board for guidance when I do.
Thanks to all for the input.
And second what Rob and laker said about trying other smokes.
My personal advice, if nothing else is to get to a reputable tobacconist, buy only a few sticks that you are going to smoke within the week and keep them in a ziplock. It isn't ideal, but it would make the best of the situation.
If you are going to smoke cigars, I can't recommend highly enough either building or buying a humidor. It is so nice to be able to have a selection to smoke whenever you would like and a variety to choose from to suit your mood.
Best of luck.
+1........ I learn something new every day!
of course, ring gauge has a factor in this.
if you smoke a very large ring gauge (60ish) cigar a bit faster, it will not cone as easily or burn as hot. this is the entire reason why larger rings became popular. a novice could sit down and puff like mad on it and it would not burn too hot. if you smoke that same cigar at a "normal" pace it is more likely to burn inward leaving the wrapper. so in a way, larger ring cigars were meant to be smoked a bit faster. (though i still smoke them as slow as i can)
a very small ring cigar will burn very hot and bitter if smoked fast. to get any good flavor on a small ring cigar you NEED to slow down. however, if you slow down too much with the little guys they dont burn in, they just go out. finding the right pace is a difficult task to some.
i just try and smoke as slow as i can get away with.
I will be shopping for a humidor today. Suggestions more than welcome.
Thanks for all the informative replies.