Smoke volume

[rbrotmd]

Yesterday, I fired up a Bolivar PC (after carefully following SMK819's advice to not smoke it with my morning coffee). In addition to enjoying it immensely, I was stunned by the volume of smoke it produced; a veritable Mount St. Helens!

This brought back a nagging question I have had since I smoked my first cigar a couple of years ago: Why does the volume of smoke vary so drastically from cigar to cigar? When I light up a Punch Punch, I enjoy it very much as well, but I have to keep checking if it's lit or not, since I need a magnifying glass to see the smoke.

In my beginner's research, I cannot relate smoke volume to brand, ring gauge, strength, humidification level or moon phase!

I would love to hear thoughts and theories from the experts at FOH.

[Colt45]

You touched on one - humidity level. An overly moist cigar will

tend to produce a lower smoke volume (along with some other

woes), while a properly humidified cigar will usually produce an

adequate amount of smoke - even with a bit of a tight roll.

How tight or loose a cigar is rolled, whether there are plug

issues, and filler volume can all come into play as well.

[Mel]

Big smoke volumes are important to me and with out adequate smoke no cigar can score well with me. Interesting you mention the PP. I have had more problems with the Punch marca not performong well especially in the volume and draw catagories. The Punch Churchill is the weakest cigar I know.

[Black Plague]

Nothing irks me more than a tight draw and small smoke volume. The thing can be burning as crooked as a politician with the ugliest looking ash in the world, as long as I can still get smoke into my mouth, I'm happy.

If you're having problems with smoke volume, I'd try dryboxing if for a day or two before smoking. Just take it out of your humi, put it in an old cigar box, and leave it for a day or two. I do this with thinner cigars and it can really help a cigar that's maybe too hydroscopic.

[HeavySmoke]

» Nothing irks me more than a tight draw and small smoke volume. The thing

» can be burning as crooked as a politician with the ugliest looking ash in

» the world, as long as I can still get smoke into my mouth, I'm happy.

»

I agree. Nothing you hate more then a tight draw especially when all you want to do is enjoy a nice cigar and relax.

[cigardawg]

Draw and smoke volume are huge factors to my cigar enjoyment. I hate a plugged cigar and I hate a cigar that just doesn't produce any smoke. I want my entire head hidden by the smoke from a cigar. :-P

[El Presidente]

» Nothing irks me more than a tight draw and small smoke volume. The thing

» can be burning as crooked as a politician with the ugliest looking ash in

» the world, as long as I can still get smoke into my mouth, I'm happy.

»

» If you're having problems with smoke volume, I'd try dryboxing if for a

» day or two before smoking. Just take it out of your humi, put it in an

» old cigar box, and leave it for a day or two. I do this with thinner

» cigars and it can really help a cigar that's maybe too hydroscopic.

Spot on.

63-65 % RH. If it feels like a tight roll I drybox for a day or two.

I need smoke, I need draw and I need flavour ;-)

[Ginseng]

» » Nothing irks me more than a tight draw and small smoke volume.

»

» I need smoke, I need draw and I need flavour ;-)

I agree. Smoke and its sinuous dance in the air, its seductive curls issuing from between my lips...it's all integral to the pleasure of a fine cigar.

Wilkey

[harwellplant]

Interesting you mention the PP. I have had more

» problems with the Punch marca not performong well especially in the volume

» and draw catagories. The Punch Churchill is the weakest cigar I know.

i agree doc. rob (or actually lisa) can tell you that i order less punch than any other marque. i have had mad inconsistencies in their construction.

as for smoke volume, there are several vitolas that come to mind as having great construction but little actual volume of smoke. the qdo line comes to mind, especially the corona in my experience. a very good cigar, and tons of flavor, but very little in the appearance of white billows exiting the nose or mouth.