Loose Lucy's

The Sniper

Lately I have been enjoying sticks that have a very loose, effortless draw. I was wondering what cigars everyone enjoy here that have that characteristic.

BigT06

It varies a lot in my experience... But RP are always loose... Too loose for me. Carlos Torano are usually pretty loose. CAO as well.

cooch36

I like a medium draw but have found some plugging lately making some very hard to draw from possibly tar.

JonathanE

Ok, guys, noob moment! Time for some education. I thought the way you cut the cigar had more to do with the draw than anything else. I use a punch most of the time because I like the draw better but I'll double-guillotine a cigar that's too tight. I admit that doesn't always fix it though. Is it an actual fact that some makers shoot for a tighter/looser draw?

greg2648

I enjoy Diamond Crowns. They have a "looser" draw.

BigT06

JonathanE:

Ok, guys, noob moment! Time for some education. I thought the way you cut the cigar had more to do with the draw than anything else. I use a punch most of the time because I like the draw better but I'll double-guillotine a cigar that's too tight. I admit that doesn't always fix it though. Is it an actual fact that some makers shoot for a tighter/looser draw?

how much tobacco is packed in the cigar and the way in which it is bunched has the most to do with the draw. Traditional entubado style bunching typically lends to a better, more consistent draw... But that's not to say that there aren't plenty of cigars with standard bunching that draw great. Some cigar makers will intentionally make a draw be a certain level of firm/loose, but it really has more to do with the person(s) bunching and wrapping and how well they do the job, and how much tobacco is in the blend/vitola. Good cigar blenders and makers can make very consistent drawing cigars, and even make them predictable.

JonathanE

That sounds about right. Thanks for the explanation. I think I tend to like cigars that are on the medium-light range as far as the draw goes.

MonteWhite

Of course, everyone has their own definition of the perfect draw. But if a cigar were to vary one way or the other, I prefer a slightly loose draw over a slightly snug one. It just seems like I'm working harder than I should to receive my enjoyment with a tighter draw. Either way, as long as the draw isn't not overboard, I'll can enjoy my cigar for everything it is.

The Sniper

BigT06:

JonathanE:

Ok, guys, noob moment! Time for some education. I thought the way you cut the cigar had more to do with the draw than anything else. I use a punch most of the time because I like the draw better but I'll double-guillotine a cigar that's too tight. I admit that doesn't always fix it though. Is it an actual fact that some makers shoot for a tighter/looser draw?

how much tobacco is packed in the cigar and the way in which it is bunched has the most to do with the draw. Traditional entubado style bunching typically lends to a better, more consistent draw... But that's not to say that there aren't plenty of cigars with standard bunching that draw great. Some cigar makers will intentionally make a draw be a certain level of firm/loose, but it really has more to do with the person(s) bunching and wrapping and how well they do the job, and how much tobacco is in the blend/vitola. Good cigar blenders and makers can make very consistent drawing cigars, and even make them predictable.

Big T has got the right of it Jonathan. I believe where you got confuzzled is the fact that sometimes, you will get lucky and be able to correct a tight draw by cutting a little bit more off the cigar.

j0z3r

I don't really enjoy a loose draw, to me the perfect draw has some resistance but not too much. I don't want it to be like sucking air through a straw, but more like sucking a very thin ice cream shake through a straw. I have had some loose draws that performed well, but for the most part I think they tend to burn hot and fast. But...to each his own, nobody has the right to tell anyone what cigar is right for them.

MonteWhite

The Sniper:

BigT06:

JonathanE:

Ok, guys, noob moment! Time for some education. I thought the way you cut the cigar had more to do with the draw than anything else. I use a punch most of the time because I like the draw better but I'll double-guillotine a cigar that's too tight. I admit that doesn't always fix it though. Is it an actual fact that some makers shoot for a tighter/looser draw?

how much tobacco is packed in the cigar and the way in which it is bunched has the most to do with the draw. Traditional entubado style bunching typically lends to a better, more consistent draw... But that's not to say that there aren't plenty of cigars with standard bunching that draw great. Some cigar makers will intentionally make a draw be a certain level of firm/loose, but it really has more to do with the person(s) bunching and wrapping and how well they do the job, and how much tobacco is in the blend/vitola. Good cigar blenders and makers can make very consistent drawing cigars, and even make them predictable.

Big T has got the right of it Jonathan. I believe where you got confuzzled is the fact that sometimes, you will get lucky and be able to correct a tight draw by cutting a little bit more off the cigar.

