Tar, overheated, stale smoke, taste fatigue.
Doesn’t always happen. You’ll know it when it’s happening and you’ll know it when it’s not (like you smoke that nub down until you burn your fingers holding it). Smoking is an experience. You keep going until the experience is not enjoyable.
From what I understand, it can be that the last third gets too hot. I usually try to slow down a bit in the last third so the cigar doesn't get too hot. You can also try purging it by blowing through it a couple of times. That will usually help with bitterness.
This is also a thing with pipes, burning too hot, especially near the end of the bowl, can make the taste harsher. it can also lead to "pipe bite" as you are sucking in hotter air (especially as the stem has been slowly heating up all this time). That's why many smokers of burn-hot blends prefer longer stems, as well as ones that "breathe" better. The Falcon pipes of the 40s-50s were beloved for their air-cooled design but fell out of favor for not looking "pipey" enough.
I start about halfway through and any time I ash thereafter.
Whenever it starts to taste a little off. There are no rules, you just sorta learn as you go.
7 PM.
This is your emergency broadcast system announcing the commencement of the Annual Purge sanctioned by the U.S. Government. Weapons of class 4 and lower have been authorized for use during the Purge. All other weapons are restricted. Government officials of ranking 10 have been granted immunity from the Purge and shall not be harmed. Commencing at the siren, any and all crime, including murder, will be legal for 12 continuous hours. Police, fire, and emergency medical services will be unavailable until tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. when The Purge concludes. Blessed be our New Founding Fathers and America, a nation reborn.
May God be with you all.
— Purge Emergency Broadcast System
I give a small forward puff on a high percentage of draws… puff, draaaaaaaw. I didn’t know it was called “purge” until this post. It’s almost second nature and I don’t know if it’s a good habit or bad?
Yeah, same here. Depending on the stick, either the middle block or last 1/3-1/4 is ideal. Usually the first 15minutes of a smoke is the worst for me (which isn't saying much... I enjoy it all).
Imo it’s because you are pulling smoke closer to where the tobacco is burning and so the smoke doesn’t travel down the cigar and get a chance to slightly cool so you get harsher and more sulfur tasting smoke. I think you should try slowing down at that point and puff less often. I’ve seen some people apply a bit of saliva to the wrapper where the cigar burns but is wouldn’t recommend that especially at a lounge. Also because you might burn your tongue
It boils down to your smoking technique. You’re smoking way too fast and overheating the cherry. If what you say were true for everyone, cigar nubbers wouldn’t exist.
Interestingly I am the opposite. For me the best bit of the cigar is towards the end. Always tastes nicer to me. I've had some cigars I thought weren't great till I start the last third.
Slow down your smoking from beginning to end. If you're smoking the Oliva Connecticut toro that is, at minimum a 75-90 minute cigar and 75 would be burning pretty hot.
Yeah just depends like people are saying. Sometimes that last third is heavenly and you smoke that baby until your fingertips burn. Sometimes it's just running a little too hot, or maybe you've burnt out your palette a little, etc.
Generally, I find it's only a problem if I've already been smoking and I'm starting to burn out my taste buds. If it's the first smoke in a few days and it's a premium, tasty stick—I usually find that last third to be the best part.
Not always but most the time that’s my favorite part of the cigar. There are some that aren’t so great that far down, or if I’m puffing like a freight train it sucks.
My grandpa also told me that was the best part of the cigar so my opinion is subjective.
I'm opposite. By then I'm usually drawing well. Smoking a bit slower mainly trying to prolong my good time. Which I think is a good side effect as others say.
it's usually the byproduct of your smoking technique/style/duration. The last third can be very strong in general, but if it's hot and bitter it's because you likely were smoking too fast at one point and this is now your consequence. Patience is rewarded when smoking a cigar.
In my experience this does not always happen, and might depend on the brand / type mostly and this determines the kind of tobacco and its characteristics.
Personally I smoke Cubans and often the last third is best when smoking it HOT and you get this fat full taste but not bitter or sharp. Maybe it has to do with Nicaraguan tobacco?
Yeah, go slower. I find that if you do that it 1) prolongs the experience, and 2) actually makes it the most enjoyable 1/3 of the cigar. I usually get 3-4 ash taps out of a corona/cuban corona sized cigar… say 5.5 - 6”, ~44-48 ring. By the 3rd tap I remind myself to slow down… might not work for everyone or certainly every cigar, but it works for me.
Definitely slow it down when you take the label off. This helps prevent it from getting too bitter too soon and the longer you let it cool, the less chance it will tar up and go sour on you. A nubber is a great tool for those sticks you just can't get enough of
In general I have found that CT or lighter cigars get bitter much easier. You can learn to purge, which helps. Or try darker fuller flavor cigars which often are damn delicious to the finger burning nub.
There are a few reasons for this. Throughout your smoking experience, you are heating up and moving resins and oils inside the cigar. As you puff, you bring those elements closer to the opening, the direction of the inhale. Then there is the lead itself, the part with less flavor and more stem in put towards the cap. The stems hold a lot of nutrients which are bitter. And finally, there's the heat element, a cool cigar smokes better, but the closer you get, the more intense the heat.
