ASHES Your cigar ashes are a tell-tale sign about some of the characteristics of your cigar. A cigar that is well rolled (packed), can burn slowly and create a stiff ash up to two to three inches in length without bending or breaking. It merely looks like the cigar itself, except it is grey. Should your ash break up quickly, or burn in a less than tightly contained manner, or expend, it is probably not packed well and its smoking characteristics are probably below par. If the ash color begins to vary into the darker tones the leaf mix was not up to standard either. The quality of the smoke is not affected by the length of the ash. Hot or bitter smoking taste, or any other kinds of less than smooth variations that occur WHILE smoking the cigar, are other indications of poorer quality, either in the leaf mix or the rolling. A great quality cigar can usually be smoked down to the nub (way past the Band). Sometimes, as you smoke a great or good one down, the taste will change from “lovely smooth”, to beginning to be “bitter” or have a distinct “after taste”. Most experts suggest tossing it, but I practice more patience. I simply put it down and let it burn itself gently in the “proper ashtray”. A good cigar can maintain its slow burning qualities from 3 to 5 minutes without being puffed. Quite often it will burn itself past a “tar” spot easily and a resumption of your smoking it (without it going out) will confirm its return to its original wonderful flavor. Give it a chance to re-prove itself. I find the last two inches really satisfying and “Hard to put down”! It’s almost like a love affair, when it’s that good!

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