How hard do you draw?

S

sack

'From man's sweat and God's love, beer came to be.
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It's been on my mind since yesterday at the herf at Belicoso in Tinley Park Illinois, i spoke to one brother in particular who smoked a demitasse and was barely pulling on it and i couldn't see the smoke exhaust.I asked him about it and we had a nice conversation on the subject, he said that at that rate of intake you get less smoke and more taste, i tried but i guess it's a learned skill that i'll have to keep trying to adapt to. How about you, how do you pull on your cigar? I'm sure some will say that whatever floats your boat, and i agree, but i want to know if i'm missing on something. ???
 
Here's a recent thread from the Reviews Forum that touches on the subject some:

Linky

Thought you might glean some information from it......
 
Whopper said:
Here's a recent thread from the Reviews Forum that touches on the subject some:

Linky

Thought you might glean some information from it......
Click to expand...
Thanks! Ginseng does seem to get to the core of all things cigar, as some other brothers here at CP. I'm going to experiment with all the different sizes of cigars and find out for myself. :thumbs:
 
Good linking, Whopper.

I don't recall that we discussed the the relation between smoke volume and flavor. That's a question worth exploring.

Here's a nifty short article on fire and smoke. Based on this explanation, tobacco smoke is clearly analogous to the smoke that is generated when wood or paper burns. Specifically, tobacco smoke consists of the volatized organic compounds in the tobacco leaf. In other words, those things in tobacco which deliver the flavor. In essence, no smoke, no flavor. Of course, having smoke doesn't necessarily guarantee flavor but that's another issue altogether.

In my experience, no visible smoke generally equates to no flavor. Think about this. How many times have you left a cigar unpuffed to have it just about go out? When you draw, the first few puffs deliver no smoke and only tepid, flavorless (or stanky) air. The coal has cooled such that air passing through does not get it back right away above the 300F threshold for volatization. Pull a few more times and smoke starts to issue forth from both ends, the head and the foot. Now the coal has heated up and is starting to consume tobacco and release flavor compounds.

I think what your friend might be referring to is a phenomenon where the quantity of the smoke, as a consequence of the temperature of the coal (which is, in turn a function of the power of the draw), is necessarily so small that what little visible smoke quickly condenses on the moist interior architecture of the mouth, namely the tongue, roof of the mouth, gums, and teeth. As we did discuss in the other thread, flavor is observed to vary with draw intensity. So, while your friend is most likely maintaining combustion, he is doing so by smoking in a manner that favors delivery of a certain range of flavor compounds. In a sense, it is like brewing coffee grounds over a long time in cool water versus forcing superheated water through espresso under pressure in under a minute. Arguably, the product in both cases could be called coffee, but they sure won't taste alike.

To reiterate the discussion in the other thread, varying draw technique gives us a tool to expand the range of experience and flavors that can be drawn from a cigar. Visible smoke is a byproduct that is able to give us some hint of how the engine of combustion turns dead leaves into an experience that can range from the revitalizing to the relaxing.

Sorta long winded, but I think it captures what I was trying to get across. Does this make any sense to you guys?

Wilkey
 
I usually don't decide, the cigar typically gives its own volume off. I pull my cigars at a pace in it allows.
 
I have never enjoyed a cigar that didn't produce tons of smoke. A cigar rolled with only the finest leaves isn't worth a damn to me if the draw and smoke volume is not there. I have had some high priced smokes that I ditched because they couldn't draw, and I have enjoyed some lesser priced ones because they produced the amount of smoke that I like which equals more perceived taste. Quality of construction and storage are huge points that I focus on and two factors that affect the draw. I truly believe that my love of things Padron stems from the fact that I have never had one with a draw problem and have therefore been able to taste them all.
 
For me it does definately depends on the cigar im smoking at that time, also what mood im in, but i do like to pull a bit heavy most of the time.
 
I truly believe that my love of things Padron stems from the fact that I have never had one with a draw problem and have therefore been able to taste them all.
Click to expand...

x2... nothing is more disappointing than a bad draw. No matter how great the blend is, if you can't draw it, you can't get that flavor. I've NEVER had a draw problem with a Padron. I have had many draw problems with some highly regarded botique brands. I'll take the Padron over those any day.

I like to take about a minute between draws. That cools it down a bit and allows for a better flavor profile IMHO. I'll usually draw twice before setting the cigar down to rest-- the first is a light draw with very little smoke. The second draw is deeper and longer. This is where I taste the majority of the flavor in the cigar.