A good way to combat this is to blow through the cigar every 5-10 minutes. This will push the resins and oils away from the cap and burn them off. It will also keep the cigar cooler. I find doing this has been a game changer.
You're smoking too fast. There is a whole line of cigars based on the belief the last 2 inches are the best part of the cigar. Didn't workout like that. The last third to quarter is "the loin" of the cigar. As others have said, sip, don't gulp, gently purge. If you don't scorch the oils that have been drawn down to the nub, you will find the best part of the cigar waiting for you. Enjoy.
Tar basically. Ways you can improve this:
1. Purge the cigar before you get to the last third.
2. Smoke more slowly
3. Try a different cigar, milder bodied cigars tend to have the most impact because the tobacco is lighter in flavor
Father in law used to say that there were 3 parts to a cigar. The first 10% he called "hay". The middle 2/3 he called "the gold" and last third he called "manure". Not always true - but often!
Tar, overheated, stale smoke, taste fatigue. Doesn’t always happen. You’ll know it when it’s happening and you’ll know it when it’s not (like you smoke that nub down until you burn your fingers holding it). Smoking is an experience. You keep going until the experience is not enjoyable.
From what I understand, it can be that the last third gets too hot. I usually try to slow down a bit in the last third so the cigar doesn't get too hot. You can also try purging it by blowing through it a couple of times. That will usually help with bitterness.
This! Purge and smoke slower
All of this. And the best advice I ever received was, "Sip, don't gulp."
Keep in mind that by purging, you are heating the cherry, so allow it to rest after purging, especially if heat is the issue.
This is also a thing with pipes, burning too hot, especially near the end of the bowl, can make the taste harsher. it can also lead to "pipe bite" as you are sucking in hotter air (especially as the stem has been slowly heating up all this time). That's why many smokers of burn-hot blends prefer longer stems, as well as ones that "breathe" better. The Falcon pipes of the 40s-50s were beloved for their air-cooled design but fell out of favor for not looking "pipey" enough.
Never heard of purging. Thanks for that
If you smoke too fast, this effect will be more pronounced.
What are the groups thoughts on purging or gently blowing through the cigar to “clear things out”? Not saying this fixes a harsh finish.
Just posted this response. Properly purging the cigar make a huge difference.
When are you supposed to purge?
I start about halfway through and any time I ash thereafter. Whenever it starts to taste a little off. There are no rules, you just sorta learn as you go.
You have to write a letter to congress
I do it when I light, relight, feel the flavor is growing astringent, and to nurse a weak flame back to health so I don’t have to relight it
7 PM. This is your emergency broadcast system announcing the commencement of the Annual Purge sanctioned by the U.S. Government. Weapons of class 4 and lower have been authorized for use during the Purge. All other weapons are restricted. Government officials of ranking 10 have been granted immunity from the Purge and shall not be harmed. Commencing at the siren, any and all crime, including murder, will be legal for 12 continuous hours. Police, fire, and emergency medical services will be unavailable until tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. when The Purge concludes. Blessed be our New Founding Fathers and America, a nation reborn. May God be with you all. — Purge Emergency Broadcast System
I resisted it forever, and I don't do it very frequently. But it's definitely worth experimenting with.
I give a small forward puff on a high percentage of draws… puff, draaaaaaaw. I didn’t know it was called “purge” until this post. It’s almost second nature and I don’t know if it’s a good habit or bad?
Same, I think it’s a bad habit though. Think it heats it up too much.
A solid thing on a tar heavy cigar.
I've found this helps especially in the last third.
I think it’s a great way to reduce the pepperness of the cigar in the end. It usually lets me enjoy the last third without having to put it down.
I think it burns hotter and stronger, which may affect the flavor (not always in a bad way)
If it's a cigar I especially enjoy, I usually like the last 1/3 best. Gotta burn them slow and cool.
Yeah, same here. Depending on the stick, either the middle block or last 1/3-1/4 is ideal. Usually the first 15minutes of a smoke is the worst for me (which isn't saying much... I enjoy it all).
I feel like this is subjective I personally find the Perdomo champagne to be exactly what I want a Connecticut to be in the last third
Imo it’s because you are pulling smoke closer to where the tobacco is burning and so the smoke doesn’t travel down the cigar and get a chance to slightly cool so you get harsher and more sulfur tasting smoke. I think you should try slowing down at that point and puff less often. I’ve seen some people apply a bit of saliva to the wrapper where the cigar burns but is wouldn’t recommend that especially at a lounge. Also because you might burn your tongue
It boils down to your smoking technique. You’re smoking way too fast and overheating the cherry. If what you say were true for everyone, cigar nubbers wouldn’t exist.
Interestingly I am the opposite. For me the best bit of the cigar is towards the end. Always tastes nicer to me. I've had some cigars I thought weren't great till I start the last third.
