I had a coffee break today and a LGC Medal d'Or no 4. (Delicious btw)
I struggled with this one though. Granted it is a long thin vitola, but it would not let up. I eventually had the cap clipped clean off and still struggled.
Eventually I pushed a cigar punch 5mm up the head and had a better draw.

As a complete noob, what does one do? I've heard of poking it with a toothpick, but it all seems rather barbaric.

So two questions:

1.) How do you manage a tight draw?

2.) If one cigar is like this - will the other 24 in the box be the same???
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1. I normally use a paper clip bent straight and run it from the clipped head to the foot to try clearing the plug. You can also try to gently massage the cigar to get the plug out, but that has a higher risk of damaging the wrapper.

2. Probably not. Normally it depends on the companies quality control so its hard to say if the whole box would be that way or not.
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I have found that some cigars like to be smoked at a lower RH than your humidor. try "Dry boxing" one for a day or two before smoking them to bring down the RH a little. You can cut into it and then test the draw before lighting. If it still feels tight after one day - then let it sit for another.
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Not ideal on your lunch break, but test the draw before lighting and if it's tight, put it in a dry box and let it dry out a little. Sometimes it helps losen the draw.
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Plus, you may want to look into getting a draw tool. They work pretty well.

Sometimes, though, there is little you can do. Pitch it and grab another stick.

I had a relatively plugged cigar this weekend. I was literally pulling out some pieces of tobacco filler out of the head. That ended up helping some.
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Cigars from that country are known for having draw issues upon occasion. Sometimes you can feel a "knot" in the cigar. Massage or roll that knot a little to help loosen things up. A draw tool is great to have and a long, skinny drill bit or skewer can work in a pinch. Dry boxing or even playing around with lowering your overall RH in the humidor may help as well. Hopefully there won't be too many more in that box with issues. Those are one of my current favorites at the moment.

Sometimes though, there isn't much to do other than pitch it and grab a different cigar.
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I am guessing the one you sent me was from the same box. If that is the case mine was a little tight but as I rolled it around a bit it got better. The tight draw didn't bother me too much I figure that is part of the deal with such a small ring gauge cigar. If you aren't sure I would be glad to try some more for you :-)
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True.
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Test the draw, dry box it and see if it gets better, but sometimes the above is your best option. :-)
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I dont find that draw pokers work very well. after a few draws, the cigar seems to relax back to where it was before being poked. On fatter sticks like a plugged lucy or similar, I actually drill a 1/16" to 1/8" hole down the center. The bit is flexible so caution is required, else risk a beatle hole in your hand. Drilling removes some tobackey.

I find the best technique to just massage the up and down stick between your forefinger and thumb as you smoke it. The heat and humidity from drawing softens the binder and wrapper enough to allow some give. massaging will strech the stogie wider as it softens and usually fix the draw.
Some times you can feel where the knot is. If if is by the cap, you may be able to cut the stick shorter to get past the plug. Keep the label on so the stick does not unroll.
As another here posted, I have had success by humidifying tight stick up to ~75+% for a few weeks, then let them dry to ~60-65%. They will shrink and may improve draw. Downside is that dry cigars do not massage well and may crack.
The last option is to give the plugged cigars away!
Good luck
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When I find tight drawers, I just figure I
washed them too many times, so I toss 'em out.

Oh, wait...what was the subject?
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:-):-):-)
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I like to take a cpl cigars I am going to smoke that week out of my 65% RH Humidor and I put them in a bag with a small 62% humidity pack for a cpl days . I seldom smoke a cigar right of the truck for a cpl months because there often wet and it takes awhile to settle down . I have a Havana Cigar Saver Draw Tool.

http://www.amazon.com/Havana-Saver-H.../dp/B00EBSXU40

Image
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Why not just store them at 62% :-) You are not really doing anything by this method. By storing the cigars at 65 and putting them in a bag with humidification, those cigars are going to retain that 65 for a long time. Certainly more than a few days. In fact, I would submit those cigars would retain that humidity for weeks.


To the op, life is too short to screw with plugged (reg. prod cigars :-)) cigars. Toss the plugged ones and grab a good one. :-)
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Toss it. Sorry...that sucks, but MdO4 is, what?, a 32 RG? You can try a draw poker and good luck. But I bet 8 or 9 times out of ten you will either blow up the whole cigar or get moderate to no improvement. Then hope your next one from same box is much better -- You can bet that if it is, you'll find flavors that you had no idea existed in the plugged one.
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A draw porker works just fine ( from actual experience ) at least for us that can't afford to just throw a perfectly good cigar away rather than take a minute to fix it so it smokes just fine and is enjoyable.

Kind of like throwing a car away because it needs a tune up

The RH question I am not so sure about ?

It dose makes me feel better to use a humidity pack when I transport my cigars . :-)

Austin
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:-) Mr. Lovebiscuit is is absolutely right!
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I would speculate it depends on your RH in your environment ? If you live in a dry climate or a humid climate ?
Here it is very dry in winter and very humid in summer . Dry in the air-condition house damp in basement ect . Just throwing that out ?

Right now the upstairs of my house is 44% RH
74% RH in the basement even with dehumidifier going .

Austin
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