So i need some guidance from the cigar regulars.  What I’m finding is that I like the first half or so of lots of cigars.  The initial light and smell are awesome.  The front half is usually great (for the ones I like).  The back third is always the problem.  The last third or so and especially the last 20% is always bitter/acrid/flavorless.  For the first 10-15 cigars I smoked, I almost certainly smoked them too fast and too aggressively- got them too hot and burned through the core too much.  I’ve slowed way down, fewer/shorter drags, not lighting the tip so hot in the first place, etc.  It’s gotten better, but that last 20-30% is still too sharp.  Is that something I need to expect will just happen or am i missing something in technique?

 

Tonight was the Liga Privada t52.  It was pretty good, but not enough that I would get another.  I think what I am finding for me is that as much as I love deep dark rich flavors in a lot of things, cigars and women is not the place for that for me.  The big maduro wrapper needs to be balanced by a much lighter center (the acid 20 Maduru for instance).

 

rick

@casts_by_fly, if you don't already do it, a regular 'purge' can immensely improve the experience of any cigar.  By 'purge' I mean blow out through the cigar - fairly forcefully.  Some cigars won't need it at all; some will benefit from 3 or 4 purges per sitting.  

 

   Also, purge anytime you need to set it down long enough that it may go out before you return to it - and again before you re-light.

 

May not help for the heat you are getting, but it should clear up the flavors later in the smoke.

 

I've smoked with a lot of guys who quit a cigar well before the band, so your experience may not unusual. 

  (I've also smoked with a lot of guys who use a toothpick to hold the last half inch so as not to waste anything. )

38 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

I've also smoked with a lot of guys who use a toothpick to hold the last half inch so as not to waste anything.

We used to call em roach clips for the wacky tabacky cigars 

42 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

We used to call em roach clips for the wacky tabacky cigars 

 

Good one! Heck the house here is starting to stink up just reading this thread! 😁

3 hours ago, Choporoz said:

@casts_by_fly, if you don't already do it, a regular 'purge' can immensely improve the experience of any cigar.  By 'purge' I mean blow out through the cigar - fairly forcefully.  Some cigars won't need it at all; some will benefit from 3 or 4 purges per sitting.  

 

   Also, purge anytime you need to set it down long enough that it may go out before you return to it - and again before you re-light.

 

May not help for the heat you are getting, but it should clear up the flavors later in the smoke.

 

I've smoked with a lot of guys who quit a cigar well before the band, so your experience may not unusual. 

  (I've also smoked with a lot of guys who use a toothpick to hold the last half inch so as not to waste anything. )

 

Thanks!  I’ll give a purge a try.  I have had to relight a few when they are down around the nub so maybe that’s contributing.  

Also what I do is…

Always light just above the flame while rotating it, never place the end in the flame. It will taste better and burn evenly all the way down. 
 

If it goes out in mid smoke or after you lay it down try to take as much of the burnt edge off before relighting. 

Try not to overheat it. 
Take longer and wider spaced puffs 

 

I’ve never felt the need to purge but I can how it would help, try not to get to that point. 

 

 

Mike

 

On 9/6/2025 at 6:22 AM, Choporoz said:

I've smoked with a lot of guys who quit a cigar well before the band, so your experience may not unusual. 

  (I've also smoked with a lot of guys who use a toothpick to hold the last half inch so as not to waste anything. )

 

I'm both, it just depends on the cigar, but I use a cocktail pick and hold my pinky out to be fancy! Some cigars I toss the last third, they just become too strong or have too much bitter wood flavors, but the first 2/3's are fantastic.

 

@casts_by_fly Do you frequent the same cigar shop? I go to a local shop and have built a repoire with the manager, he keeps a log that he can reference and I pick his brain. I try to have a new stick every month from his recommendations. Example, I want a 60 minute smoke, with good cedar wood notes, some light leather, pepper, cocoa or creaminess. His suggestion, My Father Flor De La Antilles Toro, he nailed it.

 

 

hi gents,

 

I smoked a couple this past weekend.  Slower and less frequent was better.  Still had a bit of the bitter/acrid on one of them but I think that just wasn't my style.  I wasn't terribly enjoying the first third either so there's that.  

