The "Cone"

[Colt45]

In the recent Cohiba Piramide thread (and other times over the past few years), our esteemed wine writer and cigar taster Ken Gargett

has mentioned that a cone as a cigar burns is a good sign. I've always been curious about it, and times I've considered a prominent

cone as possibly the sign of a burn flaw - akin to an inverted tunnel.

My thought being that with a prominent cone, the tobacco around the perimeter is burning faster than the center, possibly

changing the intended blend characteristics. This is all just thought, and I'd be interested to hear any theories or insight on the

matter. I'm not in disagreement - I've really no idea.

[Ken Gargett]

In the recent Cohiba Piramide thread (and other times over the past few years), our esteemed wine writer and cigar taster Ken Gargett

has mentioned that a cone as a cigar burns is a good sign. I've always been curious about it, and times I've considered a prominent

cone as possibly the sign of a burn flaw - akin to an inverted tunnel.

My thought being that with a prominent cone, the tobacco around the perimeter is burning faster than the center, possibly

changing the intended blend characteristics. This is all just thought, and I'd be interested to hear any theories or insight on the

matter. I'm not in disagreement - I've really no idea.

colt, guess it depends a bit on how prominent.

i was first alerted to this by hamlet, if memory serves (and who am i to argue with the great man) and i must say that it seems to follow. key is that the cone is dead centre, an off kilter one will stuff the burn. i'm not looking for a massive one, short and stubby also works. it needs to be near geometrically perfect. interestingly, i find it far more often in the top of the line cigars, which suggests to me that the top rollers are able to construct thier cigars so that it happens, whereas the lesser cigars get the lesser rollers, as a generalisation, and perhaps they are not yet up to it. hence possibly a bit of the vicous circle.

i'm with you in that i don't know how or why it works, just that it seems to. hamlet was quite adamant. for me, more of a construction issue than a flavour one.

love to hear of the experience of others.

[Colt45]

colt, guess it depends a bit on how prominent.

Yes - the type I had in mind were quite prominent and rather ratty looking, almost like a stick in the center. Not a well ashed cone as in

the cohiba piramide pic.

Too bad you're not in Havana - you could have asked Hamlet for a bit more insight.

Oh well, have fun in NZ.....

[anacostiakat]

I thought this was about the Cone of Silence

[Fuzz]

I thought this was about the Cone of Silence

I thought this was about smoking "cones"

[sounddust]

For me, a perfect cone after ashing is usually accompanied by a razor sharp burn, smooth draw and consistent firmness all round. Thus, I believe that a cone is a mark of great workmanship. However, I'm not too sure about how it affects the taste per se.

Indeed, I usually find gorgeous cones in the pricier cigars like Cohibas, H. Upmann 46s/Sir Winstons and Trinidads.

One pertinent point. The cone is apparent only with a slow and even smoking technique.

[Roy R. Frush]

My experience has been that well aged cigars tend to burn very flat without a cone. I assumed this was because the oils have had time to migrate and even out so the components are all burning at the same rate.

[aavkk]

My experience has been that well aged cigars tend to burn very flat without a cone. I assumed this was because the oils have had time to migrate and even out so the components are all burning at the same rate.

I was thinking the same thing...

[sounddust]

I was thinking the same thing...

I used to think along the same lines, however, I have had some young cigars(1 y/o Siglos, Mag 46) that provided a good cone. Of course, the age of the cigars do play a part, but construction and smoking technique also contribute to the formation of a cone IMHO.

[Guest rob]

I'm not so sure that smoking technique has much to do with it.

I smoke RASCC almost every other day and they almost always produce a cone. When I smoke something else I hardly ever get a con formation.

Having now thought about it, I have noticed coning on smaller and shorter ring guage cigars more often than with larger or longer cigars.

[Tampa1257]

Hot Boxing a cigar will always produce a cone.

Slow down and enjoy your cigar. I have experienced that younger cigars tend to have a cone while older cigars tend to burn flat. My preference is a flat burning cigar as I believe it is a cleaner and better burning cigar and produces more total taste. It is just my opinion that a cigar that has a cone is not burning well and is not therefore able to provide the best taste possible.

These are just my train of thoughts, I do not have any evidence to substantiate my beliefs.

[toto]

Hot Boxing a cigar will always produce a cone.

Slow down and enjoy your cigar. I have experienced that younger cigars tend to have a cone while older cigars tend to burn flat. My preference is a flat burning cigar as I believe it is a cleaner and better burning cigar and produces more total taste. It is just my opinion that a cigar that has a cone is not burning well and is not therefore able to provide the best taste possible.

These are just my train of thoughts, I do not have any evidence to substantiate my beliefs.

I completely agree.

My personal preference is always a flat burn. I have always found that it produces more subtle and complex flavors. After initial lighting, i usually wait 30+ secs before starting to have a real draw to ensure slow and even burn.

