Nicaragua 90+ Rated Seconds

Rain

I bought 40 of these because I was looking for a cheap corona. When I first got them, I lit one on day one and one on day two. Horrible. They might have tasted like a Padron, but I could not tell because the draw was garbage. Now that they have been sitting for a month, I've smoked three in three days. Good flavor and the draw is average. Not sure if I think they are worthy of being rated 90+, but that's another animal.Which leads me to a question, is it common that age can improve the draw, or am I crazy?

Gray4lines

That's the whole reason I let cigars sit for a while before I smoke them (unless I'm really excited). Just being able to sit in a stable environment helps the draw tremendously. Smoking right after they have been shipped (enduring fluctuations in humidity and temperature) is the number 1 reason I have found draw problems. They seem to always arrive too moist for me anyway.

So, if it is a construction issue it will never go away... but I bet most draw problems are not necessarily bad construction, but "bad" storage (not enough stable rest in good conditions)

kuzi16

Gray4lines:

but I bet most draw problems are not necessarily bad construction, but "bad" storage (not enough stable rest in good conditions)

i will agree with this. if tobacco is over humidified it expands. this tightens the draw. even it out in your humidor.
if you have a humidor that y ou have at 65 and one at 70% put the one with the tight draw in the 65% one for a few months. it may even out.

this is why we draw test before we light.

catfishbluezz

I do not believe age can cure bad draw at all. My guess, is some will be fine, others not so much. I do agree that the environment can play a role as well. For instance, a fresh johnny O needs to be dry boxed for a few days or the draw will be terrible as the tobacco is wet. Rh can influence how a cigar burns as well, which is why we all have our specific rh we like to store at, some dry at 60, while others like wet at 70. I used to not use a draw poker at all, but bought one recently as I had a smoke that required it and the poker helped significantly. Obviously huge changes in rh can influence how something will burn as well, as in large drops or spikes. Cigars need stability, but stability is not always the answer.


So to answer your question, I've had plenty of smokes that burned like crap ROTT, but that is different then having no draw or a terrible draw as it is environmentally influenced. I have a rule to let anythign sit in my humi for 2 weeks because of this, but that will not change bad construction. Bad draw, tight draw, loose draw, etc..., is a result of poor construction. Given these are seconds, you will probably have a large variance from smoke to smoke...which is why they are seconds.

Rain

Oh Dustin..just come out and say I'm crazy then

catfishbluezz

Rain:

Oh Dustin..just come out and say I'm crazy then

not at all man. I had this exact same problem with a box of Black Market. I'd say at least 6 had no draw whatsoever, but the rest were perfect. No amount of age could fix that, and I thought at first maybe that was it. Bad construction bro

Rain

I think what you said about them being seconds is very valid, too.

Gray4lines

Bad draws piss me off more than anything. ever. I Hate having to fight with a cigar to get smoke out, and it's so disappointing when you clip a nice stick and are greeted with no air-flow.

As Dustin mentioned, stable rest for a couple weeks will pretty much cure any "environmentally-influenced" problems. Also, I have had significantly less draw problems since dropping my rh's to the mid-upper 60's then right at 70. A few % do make a difference, and at 70%, I found that too many cigars were just too wet and consequently had a draw more snug than I wanted.

edit: I will be on the lookout for a poker like you have, Dustin. That thing is sweet

Amos_Umwhat

I had seen where you'd had a bad experience with those coronas, and thought "maybe it's them, or maybe they need time?"

I get a mazo of these along with nearly every order, usually the toros, and have been quite happy.

Interesting remark about the Black Market, too. I've only had one, or tried to, it was so tight as to be totally unsmokeable. Only gave it a month in the humidor, maybe more time? or maybe it was just a dud.

kuzi16

catfishbluezz:

Rain:

Oh Dustin..just come out and say I'm crazy then

not at all man. I had this exact same problem with a box of Black Market. I'd say at least 6 had no draw whatsoever, but the rest were perfect. No amount of age could fix that, and I thought at first maybe that was it. Bad construction bro

in that case im sure it was a construction issue. i have had other cases where it was not a construction issue. .age will help there. i assure you.

kuzi16

double post...

catfishbluezz

kuzi16:

catfishbluezz:

Rain:

Oh Dustin..just come out and say I'm crazy then

not at all man. I had this exact same problem with a box of Black Market. I'd say at least 6 had no draw whatsoever, but the rest were perfect. No amount of age could fix that, and I thought at first maybe that was it. Bad construction bro

in that case im sure it was a construction issue. i have had other cases where it was not a construction issue. .age will help there. i assure you.