 

@Junger- I've been buying online.  The nearest good cigar shop is a solid 45 minutes with no traffic and not in a direction I'm normally driving.  I had a couple that I had smoked that I knew I liked so I've gone from online reviews and descriptions and then branched out.  I pick up 8-10 different sticks that sound good and try them.  If I like them, I explore some more near it.  I'm learning that I like a shorter smoke (30-60 minutes) and a longer but skinnier cigar.  On the small end, a petit corona.  A standard corona or torpedo is also a good shout.  I am liking box pressed also.  I had some short and fat ones and that wasn't my preference.  I'm liking the infused/flavored side.  If not flavored then something middle of the road flavor profile wise.  a big maduro is just too much.  I wouldn't mind trying a green.  

Our local shop carries small batch cigars from brands like Dunbarton, Black Label Trading Company, Espinosa, Aganorsa Leaf and others. When I go into a typical larger brand name store, it's hard to find stuff that compares without spending a lot more. I do occasionally take a ride out of town for the Ashton VSG specifically in the enchantment size, they're much spicier in that one size.

 

On 8/12/2025 at 10:24 PM, DitchPanda said:

Suggestions for mild maybe sweeter cigars for beginners?

 

If you can find it, the Dunbarton Brulee blue, aged extra long for extra natural sweetness would be a great choice.

On 9/5/2025 at 10:10 PM, casts_by_fly said:

So i need some guidance from the cigar regulars.  What I’m finding is that I like the first half or so of lots of cigars.  The initial light and smell are awesome.  The front half is usually great (for the ones I like).  The back third is always the problem.  The last third or so and especially the last 20% is always bitter/acrid/flavorless.  For the first 10-15 cigars I smoked, I almost certainly smoked them too fast and too aggressively- got them too hot and burned through the core too much.  I’ve slowed way down, fewer/shorter drags, not lighting the tip so hot in the first place, etc.  It’s gotten better, but that last 20-30% is still too sharp.  Is that something I need to expect will just happen or am i missing something in technique?

There is no easy answer here. Cigars do get stronger in the back third. It sounds like you might be smoking cigars with a Connecticut in particular, which in turn can be bitter if not aged properly and of course more bitter on the back end. Other wrappers may give off spice in the back end more than bitterness.

 

You might just not like the strong back end. My suggestion is to smoke it a little slower as you get to the back end and it starts getting strong and see if that helps. But you might be one to buy longer cigars to avoid smoking it down to the nub (not necessarily fatter, just longer to have more front end).

I'd also suggest trying different cigars, different brands and different wrappers and seeing if you have the same effect. Try a Camacho Corojo (red). Those are available most places and are fairly smooth start to finish.

1 hour ago, Boomstick said:

There is no easy answer here. Cigars do get stronger in the back third. It sounds like you might be smoking cigars with a Connecticut in particular, which in turn can be bitter if not aged properly and of course more bitter on the back end. Other wrappers may give off spice in the back end more than bitterness.

 

You might just not like the strong back end. My suggestion is to smoke it a little slower as you get to the back end and it starts getting strong and see if that helps. But you might be one to buy longer cigars to avoid smoking it down to the nub (not necessarily fatter, just longer to have more front end).

I'd also suggest trying different cigars, different brands and different wrappers and seeing if you have the same effect. Try a Camacho Corojo (red). Those are available most places and are fairly smooth start to finish.

 

I think you're hitting a few things right for me.  Longer cigars have been better and since I don't want a 90 minute smoke most of the time I am going long and skinny.  Speed also.  The couple I had this weekend were much slower (also that time thing!) and were better in that regard.

 

A lot of what I have been smoking were maduro wrappers actually.  And I'm finding that isn't necessarily my style.  I like it when it is balanced by some sweetness or other flavoring like an acid 20 maduro or even a blondie maduro.  A full maduro with a heavy filler isn't doing it for me.

 

Next round I want to try some lighter wrappers and fillers, something in the truly mild but flavorful bucket.  A longer cigar profile.  Looking at a macanudo white churchill or ashton churchill.  I'm still in the experimenting phase to see what is and isn't for me, so let's explore here now.

33 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

Next round I want to try some lighter wrappers and fillers, something in the truly mild but flavorful bucket.  A longer cigar profile.  Looking at a macanudo white churchill or ashton churchill.  I'm still in the experimenting phase to see what is and isn't for me, so let's explore here now.

 

I find a lot of the mass produced Connecticuts tend to run a little bitter. If you have a store that carries small batch brands, see if you can find a Dunbarton Brulee blue. They're aged until they get sweet, I'd be willing to bet you'd like them (they're a pretty safe bet with everyone). Also the Aganorsa Leaf Anniversario Connecticut is probably my favorite Connecticut wrapper cigar ever if you can find it, a little bit spicy but still light and smooth.

