Where the band is on Cigars

[FriendlyMan]

I know too many the band dosnt mean much, they just take it off or ignore it. But then to others it means something. I know for some its a reminder when to put the cigar down, not to over do it and get a buzz or bitterness. What I'm wondering if their are actually cigar makers that smoke samples and decide to put the band at a certain spot for one of the mentiond reasons? Like when it gets to strong? Or gos bitter?
Or have any of you felt that about a cigar you smoked? When you get close to the band?
If yes please mention which ones.

[oooo35980]

Not that I know of, I do know with a lot of cigars if you stop at the band you are really missing out. Personally I ignore the band altogether and rely on my palate to tell me when a cigar is done, occasionally I even use a nubbing tool because some cigars never go nasty even when you're so far down you can't hold em anymore.

[kuzi16]

the band was originally placed on cigars so that the men who wore gloves would not get discoloration from the tobacco over time. just hold the cigar at the band.

placement has more to do with that tradition than anything else.

[NCRadioMan]

Originally Posted by kuzi16

the band was originally placed on cigars so that the men who wore gloves would not get discoloration from the tobacco over time. just hold the cigar at the band.

placement has more to do with that tradition than anything else.

Originally, it was Catherine the Great that had ribbons tied around them so she wouldn't stain her "royal fingers".

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/7734

[kuzi16]

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

Originally, it was Catherine the Great that had ribbons tied around them so she wouldn't stain her "royal fingers".

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/7734

if you read past the first paragraph you can see that there are many reasons/theories for the band.

however, that is one i had not seen before. cant prove a one of em, but they are all interesting.

[jjirons69]

I personally know from experience, if you smoke the band, it doesn't change the profile, the dang thing just won't stay lit. I remove the bands some time during the stick, usually by the midpoint. Like others said, a good stick goes way past where the band was.

[NCRadioMan]

Originally Posted by kuzi16

if you read past the first paragraph you can see that there are many reasons/theories for the band.

I never thought to do that.

If you didn't realize it, my post was in addition to yours. Not a contradiction.

[OLS]

Originally Posted by oooo35980

Not that I know of, I do know with a lot of cigars if you stop at the band you are really missing out.

HELL YEAH, LOVE that tar!! Stains the teeth, ruins the breath and tastes like chocolate if you try hard enough.

[Ratters]

A good cigar is not done until your fingers burn.

[N2 GOLD]

Agree, it's done when it's done. If you smoke it, it will tell you...

Originally Posted by Ratters

A good cigar is not done until your fingers burn.

[area51]

Band comes off before I even light the smoke so I never know

[OLS]

I had a box of SLR Churchills one day, early on in my career as a smuhgglher, and all the bands were
consistently applied....about a half inch below where they "belonged". I just shrugged and enjoyed them,
but they were bought early on in my experience and I later dropped the vendor for mixing in questionable
cigars (Spain vendor) and even thought they were fantastic smokes, truly unique and delicious, it always
bothered me. Some of you have received these smokes from me over the years, I wonder if you noted
the bands and if you enjoyed the cigar? Don't worry, I am certain they were legit.

By the way, I have never understood people who remove the bands halfway, after the glue has softened.
If it is done as to not be pretensious, then how did you feel for the first half of the cigar when the band
was on? Did no one LOOK? If you do it in order to nub the smoke, why not wait until the end when it is
REALLY heated up? But no offense, hell I don't understand why people remove the bands at all.

[jjirons69]

Originally Posted by OLS

By the way, I have never understood people who remove the bands halfway, after the glue has softened. If it is done as to not be pretentious, then how did you feel for the first half of the cigar when the band was on? Did no one LOOK? If you do it in order to nub the smoke, why not wait until the end when it is REALLY heated up? But no offense, hell I don't understand why people remove the bands at all.

You're funny, Brad. (Picture Brad poking a wasp nest with a stick)

The guy writing this could give one happy damn what others think of his cigar being smoked. I'm just fidgety, wouldn't bother me if the whole stick were covered in bands, it'd give me more to do while smoking. Plus, I don't care if the glue is soft or not, it's coming off either by sliding or ripping.