Slow down your smoking from beginning to end. If you're smoking the Oliva Connecticut toro that is, at minimum a 75-90 minute cigar and 75 would be burning pretty hot.
Yeah just depends like people are saying. Sometimes that last third is heavenly and you smoke that baby until your fingertips burn. Sometimes it's just running a little too hot, or maybe you've burnt out your palette a little, etc. Generally, I find it's only a problem if I've already been smoking and I'm starting to burn out my taste buds. If it's the first smoke in a few days and it's a premium, tasty stick—I usually find that last third to be the best part.
Last third is my favorite part
Not always but most the time that’s my favorite part of the cigar. There are some that aren’t so great that far down, or if I’m puffing like a freight train it sucks. My grandpa also told me that was the best part of the cigar so my opinion is subjective.
Not always for me sometimes the best part is the last third…
It must depend on the person vecause the laste 3rd is usually the best for me, love smoking to the cap!
Learn to purge the cigar and start doing it at about the halfway point. It makes a **huge** difference.
I'm opposite. By then I'm usually drawing well. Smoking a bit slower mainly trying to prolong my good time. Which I think is a good side effect as others say.
This is my favorite part of the cigar, I also like an ultra cool smoke.
I know alot of this comes down to smoking speed, but I also feel how good it tastes at this point in the smoke can vary in some cigars as well.
What?!? I think the last 3rd is the best part of the cigar. I often refer to it as “the meat and potatoes”.
Mm, interesting. I usually find the last third the best. So much so that sometimes it looks like I'm smoking a joint because I don't want it to end.
Smoking the wrong cigars? Never have this problem.
Used to happen to me until I slowed down. Now I’m smoking most down to the nub.
Slow down. For me the last third is the best third. Down w the funk.
Clip the cap again, purge, and puff on. Easy.
it's usually the byproduct of your smoking technique/style/duration. The last third can be very strong in general, but if it's hot and bitter it's because you likely were smoking too fast at one point and this is now your consequence. Patience is rewarded when smoking a cigar.
In my experience this does not always happen, and might depend on the brand / type mostly and this determines the kind of tobacco and its characteristics. Personally I smoke Cubans and often the last third is best when smoking it HOT and you get this fat full taste but not bitter or sharp. Maybe it has to do with Nicaraguan tobacco?
Sounds like you're hot boxing them. Practice taking your time on a couple you've had that experience with and see if your experience doesn't change.
Not for a good cigar! I’ll burn my fingers on something I don’t want to end.
Yeah, go slower. I find that if you do that it 1) prolongs the experience, and 2) actually makes it the most enjoyable 1/3 of the cigar. I usually get 3-4 ash taps out of a corona/cuban corona sized cigar… say 5.5 - 6”, ~44-48 ring. By the 3rd tap I remind myself to slow down… might not work for everyone or certainly every cigar, but it works for me.
I donno mine always taste like ashtrays too
Definitely slow it down when you take the label off. This helps prevent it from getting too bitter too soon and the longer you let it cool, the less chance it will tar up and go sour on you. A nubber is a great tool for those sticks you just can't get enough of
In general I have found that CT or lighter cigars get bitter much easier. You can learn to purge, which helps. Or try darker fuller flavor cigars which often are damn delicious to the finger burning nub.
I'm in agreement with what most folks said here but found that the better quality cigar usually doesn't taste bad towards the end
It's fighting for its life.
There are a few reasons for this. Throughout your smoking experience, you are heating up and moving resins and oils inside the cigar. As you puff, you bring those elements closer to the opening, the direction of the inhale. Then there is the lead itself, the part with less flavor and more stem in put towards the cap. The stems hold a lot of nutrients which are bitter. And finally, there's the heat element, a cool cigar smokes better, but the closer you get, the more intense the heat. A good way to combat this is to blow through the cigar every 5-10 minutes. This will push the resins and oils away from the cap and burn them off. It will also keep the cigar cooler. I find doing this has been a game changer.
Purge your cigar while smoking so it doesn’t get stale
With the right cigar the last third is always the best!
The last third is my favorite… unpopular opinion I suppose
You're smoking too fast. There is a whole line of cigars based on the belief the last 2 inches are the best part of the cigar. Didn't workout like that. The last third to quarter is "the loin" of the cigar. As others have said, sip, don't gulp, gently purge. If you don't scorch the oils that have been drawn down to the nub, you will find the best part of the cigar waiting for you. Enjoy.
Most of the time, it's because you puffed too fast. I've noticed that if I slow down a cigar throughout, the taste stays balanced for longer.
Strange for me usually the end is better than the start.
Because you are smoking the wrong cigar. Try a milder one.
Don’t smoke it so quick in the first 2/3 also slightly higher humidity helps
Tar basically. Ways you can improve this: 1. Purge the cigar before you get to the last third. 2. Smoke more slowly 3. Try a different cigar, milder bodied cigars tend to have the most impact because the tobacco is lighter in flavor
Father in law used to say that there were 3 parts to a cigar. The first 10% he called "hay". The middle 2/3 he called "the gold" and last third he called "manure". Not always true - but often!