Plugged cigars...or elevated expectations?

[lenguamor]

The subject of plugged cigars came up briefly in couple of other threads and it got me thinking, as I've thought before when I read these accounts...

I must be truly blessed...which I know to be untrue right up front, since I'm passing kidney stones for the last two f(@#@ing weeks, and no one who is blessed would have to do that.

But am I the only member of this board who has virtually NEVER had a problem with a truly, irrevocably plugged cigar?

I smoked La Auroras almost exclusively for the first 20-or-so years that I smoked; I've since smoked dozens of different brands, Cuban and non-Cuban - and of all those, I've had ONE plugged cigar that I couldn't fix and didn't have tools to do more than try to massage the plug out.

In fact, I bought three sets of Henry's Tools a couple years ago, after the plugging incident; I gifted one, have another set aside for a future gift - and the gorgeous, honey-maple one I bought for myself? As new as the day I received it.

Yeah, I've had, in that time, a few - say, 20 - cigars that had somewhat difficult draws. However...plugged? No. Just the one.

So, what is it? First one who says luck gets these useless meds they gave me for the stones shoved inside him in a most unnatural method of delivery.

Do people who go to the trouble and risk of acquiring the forbidden fruit tacitly assign a higher standard to it as a result?

Does a person who buys a stick for a higher price, Cuban or not, suddenly develop a lower tolerance for a difficult draw?

I wonder about this and I'd like to hear what all of you have to say, because - and trust me on this - I am NOT a lucky person. If cigars were going to be plugged as often as I read that people think they are, it'd be happening to me at least as often, if not more.

 

[icehog3]

Do people who go to the trouble and risk of acquiring the forbidden fruit tacitly assign a higher standard to it as a result?

No, I think those of us who have moved to smoking mostly CCs have actually realized that we might in fact need to lower our standards a bit. I think the high end NCs often outperform CCs in the area of construction....but I am willing to risk somewhat inferior construction at times for a taste I prefer.

Does a person who buys a stick for a higher price, Cuban or not, suddenly develop a lower tolerance for a difficult draw?

Certainly it is human to be more disappointed in a tight draw or worse when you are smoking a $10 cigar rather than a $1 cigar...but as I said above, for me it is worth the small percentage of tight draws I have encountered with CCs to smoke what I prefer to smoke in terms of taste.

Great thread, I know my opinions are mine alone, and I look forward to what others have to say. :tu

 

[lenguamor]

No, I think those of us who have moved to smoking mostly CCs have actually realized that we might in fact need to lower our standards a bit. I think the high end NCs often outperform CCs in the area of construction....but I am willing to risk somewhat inferior construction at times for a taste I prefer.




Certainly it is human to be more disappointed in a tight draw or worse when you are smoking a $10 cigar rather than a $1 cigar...but as I said above, for me it is worth the small percentage of tight draws I have encountered with CCs to smoke what I prefer to smoke in terms of taste.

Great thread, I know my opinions are mine alone, and I look forward to what others have to say. :tu

The first is a GREAT point. I do the same, especially in the case of the cheaper marcas.

 

[icehog3]

The first is a GREAT point. I do the same, especially in the case of the cheaper marcas.

I like threads that make me "think out loud" Joe....sometimes you "learn" things that you knew but never but into words.

 

[uncballzer]

I would have to say mostly tight draws here. I've had a couple that I believe were plugged (a stick in one) that were so difficult to get any air thru, that I couldn't bare another second trying to smoke it. Overall, I would say the majority of plugs are probably just tight draws that can be fixed with Henry's tools, as you mention.

 

[shilala]

I've never ran into a plugged NC, and come to think of it, I can even think of one that had a tough draw.
I've run into two cc's that were completely plugged, and a number of others that I sucked on so hard my head caved in.

 

[Ashcan Bill]

No, I think those of us who have moved to smoking mostly CCs have actually realized that we might in fact need to lower our standards a bit. I think the high end NCs often outperform CCs in the area of construction....but I am willing to risk somewhat inferior construction at times for a taste I prefer.

I agree with this, although personally I think even lower end Fuentes, Padrons, etc draw much better than most CCs. It's a trade off - a certain taste profile for construction.

When I smoke CCs, I think I unconsciously expect to encounter plugs. When it happens, I'm irritated but never surprised. I've tossed a fair number that I just gave up on, and poked hell out of others to get them to draw.

On the other hand, with NCs, I never expect a plug. I'm sitting here trying to honestly remember the last NC I ran across with a plug, and I'm drawing a blank. I'm sure it's happened over the last thirty some years, but I just can't recall any. And I've smoked many, many more NCs than CCs.

Just part of the price of admission.