[massphatness]

Originally Posted by OLS

I don't understand why people remove the bands at all.

I like to take off the bands in the round and save them. I don't really know why. I just do. I have this vision of a huge glass vase filled with bands. Sorta all art-deco-y and what not.

One thing I will say. Of the plugged cigars I've smoked, where the plug is just a knot in the tobacco, it seems to happen more frequently under the band. Maybe a band applied just a little too tight? Could be all in my head, but that's my observation.

[Brandon]

For me, the band represents the point at which the cigar "starts"... or just before the band. If I see someone putting all of his cigars down before they ever reach the band, I know that they are not "real" smokers... just like when one doesn't exhale out the nose... or blows smoke out immediately after drawing on the cigars...

[pektel]

wow. guess i'm not a real smoker. i never apply rules to how any cigar should be smoked, except that i try to find the maximum enjoyment out of it. i'll experiment with how hard i'll draw, the length of draw, retrohale, and so forth until i find the way i personally enjoy the cigar the most. not every cigar can be enjoyed in the exact same way. and i'll put down a cigar whenever i feel like it, and frankly not give a damn if someone tries to label that as being less than a 'real smoker'.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Brandon]

Originally Posted by pektel

wow. guess i'm not a real smoker. i never apply rules to how any cigar should be smoked, except that i try to find the maximum enjoyment out of it. i'll experiment with how hard i'll draw, the length of draw, retrohale, and so forth until i find the way i personally enjoy the cigar the most. not every cigar can be enjoyed in the exact same way. and i'll put down a cigar whenever i feel like it, and frankly not give a damn if someone tries to label that as being less than a 'real smoker'.
Posted via Mobile Device

I agree. I've pitched a good number of cigars before I've reached the band... due to bad construction, bad blends, my mood, etc. I'm making reference to guys that smoke every cigar with the same methods. It's good that you experiment with every cigar to determine what works best.

I've seen many guys smoke cigar after cigar without reaching the bands. I tell them that good cigars are meant to be smoked further than 1/2 way. If they pitch them before even reaching the ligero, then they are wasting the cigar (my opinion). The main reason I smoke is for flavor. The mere ritual of smoking a cigar doesn't excite me at all. I don't like smoking the same mild stick for 2+ hours.

I've had guys bug me for cigars, and I give them a well aged stick out of my collection. It pisses me off when they continuously smoke a couple inches and then toss it. When I try to explain the blending and methods behind Cuban cigars, they look at me with a blank stare and shrug it off. I don't like seeing a 1998 Bolivar Corona Extra being tossed after 1/2 of the cigar.

These are the type of people that don't deserve my cigars. They just want to mooch your cigars and have something burning in their hands. They don't care about getting the max flavor and smoking experience out of a cigar. THESE are the folks I'm referring to when I say "non-real" smoker. I've given quality cigars too many times to guys that aren't serious. These are the guys that get gifted cigars from the bag of sticks sitting in the closet.

If I've given a guy 10 different quality sticks with plenty of age, and he smokes every single one without getting down to the ligero... then I don't consider him to be a "real" smoker.

[massphatness]

Originally Posted by Brandon

without getting down to the ligero...

I'm confused. I always assumed any ligero leaf used in a cigar ran pretty much the length of the cigar. I had no idea the ligero started around the band.

[Brandon]

Originally Posted by massphatness

I'm confused. I always assumed any ligero leaf used in a cigar ran pretty much the length of the cigar. I had no idea the ligero started around the band.

You're right. Ligero runs throughout. I just had a blonde moment. I meant to say the point at which the cigar changes flavor profile substantially. When most cigars are blended, they intend on most of the cigar to be smoked... not just a couple inches. The building of tar and other substances changes the profile towards the end.

Bottom line.... cigar bands are ornamental... smoke a cigar as far as you want... and do what ever you want with the cigar band. Cigars are only fermented, dried up leaves with fancy labels on them.

[Rock Star]

what i hope for in a cigar, is that when i get to the band that the cigar is so good that the heat will loosen up the glue so that the band comes off easily or that the cigar is so vintage that it slides right off, otherwise it wasnst good. the band is just there to tell me what i just smoked