[Mr. Japan]

My experience is that you have "cone" in ash for several reasons:

1) The leaf of ligero is exactly at center of the cigar, as richer of oils the combustion is slower comparing to leaves of seco and volado

2) The cigar is been perfectly rolled so that the leaf of volado that closes the "bonche" is good quality.

3) The capa is not too thick and must be well aged, otherwise it burns even slower than the ligero and you have th einversion not a cone but a hole.

[Colt45]

Thanks for the input, gents - very interesting. I'll be keeping this in mind.

[stargazer14]

here is a clip from another cuban cigar site to give legs to Mr. Japans first reason:

"Why a cone? It is connected with the structure of the cigar. The roller starts making a cigar with a leaf known as ligero. This leaf lying in the very center of the cigar gives all the taste. The ligero leaf is gathered from the very top of the tobacco plant, and it contains the greatest amount of nicotine, sugar and complex gustatory compounds. Therefore no wonder that it burns longer than the other tobacco leaves used to make up a cigar. And the burning end of the cigar has a conical form exactly because this leaf takes the longest time to burn.

The percentage of ligero leaves varies depending on the tobacco blend for every cigar. As a result, the cones can have either sharp or blunt shape. But no matter what they are, conical shape for the burning end of a cigar with a thin layer of ash is the ideal one.

Of course, this shape depends not only on cigar quality, but also on the way it is smoked. You need to smoke lightly and inhale evenly and smoothly.

Thus a conical form of the cigar's burning end with a thin ash layer on it means that it was rolled in accordance with all the requirements, and moreover, it was smoked with as much mastery as the roller put into making it."

personally, I find higher quality smokes giving me the cone.

[zuma]

My experience is that you have "cone" in ash for several reasons...

I agree with the cone theory... IMHO, and based on purely physical considerations -- assuming that the material is homogeneous (well constructed), the burn-front profile will be determined by oxygen supply: the periphery has ample O2 supply (not just from the draw), whereas for the core the O2 supply is limited by what goes through the ash (mostly provided when you draw). While the actual angle of the burn-front (sharpness or prominence of the cone profile) will be determined by how fast you smoke, a uniform burn rate will require a gentle conical shape... a flat burn-front would require a less dense core than peripheral binder and wrapper (in extreme cases even an inverted cone or hole, as Mr. Japan points out).

[Van55]

Call my a cynic, but I tend to believe that the existence or non existence of a cone of glowing ember at the foot of a cigar has nothing whatever to do with how it tastes. It's as irrelevant, in my personal experience, as plume on the wrapper.

When I saw this thread title, I thought you were taking about this cone. (NOT SAFE FOR WORK):

http://edstrong.blog-city.com/sex_toys_the_cone_vibrator.htm

[sounddust]

Call my a cynic, but I tend to believe that the existence or non existence of a cone of glowing ember at the foot of a cigar has nothing whatever to do with how it tastes. It's as irrelevant, in my personal experience, as plume on the wrapper.

When I saw this thread title, I thought you were taking about this cone. (NOT SAFE FOR WORK):

http://edstrong.blog-city.com/sex_toys_the_cone_vibrator.htm

Ouch. It looks more like an ancient Chinese erotic torture device.

[Ken Gargett]

My experience is that you have "cone" in ash for several reasons:

1) The leaf of ligero is exactly at center of the cigar, as richer of oils the combustion is slower comparing to leaves of seco and volado

2) The cigar is been perfectly rolled so that the leaf of volado that closes the "bonche" is good quality.

3) The capa is not too thick and must be well aged, otherwise it burns even slower than the ligero and you have th einversion not a cone but a hole.

this makes a lot of sense to me.

i think rob was away for this thread. be interested if any thoughts?

[El Presidente]

this makes a lot of sense to me.

i think rob was away for this thread. be interested if any thoughts?

I really haven't given it a lot of thought but what I have read from Gino makes sense to a point. The only question I have is that "the cone" is difficult to reproduce within the same box. I was smoking a Hamlet lancero Friday morning and had a great Cone. Smoked one Friday night and had none.

Ken, I know you have a great selection of T Shirts (of which our members have seen in the video reviews" but when you have a chance get one made up with the quote you made in your opening post.

"i'm not looking for a massive one, short and stubby also works"

[Ken Gargett]

I really haven't given it a lot of thought but what I have read from Gino makes sense to a point. The only question I have is that "the cone" is difficult to reproduce within the same box. I was smoking a Hamlet lancero Friday morning and had a great Cone. Smoked one Friday night and had none.

Ken, I know you have a great selection of T Shirts (of which our members have seen in the video reviews" but when you have a chance get one made up with the quote you made in your opening post.

"i'm not looking for a massive one, short and stubby also works"

i knew we could count on you for a positive contribution.

but i do agree that just because one cigar in a box has one, doesn't mean they all will.

how did you convince hamlet to roll a lancero?

[FlyFishingDude]

I thought this was about the Cone of Silence

Missed it by this much..........

[Jimmy2]

If it tastes great who cares what shape it is . LOL Its a cigar smoke it LOL