Fully Plugged

[Trevor2118]

You learn something new everyday. Yesterday (for me) it was my first experience of a fully plugged cigar. I don't mean tight, hard, difficult, unpleasant, etc but as total as one can get....

I have always associated plugged with a tight draw, but yesterday, I struck my first no-draw plugged cigar. And what a disappointment it was. I had selected a Partigas Serie de Connoisseur No. 1, a long Panetela 38 x 192. It was a single that I received (to photograph for my website) and was un-banded. As all cigars in SLB should be banded by 2004 - 2006, it should be adequately aged.

Before lighting-up, it looked perfect but it did feel tight, which I put down to my lack of knowledge of the thinner panetelas. I toasted the end and took a draw.........no effect (and yes, I had cut the cap)....to the extent that it started to extinguish itself.

Re-torched the foot again, thinking that I had not properly lit it, but no amount of sucking could induce any real effect.....other than the possibility of imminent lung collapse. So I tried blowing through the cigar, which did just indicate that something was just getting through, admittedly at the expense of both my eye-balls popping out. I gave up at this point and clipped the foot off, noticing that this area have gone very spongy from the heat.

Today the foot still seems softer than the rest of the cigar but is still generally as hard as a rock. I have keep it for future comparison (or for use it as a bridge deck spike if I ever need one).

A later search of reviews did not indicate this cigar as a problem one for poor draw.

My question is.......is the term plugged intended as a tight/ hard draw or an impossibly to actually smoke

[Professor Twain]

I have never had an utterly unsmokable plug yet (knock on wood).

Did you let this settle in relatively low humidity after receiving it? I have had tight draws on cigars that I smoked off the truck (may have shipped too wet) or when the humidity in my humidor was too high on thin ring gauge cigars.

Of couse if yours is this plugged drying it out may not help.

[Trevor2118]

» Did you let this settle in relatively low humidity after receiving it?

Rested for full month at around 16deg C (61deg F) and 65% RH. Would have been a little dryer when smoked, maybe 70% RH.

Immediately lit up a HDM Du Roi 42 x 142 (from same purchase/ conditions), admittedly slightly thicker, and it was great....plenty of smoke.

Cheers, Trevor.

[Colt45]

Unfortunately, I've been the victim of plugged cigars as well. My opinion is that

it is definately a construction issue.

Using a reamer, I've actually felt a plug give way.

[El Presidente]

I have been there Trev.

Absolutely no draw. You will find that if you unroll the cigar and look at the filler leaves, the roller has likely twisted the "Bunch" which in effect cuts off any air flow. This twisting is more of a problem with Torpedo's than with other vitola's but I have seen it across the board.

[phxkev]

Whew! I saw the subject line of this thread and I had to check it out. I thought you all were talking about the girl I was dating.

[skid11]

It didn't have a big tuft of hair in it by chance ????:-|

[marco polo]

» It didn't have a big tuft of hair in it by chance ????:-|

[xibbumbero]

I have a cab of Boli CG's made at OSU from 01 that are so overfilled they are unsmokeable. X:-(

[winelover]

I had a box of PSP#2s' for which 2/3rd's were almost totally plugged. Such a big disappointment when it happens. I have come round to thinking that it is never worth perservering, it is better to just toss them away and not to waste your time and risk bursting blood vessels!

[Trevor2118]

» It didn't have a big tuft of hair in it by chance ????:-|

No, mine was hair-less.....but on opening it up (after trying a knitting needle.....not effective), I found a central piece of stem, about the thickness of a match head, with the bunch contstructed around it.

The section above this was smokable.:-D