Certainly true at times, but I actually find that most of the time that does not work. I find that sometimes, when a cigar is tight due to an obvious flaw, that knot is usually at the band point, or at the half way point, and rarely at the very head of the cigar. Or maybe I've just been unlucky in the sense and others have been able to resolve it but snipping another bit of the head.

fla-gypsy

I prefer a little loose over tight any time. I hate fighting with a cigar over the draw

Lasabar

Ghurka G5.... The three that I've smoked were looser than Jenna Jameson's..... Language Skills....

ENFIDL

I like a somewhat loose draw. One that has a little bit of resistance but not too much. This is why I love big rg's so much.

e6specialk

I definitely prefer a loose draw vice a tight draw. I want to enjoy the cigar and not have to work at it.

ENFIDL

e6specialk:

I definitely prefer a loose draw vice a tight draw. I want to enjoy the cigar and not have to work at it.

Like you do any "work" anyways....ba-zing!

JudoChinX

Sounds like many also recommend that you use a lower RH (65% seems to be what most people use for this) when storing cigars to correct draw.

boydmcgowan

hahaha, not a whole lot of recomendations so far Sniper. . . . I'll throw a couple out there.

A buddy of mine is a padron fan, so I've had one 1926 and a few 1964s with him. The regular runs, not all the new anniversary editions and family blends and all that stuff. and I'm no padron expert, so maybe others have had a different experience than me, but the handful of them that I've had, all had a very loose draw and we're pretty much amazing. Thats all thats coming to mind so far.

jlmarta

I much prefer a loose draw over a tight one, anytime. I also much prefer parejos over figurados. I prefer a punch over a guillotine cutter because I detest constant spitting of small tobacco particles. Consequently, whenever I encounter a too-tight draw I simply break out my home-made cigar poker and solve about 98% of my draw problems. I don't happen to believe that cutting off a little more with a guillotine is the answer. After watching a handfull of torcedores use their thumb to pack in a bit of extra tobacco at the head end, I think that's the source of most tight draws and my poker seems (to me, at least) to prove my point.

gaberox

I like a medium firm draw that still produces plenty of smoke, I naturally go for the 3 puff method so a super loose draw is not my preference. I dont like barely pulling and getting a huge hit of hot smoke. Its been a very long time since Ive had a plugged cigar so guess im lucky. I used to get lots of plugged CAOs especially Brazilias.

bigharpoon

I've really grown to love the loose draw as well. Nearly all the Plasencia sticks I've smoked have a signature type loose pack and draw, the Cuba Libre (which I actually don't really like), the organica, etc. 5 Vegas CSII and El Cobre both have a nice gentle pack and an easy draw, too. Yeah, it's nice. Nothing worse than an over-packed stick that has no draw.

kuzi16

the camacho 1962 (if those are still around) have that loose draw. they actually designed the cigar to be that way.

laker1963

Nothing worse then a stick getting all tarred up because the draw is so tight, hate that. Kills the enjoyment of a good stick as well. To me a good stick with an axcellent draw is far better then a great stick with a bummed up draw anyday.

Krieg

I clicked on this thread thinking it was about something else, but anyways...I def prefer a loose draw. RP make all his like that. The other night I had a Diesel 6x60 and it had a loose draw, I was surprised on how loose it was actually.

The Sniper

kuzi16:

the camacho 1962 (if those are still around) have that loose draw. they actually designed the cigar to be that way.

I've only had one of those, and it was when I was VERY new to the hobby so I dont remember much about it other than YUM! However, the Camacho PE has a very loose draw as well, which is one of the qualities that makes it such a winner in my book.

Amos_Umwhat

Perdomo Mistakes come to mind immediately, also, I think anything made by Oliva almost always has perfect draw. They just breathe with you. I don't know if it's their bunching technique, or just great quality control, but even when I'm not blown away by the taste I always find Oliva's to be perfectly constructed, which makes the experience that much more enjoyable. (Laker already said that, but differently).

BigT06

gaberox:

I like a medium firm draw that still produces plenty of smoke, I naturally go for the 3 puff method so a super loose draw is not my preference. I dont like barely pulling and getting a huge hit of hot smoke. Its been a very long time since Ive had a plugged cigar so guess im lucky. I used to get lots of plugged CAOs especially Brazilias.

sorry to get off topic, Sniper, but I just wanted to make a quick note on this comment...

I used to have problems with CAO Brazilias getting very tight, nearly to the point of plugging... so I started taking them out of the cello and sitting them out on top of my humi for several hours before firing them up (this is before I knew what dry boxing was). That seemed to help a lot. They def prefer lower humidity, but because the wrapper is such a strong leaf (Brazilian maddy) it almost never busts, even when significantly over humidified. I don't smoke them that often any more (which is a shame because I really like them), but when I do, I drop them down to 62-64% RH for a few hours before lighting them up.