Does any one else smoke this way with the double draw?

Thanks for so much info in both of these threads, guys. I've learned tons! I'll go back to reading more and posting less now. :laugh:

Barry
 
mjolnir01 said:
I truly believe that my love of things Padron stems from the fact that I have never had one with a draw problem and have therefore been able to taste them all.
Click to expand...

x2... nothing is more disappointing than a bad draw. No matter how great the blend is, if you can't draw it, you can't get that flavor. I've NEVER had a draw problem with a Padron. I have had many draw problems with some highly regarded botique brands. I'll take the Padron over those any day.

I like to take about a minute between draws. That cools it down a bit and allows for a better flavor profile IMHO. I'll usually draw twice before setting the cigar down to rest-- the first is a light draw with very little smoke. The second draw is deeper and longer. This is where I taste the majority of the flavor in the cigar.

Does any one else smoke this way with the double draw?

Thanks for so much info in both of these threads, guys. I've learned tons! I'll go back to reading more and posting less now. :laugh:

Barry
Click to expand...

Yes, I do the double draw as well. The first, lighter draw to get the smoke flowing, and the second longer, deeper draw to get a good volume of smoke and enjoy the flavor. I started doing this because I usually let the cigar rest a minute or more between puffs and I found that one draw does not deliver a sufficient volume of smoke after the minute rest.

The negative to this method is when I really like the cigar or I am in a hurry and don't wait long enough between puffs. It heats up the cigar and it starts getting bitter.
 
I have to admit that double clutching makes more smoke but what some are suggesting is to almost let the cigar go out and then just pull so as to barely get a glow on the foot. I don't have the control yet but i'll give it a try, i love that smokestack effect. What can i say? ;)
 
I will remark that after being given advice from MadMonk on "sipping," where you draw on your cigar when it is barely staying aflame, brings out an amazing array of flavors I've never experience before!!

Why just last night, I tested the waters with a Padron 1964, and although it took me almost an hour and half to smoke it, I was well rewarded with such rich flavors. Now that I've been doing this, I find it harder to smoke as fast as I had been smoking before, and seem to take quicker notice of the bitter undertones when the cigar is too hot.


As far as double clutching, I am a fan of that as well. Draw in a little bit of smoke, exhale, then take a nice long draw from the cigar and let the smoke fill your senses...


Hmm, makes me want to go outside and smoke now! :laugh: Great thread Sack!
 
souldog24ca said:
I will remark that after being given advice from MadMonk on "sipping," where you draw on your cigar when it is barely staying aflame, brings out an amazing array of flavors I've never experience before!!

Why just last night, I tested the waters with a Padron 1964, and although it took me almost an hour and half to smoke it, I was well rewarded with such rich flavors. Now that I've been doing this, I find it harder to smoke as fast as I had been smoking before, and seem to take quicker notice of the bitter undertones when the cigar is too hot.


As far as double clutching, I am a fan of that as well. Draw in a little bit of smoke, exhale, then take a nice long draw from the cigar and let the smoke fill your senses...


Hmm, makes me want to go outside and smoke now! :laugh: Great thread Sack!
Click to expand...


Ok, you guys got me thinkin here so i had to have a smoke. I really wanted to try differnt ways of drawing a stick, so i grabbed a CAO Mx2 fom my humi and i started........ Once lit i pulled on it like i normally do, a little hard to start the smoke moving. Then i let it sit fro just a monent and let it cool for just a monent right away i could taste a change in it, there really were flavors in it that i haven't experianced yet, then i went back to the way i normaly smoe a little heavy and nasal exhale along with a double pull now and then. Well i am still smoking this and towards the end i let it sit again actually too long i had to relight, but WOW anther set of tastes emerged. I just had to share this and thank everyone for their differnent ways of smoking now i thing im going to be doing that "Frankenstein" way of smoking a gar, sippig and pulling hard.......oh yea and double pull too :D

Monk, thanks for that insite on sipping
 
Depending on the cigar.
If it's a good cigar, I like to "sip"
my cigars. That way I get more
flavor than the bitterness. It's
much more smoother imo.

Jack
 
Well I"m glad to see I'm not the only double-clutcher out there. Tonight after dinner I think I'll try mixing it up with more sipping and see what happens. I'm thinking a cammie, maybe a Don Carlos, with some of those delicate flavors that I really think will come out with the lighter draws.

Barry
 
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