Question about cigar that's hard to smoke

[Bookie]

I bought a less expensive cigar the other day at a local shop. It was a maduro (had his label on it... not branded) and I was testing it as an "everyday" cigar. I haven't smoked too many (5-6 over last month or so) so I don't really have much to compare it to. Anyway, this thing was kind of difficult to smoke. I had to work hard to take a draw off of it. It felt like I was trying to suck a watermelon through a straw. I cut a little more of the end off just to see if it was kind of clogged at the end. Is this how cheap cigars are or is there something I should know? Thanks in advance!

[BigMacFU]

Certain inexpensive cigars will not be of quality construction. Some are. What you probably experienced was a plug, which you could try to loosen with a paper clip end. Honestly though, I'd use a site like www.jrcigars.com to find an everyday smoke, they have plenty of lower end cigars that are still decent and of solid construction.

[grand cru no 2]

I'd say to first try the cigar again. You may have simply gotten one that was rolled to tightly. As far as un-plugging it, seems like everyone has their own way they do it, but I personally use 1/16th wide cylindrical file.

I would not reccommend a paperclip as they bend easy and you may end up with it poking through the wrapper.

[Bookie]

Thanks, I got about 1 inch into it and let it go out. I figured I'd come back to it if I felt ambitious. I'll try unplugging it. Thanks for that advice.

I've been looking at JRCigars and I was almost ready to buy some of their "alternatives" but several people on here said stay away from them. Since I'm a beginner I figured I probably wouldn't know the difference. Any opinions? Maybe I'll get 6 of their special coronas for about $12. Does anyone like their alternatives?

[edit]I changed "double corona" to "special corona". I'm an idiot.

[Bkcloud114]

I started by smoking JR Alts..... now I don't (I became a little snobbish)..... I keep them around for drunks guys at BBQs that wanna feel like they know what they're doing. I personally would stay away from the Alts

As for the paperclip that BigMacFU suggested....... like GC2 said.... be very careful. I sent one right thru the side of a cigar..... then it was a real bitch to smoke..... had to keep my finger over the hole it made.

I sometimes use a small drill bit.... you can turn it in and pull it out if needed.

You should try the "devil site" www.cigarbid.com you can sometims get 5'ers pretty cheap..... Just shop around and don't get caught up in the bidding war..... compare their auction prices with their main site www.cigarsinternational.com and other sites on the internet..... remember to calculate shipping in the final cost analysis

Personally, for a really good inexpensive smoke.... I bought a bundle of Sherpa Mystics....

[cigar no baka]

I was in my cigar shop the other day and saw the neatest thing for unplugging cigars. It was a three-in-one tool that is intended for pipe cleaning, but one of the three is basically a long metal rod that works great for unplugging cigars. I had a Grand Cubita SMS perfecto yesterday that was plugged; after inserting the metal rod into it about an inch, it smoked wonderfully.

[Corona Gigante]

Hello everyone. Long time lurker, first time poster.

I try to remember to take the time to taste [my] cigar when it's "raw", which means unlit (as they say on my favorite on-line cigar store). This is not only a nice way to ehance my anticipation of a great smoke, but I've found that it's much better to find out if the cigar's plugged before I light it.

I have a weird looking gizmo I got from Thompson Cigars for unplugging cigars. It looks like an aluminum skewer in a plastic housing designed to hold a cigar so that the skewer is guided down the length of the cigar without piercing the wrapper. I think they cost $15 or so but you can ask for it as your free gift if you join their club.

[yarimurray]

I have used a wooden skewer (for BBQ shish kabob) and these usually work very well. One end is sharp and they are rigid enough that you can avoid puncturing the wrapper.

Michael

[grand cru no 2]

Hello everyone. Long time lurker, first time poster.

I try to remember to take the time to taste [my] cigar when it's "raw", which means unlit (as they say on my favorite on-line cigar store). This is not only a nice way to ehance my anticipation of a great smoke, but I've found that it's much better to find out if the cigar's plugged before I light it.

I have a weird looking gizmo I got from Thompson Cigars for unplugging cigars. It looks like an aluminum skewer in a plastic housing designed to hold a cigar so that the skewer is guided down the length of the cigar without piercing the wrapper. I think they cost $15 or so but you can ask for it as your free gift if you join their club.

I've had cigars that seemed a little plugged that completely opened up upon lighting. I always light mine before I determine they are plugged.

[F.T. Pulver]

Keep in mind that a cigar with a tight draw, even to the point of being unsmokasble, and a plugged cigar are two different things. A tight draw may be fixed by something as simple as lowering the humidity in your humidor and can also be addressed with a draw poker.

A plugged cigar is a cigar that is unsmokeable no matter what you do to it. A plug is and actual obstruction caused, usually, by a bind in a leaf and can be felt by hand before the cigar is even lit.

[Perfesser]

I also use a wooden shish cabob skewer and usually have no problem. I also keep one in my sun visor just case I'm driving.

You can get a ton of them for $15.00.

[Bookie]

I jammed the tiny blade on my pocket knife up in there and it seemed to do the job. It was a terrible cigar anyway. I should have just thrown it away instead of going through all that trouble. Like I said, it cost me $1.15 so I didn't lose much on it. Thanks for the info, everyone!