Tar!

[Puros Y Vino]

That picture is, well, one of the worst cigar pics I have seen. Shirley, it cannot be real?

It is indeed real. And don't call me Shirley. (I'm surprised no one took the bait on the old Airplane joke there) I've had tar buildup three times when using a punch. Whenever it's happened to me the following conditions were true.

1. I used a punch (obviously)
   
2. The weather was slightly on the cool side.
   
3. I tend to double puff. (whenever I punch cut now I "sip" the cigar and I no longer get the tar buildup)
   

I'm sure storage conditions could be to blame as well but I tend to store my cigars around 63-65RH.

[maverickdrinker]

It is indeed real. And don't call me Shirley. (I'm surprised no one took the bait on the old Airplane joke there) I've had tar buildup three times when using a punch. Whenever it's happened to me the following conditions were true.

1. I used a punch (obviously)
   
2. The weather was slightly on the cool side.
   
3. I tend to double puff. (whenever I punch cut now I "sip" the cigar and I no longer get the tar buildup)
   

I'm sure storage conditions could be to blame as well but I tend to store my cigars around 63-65RH.

Stop smoking those beach cigars Fran.....

[canadianbeaver]

Frank, remember when we were smoking at the Park Plaza or somewhere like that and you got brown stuff all over your fingers? That has happened to us well. It is kind of a real turn off when you are trying to enjoy this beautiful, tasty cigar.

Those pictures up there ^^^ are just plain yuck.

Here is a funny thing that happened yesterday outside. We forgot our cutting inside (I was in the pool). So I just bit the ends off the cigars and spit them into the trees hillbilly style. Worked just fine. All of these punch/cutter/scissors are just toys?

[Puros Y Vino]

Frank, remember when we were smoking at the Park Plaza or somewhere like that and you got brown stuff all over your fingers? That has happened to us well. It is kind of a real turn off when you are trying to enjoy this beautiful, tasty cigar.

Yes. It was the Park Hyatt last November I believe. Two cigars in a row there were a problem for me. A Monte 4 and a QdO Corona. Both had sap coming out of it. Pretty nasty, bitter taste. Took a good gulp of Scotch to clean it out.

[CaptainQuintero]

All of these punch/cutter/scissors are just toys?

No

[Orion21]

I have had a cigar produce tar residue like the pictures shown. It had an overly tight draw. I would imagine it has more to do with the leaves having a high tar content combined with tighter draws. It was not appetizing.

[SurpriseMVP]

I've had tar on cigars from the early 80's to current production. I keep my cigars at 68 degrees and 62 rh. I skim around the top cap if my cigars with a cutter and do not cut into any if the filler.

Simple solution for tar: cut the tar off (thin cut does the trick), purge, and keep smoking

[SMQQKIN]

Been smoking for a long time and have never seen anything like that.

Looks like chocolate leaking out the end.

[CanuckSARTech]

...Took a good gulp of Scotch to clean it out.

LOL. I can only see that as a problem if it wasn't a good scotch!!!