Why does it get bitter?

Just curious here.

Every time I leave a smoke alone for too long, and I need to relight, it gets bitter. I cut off the dead end plus about a 1/4 inch. Purge the smoke, and relight. The cigar just doesn't taste the same. Something in there gets nasty. Harsh, bitter. I just did it with a Padron 3000. Yuck yuck yuck.

Anyone else find this?



spin

[FriskyDingo]

Cigars can become bitter from a build up of tar and other chemicals caused by burning tobacco. Depending on the cut and how wet your cigar gets while you are smoking, can contribute to the build up. If a cigar doesn't allow the best draw, it will leave less escape for those chemicals. The end result is the build up and creates the bitter flavor. Sometimes purging can help remove some of the tar and build up while smoking and may help keep the bitterness from becoming too much that you have to put it down.

[Tazziedevil]

smoke slow, dont let it get too wet and try not to leave it out for too long.

[MTB996]

Same reason Chinese food tastes awful the next day. Some things just don't like getting reheated.

[groogs]

Try to purge your cigar before you walk away from it, that way if it sits to long there won't be as much stale smoke inside the sigar to make it tast bitter.

[brigey57]

Try to keep the cigar lit, draw on the cigar slow, to fast and you will build up carbon and get a hot smoke. I try to take a draw about once every minute. I turn the cigar about a quarter tun to allow the burn to stay even.

I would purge the cigar and knock the coal off, then purge it some more if I have to let it go out.
Much better to smoke it all the way through. They are not the same if they have set for a while.
I thought this thread was about cigars that get bitter while you are smoking them, a huge negative by me.

Stale smoke and tar are the culprits.

Purge before letting it go out is the answer, but I'm thinking you don't let it go out on purpose.

Get smaller cigars that you will finish or don't set it down. That will remind you to keep it going.

[N2Advnture]

Slow down
Don't slobber all over it (which I tend to do when drinking while smoking - LOL!)
Purge if you leave it go out
Don't let it go out

Originally Posted by Legend

Purge before letting it go out is the answer, but I'm thinking you don't let it go out on purpose.

Exactly. I was trying to be a superstar and do laundry and clean up house at the same. The rational was to do something enjoyable balanced by something miserable.

Originally Posted by spincycle

Exactly. I was trying to be a superstar and do laundry and clean up house at the same. The rational was to do something enjoyable balanced by something miserable.

I figured. That's what yard gars are for. If you are gonna smoke a stick you really want to enjoy take the time. If you are too ADD to just sit and enjoy you most likely need a botl or a blackberry like me. When I smoke, I check out the forums and post while I'm smoking to keep my ADD in check.

[zmancbr]

Originally Posted by MTB996

Same reason Chinese food tastes awful the next day. Some things just don't like getting reheated.

I like that one lol...

I have to agree with what others have said. The more you light it the more harsh it will get due to the build up of the chemicals. If I have to re-light a stick too many times then I will probably just toss it instead.

Originally Posted by MTB996

Same reason Chinese food tastes awful the next day. Some things just don't like getting reheated.

Who reheats left over chinese??

[longknocker]

Originally Posted by Tazziedevil

smoke slow, dont let it get too wet and try not to leave it out for too long.

Exactly! Most of the time if I rest a smoke for an hour or so, I have the same problem! Keep it going!

[webjunkie]

Originally Posted by Parrotheadduff

Who reheats left over chinese??

Cold leftover chinese (and curry) are some of life's little treats.

I always thought that it got bitter because if I smoked too fast then the tobacco got scorched sorta like if you make green tea with water that's too hot. Good to know the real reasons.

[M1903A1]

Originally Posted by Parrotheadduff

Who reheats left over chinese??

Uhh...me? For days at a time?

Originally Posted by spincycle

Every time I leave a smoke alone for too long, and I need to relight, it gets bitter. I cut off the dead end plus about a 1/4 inch. Purge the smoke, and relight. The cigar just doesn't taste the same. Something in there gets nasty. Harsh, bitter.

I have same experience. In Cigar Clan magazine (5/2010), I read about the degasation of a cigar. Even when smoking a cigar it can get bitter (happens with me with a lot of carabianan cigars, and I put them in the bin half smoked...).
This degasation sounds a good method:
. remove the ash form the still burning cigar
. heat the burning part (with lighter) and pull at the cigar lightly (to heat up the inside somewhat).
. then puff out with some force (but not too hard) into the cigar (thus removing all kind of by products of the burning). One can even see a small blue-ish flame coming out of the cigar due to this purging.

After that the cigar tastes good again. This might help also when you lay teh cigar down for a walk;-)

Let me know your experiences.

All the best,

Victor

[neoflex]

Originally Posted by BC-Axeman

I would purge the cigar and knock the coal off, then purge it some more if I have to let it go out.
Much better to smoke it all the way through. They are not the same if they have set for a while.
I thought this thread was about cigars that get bitter while you are smoking them, a huge negative by me.

Some times though it's just unavoidable if left to long. This is why I usually never revisit a stick if I had left it to burn out and sit more than 10-15 minutes. Might sound ridiculous but I absolutely hate the taste of old stale cigar smoke so I would rather light another stick than suffer through the rest of a cigar that I let sit out after being smoked partially. I don't get to smoke everyday so when I do I want to enjoy it so no need to torture myself.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by neoflex

Some times though it's just unavoidable if left to long. This is why I usually never revisit a stick if I had left it to burn out and sit more than 10-15 minutes.

This is what I was going to say.

I think we forget, (because cigars have gotten so much more expensive in the last 10 years) they aren't really meant to be smoked down until they burn your fingers, or re-lit multiple times.

Purging does work to a degree, but sometimes its just best to pitch it and light a new one. However, I admit this can be tough to do when you're smoking a $8 or $10 cigar.

[Tredegar]

I don't care what anyone says, a relit cigar never tastes as good as the original burn. I have tried and find a nasty, ashy flavor waiting for me when I relight. If a cigar goes out on me I toss it.

Now I have had the problem of cigars not staying lit even while being tended.