I disagree... If that was the case, then all the fire sale ISOM would be smoking great now from 99-01. Often times I buy cigars in poorly humidified B&M's and find they need a few months down. But I do not see any case where bad draw from being packed too tight can be cured by age. Improper storage yes.

catfishbluezz

Amos Umwhat:

I had seen where you'd had a bad experience with those coronas, and thought "maybe it's them, or maybe they need time?"

I get a mazo of these along with nearly every order, usually the toros, and have been quite happy.

Interesting remark about the Black Market, too. I've only had one, or tried to, it was so tight as to be totally unsmokeable. Only gave it a month in the humidor, maybe more time? or maybe it was just a dud.

Been through two boxes. That specific box, I had almost a year. It's like the plugged ISOM issue form 99-01 which ran into 05ish. I've had properly stored cigars from that era that have aged perfectly...and were unsmokeable. The Black Market was no different. It happens all the time, it's a hand rolled product. Some companies it happens more then others. I just mark it up to natural variance.

catfishbluezz

Gray4lines:

Bad draws piss me off more than anything. ever. I Hate having to fight with a cigar to get smoke out, and it's so disappointing when you clip a nice stick and are greeted with no air-flow.

As Dustin mentioned, stable rest for a couple weeks will pretty much cure any "environmentally-influenced" problems. Also, I have had significantly less draw problems since dropping my rh's to the mid-upper 60's then right at 70. A few % do make a difference, and at 70%, I found that too many cigars were just too wet and consequently had a draw more snug than I wanted.

edit: I will be on the lookout for a poker like you have, Dustin. That thing is sweet

It's saved my life more then once man. If I see one again, I'll grab it for ya.

kuzi16

catfishbluezz:

kuzi16:

catfishbluezz:

Rain:

Oh Dustin..just come out and say I'm crazy then

not at all man. I had this exact same problem with a box of Black Market. I'd say at least 6 had no draw whatsoever, but the rest were perfect. No amount of age could fix that, and I thought at first maybe that was it. Bad construction bro

in that case im sure it was a construction issue. i have had other cases where it was not a construction issue. .age will help there. i assure you.

I disagree... If that was the case, then all the fire sale ISOM would be smoking great now from 99-01. Often times I buy cigars in poorly humidified B&M's and find they need a few months down. But I do not see any case where bad draw from being packed too tight can be cured by age. Improper storage yes.

you are totally not reading what i am saying.

if it is a construction issue then age will not help. if it is not a construction issue but a humidity issue age WILL help. re read my posts and you will see what i am saying.

Gray4lines

catfishbluezz:

Gray4lines:

Bad draws piss me off more than anything. ever. I Hate having to fight with a cigar to get smoke out, and it's so disappointing when you clip a nice stick and are greeted with no air-flow.

As Dustin mentioned, stable rest for a couple weeks will pretty much cure any "environmentally-influenced" problems. Also, I have had significantly less draw problems since dropping my rh's to the mid-upper 60's then right at 70. A few % do make a difference, and at 70%, I found that too many cigars were just too wet and consequently had a draw more snug than I wanted.

edit: I will be on the lookout for a poker like you have, Dustin. That thing is sweet

It's saved my life more then once man. If I see one again, I'll grab it for ya.

That'd be great! I'm sure we can work out a trade if you see one.

catfishbluezz

Gray4lines:

catfishbluezz:

Gray4lines:

Bad draws piss me off more than anything. ever. I Hate having to fight with a cigar to get smoke out, and it's so disappointing when you clip a nice stick and are greeted with no air-flow.

As Dustin mentioned, stable rest for a couple weeks will pretty much cure any "environmentally-influenced" problems. Also, I have had significantly less draw problems since dropping my rh's to the mid-upper 60's then right at 70. A few % do make a difference, and at 70%, I found that too many cigars were just too wet and consequently had a draw more snug than I wanted.

edit: I will be on the lookout for a poker like you have, Dustin. That thing is sweet

It's saved my life more then once man. If I see one again, I'll grab it for ya.

That'd be great! I'm sure we can work out a trade if you see one.

will do bro

AVJim

Rain:

Oh Dustin..just come out and say I'm crazy then

As Randy's "nooblet", I'll say it..... Randy, you are crazy!

Rain

AVJim:

Rain:

Oh Dustin..just come out and say I'm crazy then

As Randy's "nooblet", I'll say it..... Randy, you are crazy!

100 posts..congrats! Whatcha gonna smoke to celebrate?

AVJim

Rain:

AVJim:

Rain:

Oh Dustin..just come out and say I'm crazy then

As Randy's "nooblet", I'll say it..... Randy, you are crazy!

100 posts..congrats! Whatcha gonna smoke to celebrate?

It was a lot of work but worth it! Do I get a trophy or something? Perhaps I'll attack one of the Carillos you sent me oh nooblet master! Nooblet..... still cracks me up!!!