[mikesr1963]

I find that the further up the cigar I go, the tobacco closest to your mouth is coated with nicotine and tar in liquid form. The tobacco isn't dry and the instant heat actually makes it sweat more as it's smoked. You can actually feel it when you roll the cigar in your fingers as you smoke it. The further I go up the cigar the more it's like smoking a soggy cigarette filter instead of sweet tobacco. I hear so many talk about the pepperyness but I've never tasted pepper. If I pull to hard on a cigar the smoke tends to over heat and I get a pepper like burn on my tongue but that's about it. I don't find it pleasant tasting at all. In fact, from there IMO you may have ruined the cigar; soon after it will get bitter and will continue to intensify. Cigars I enjoy regularly and can smoke at least half way, maybe a little past it are Montecristo Classics, Macanudo Maduros, Flathead 552's, CAO Vintage Golds. Anything else I've tried is hit or miss.