 

The Acid's being flavored tend to be on the lighter side as a lineup. The maduro is probably the best in the lineup to be honest, but I don't really go for flavored cigars much myself.

 

32 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

Next round I want to try some lighter wrappers and fillers, something in the truly mild but flavorful bucket.  A longer cigar profile.  Looking at a macanudo white churchill or ashton churchill.  I'm still in the experimenting phase to see what is and isn't for me, so let's explore here now.

 

Give the Padron naturals a try, one of their long box press sizes like the chuchill or palmas. Easy draw, not overpacked and usually a nice even burn. I always keep a stash of Padron 3000's around for my hiking cigar.

1 hour ago, Junger said:

 

Give the Padron naturals a try, one of their long box press sizes like the chuchill or palmas. Easy draw, not overpacked and usually a nice even burn. I always keep a stash of Padron 3000's around for my hiking cigar.

 

Thanks!  I'll put a 300 on the list. 

4 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

Thanks!  I'll put a 300 on the list. 

 

Just FYI, the Padron naturals are named weird. The 3000 is a robusto, the 7000 is a toro gordo and are handrolled. Their named sizes are box pressed.

25 minutes ago, Junger said:

 

Just FYI, the Padron naturals are named weird. The 3000 is a robusto, the 7000 is a toro gordo and are handrolled. Their named sizes are box pressed.

Thanks.  Before I reread your first post, I had typed out a reply asking for which of the naturals you reccommended since there were a bunch of different names.  Then I saw the 3000 reference.  And it looks like the 2/3/4k models are the same blend but different sizes.

 

So the 3000 is a box press?  Or by named you mean with a non numerical name?

I never thought cigars would be so complicated to be honest. I just wanted a decent smoke occasionally. 
But this is definitely a rabbit hole or maybe more like a bottomless pit 😂

15 minutes ago, F14A-B said:

I never thought cigars would be so complicated to be honest. I just wanted a decent smoke occasionally. 
But this is definitely a rabbit hole or maybe more like a bottomless pit 😂

Not really 

One you decide what length and ring size you like it’s only a matter of picking one that you enjoy the most being machine or hand made. 
 

Cigars are a lot like others things, you can get deep into it trying to understand the little differences of each make and model but certainly not required 

Pick up a few in your price range and try them out. It won’t take long to settle on one you’ll like the most. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

1 minute ago, Mike L said:

Not really 

One you decide what length and ring size you like it’s only a matter of picking one that you enjoy the most being machine or hand made. 
 

Cigars are a lot like others things, you can get deep into it trying to understand the little differences of each make and model but certainly not required 

Pick up a few in your price range and try them out. It won’t take long to settle on one you’ll like the most. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

That’s good advice right there.. I believe I’ll take it. 

2 hours ago, F14A-B said:

I never thought cigars would be so complicated to be honest. I just wanted a decent smoke occasionally. 
But this is definitely a rabbit hole or maybe more like a bottomless pit 😂

 

It’s kinda like fishing- it is only as complicated as you want to make it.  Try light, medium, dark, big and small.  Find what you like and try something else like it.  If you want to get really into it and talk weird sizes, shade grown tobaccos from different places then sure you can get into it like anything.  But it doesn’t have to be.  You can catch a lot of fish with a $50 Walmart combo and a handful of mister twisters.  

11 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

 You can catch a lot of fish with a $50 Walmart combo and a handful of mister twisters.  

$50 combo??? I like the $10-$20 ones 😂 

16 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

So the 3000 is a box press?  Or by named you mean with a non numerical name?

 

3000 is handrolled, it draws great, I meant the named 1964 sticks are box pressed. I wouldn't fret much over hand/box for the Padrons. They draw great and smoke evenly.

16 hours ago, F14A-B said:

I never thought cigars would be so complicated to be honest. I just wanted a decent smoke occasionally. 
But this is definitely a rabbit hole or maybe more like a bottomless pit 😂

 

Try starting a "which is better, casting or spinning reel" thread and see how far down the pit you go there!

@Junger 🤣 but I know a lot more about that subject, 😂🤣😂

I need to brush my teeth just reading this thread 

There are quite a few cigar forums if you want some deep rabbit holes, or just want more opinions/recommendations.   I was heavy into a number of them, but left them all a few years ago.  Assuming it hasn't gone downhill or died, I'd recommend Cigar Assylum.  Lots of great BOTL (Brothers of the Leaf) and moderated well.  I met members from many boards all over the country at dozens of herfs over the years.  It is a pretty solid brotherhood.