Reason for plugged cigars?

[Webbo]

I have a box of Boli Pc from which perhaps every third or 4th cigar is plugged. The box has been stored in my humidor at 65/65 for 8 months. The last couple of plugged ones I have opened up and found that whilst the leaves are indeed packed very tightly both had what I can best describe as stalks inside (almost like a matchstick in diameter but a little longer maybe 2 inches), right in the centre of the cigar about half way up. A couple of these in each of the cigars I examined.These are not tightly wound leaves but solid pieces, Is this normal or is this contributing to the problem?

[dangolf18]

I don't think it'd be contributing much to the problem. You can sometimes massage "knots" (as I call them) in a a cigar. But you have to do it gently as not to break the wrapper. In my experience, shorter RG cigars tend to be more plugged.

[Hunter1974]

I don't think it'd be contributing much to the problem. You can sometimes massage "knots (as I call them) in a a cigar. But you have to do it gently as not to break the wrapper. In my experience, shorter RG cigars tend to be more plugged.

usually a gentle squeeze between thumb and index finger as you are rolling in will do the trick

[bradbrennan]

to answer your main question is that normal, I believe it is, seen some people dissect them online to find even as they consider their best can have that size stem and still be acceptable

[CaptainQuintero]

There isn't really anything you can do with plugs like that beyond giving them a go at pulling them out with tweezers.

Your vendor should replace the box if you are running a fail rate that high due to PP construction.

[Smallclub]

usually a gentle squeeze between thumb and index finger as you are rolling in will do the trick

If it does the trick the cigar wasn't plugged. Massage has zero effect on plugged cigars, ie overfilled cigars or "retorcido" cigars (defectively rolled).

[ha1fway]

People call them stems but they're really just leaf veins, stems are huge. It really isn't uncommon to find them.

[garbandz]

If they are the diameter of a matchstick they are stems.Stems vary in diameter from the plant end to the leaf tip,there is a piece of stem that size on every leaf.

That shows poor processing and worse rolling to me.

When I get a totally plugged stick I take it apart and re-roll it with a new binder and wrapper.It loses a lot of Cuban essence but I have saved all that work that went before me...........