Smaller Ring Gauge

[TheGreekTitan]

Just lit up a Padron 1964 box press 6" x 42 ring gauge. I love this thing! Great flavor, comfortable in the hand and mouth. Huge amounts of billowing smoke with a fantastic aroma and flavor. That said, I've seen a guy get a ribbing from his buddies at a B&M for smoking something similar.

What gives?

[badwhale]

Just lit up a Padron 1964 box press 6" x 42 ring gauge. I love this thing! Great flavor, comfortable in the hand and mouth. Huge amounts of billowing smoke with a fantastic aroma and flavor. That said, I've seen a guy get a ribbing from his buddies at a B&M for smoking something similar.

What gives?

Ummm, they're douchebags?

No, really I tend toward the smaller ring gauges. I'm not much for jawbreakers.

[mrtr33]

I love the lancero vitola. Many of the cigars I like in this vitola are about 7" in length and a size 38 ring gauge.

[TheGreekTitan]

Ummm, they're douchebags?

No, really I tend toward the smaller ring gauges. I'm not much for jawbreakers.

Totally agreed, it was really strange. Being fairly new to the hobby I put some thought to their position. Not much, but some; and I think you summed it up well.

I love the lancero vitola. Many of the cigars I like in this vitola are about 7" in length and a size 38 ring gauge.

Maybe it's the ex-cigarette smoker in me, but that just makes sense. Don't get me wrong, I like a 6 1/2 x 52 (or larger at times) drinking a beer and grilling, or just because. But I really enjoy the variety of shapes, sizes, flavor profiles, etc..

It just seemed odd that this guy was put into a position of having to defend himself for smoking a cigar that he seemed to be enjoying.

[badwhale]

If I was smoking a PAM corona, and anyone gave me shit, anywhere, I'd just ignore them.

If I was smoking a LFD DL700, and anyone gave me shit, anywhere, I'd just ignore them.

[TheGreekTitan]

If I was smoking a PAM corona, and anyone gave me shit, anywhere, I'd just ignore them.

If I was smoking a LFD DL700, and anyone gave me shit, anywhere, I'd just ignore them.

For some reason I think you might do something other than ignore them.

[ashauler]

I smoke 50 rg and below as a general rule. I especially like lanceros and coronas. I smoke what I like, and like what I smoke. I'd expect any one else to do the same.

[CptnBlues63]

I smoke 50 rg and below as a general rule. I especially like lanceros and coronas. I smoke what I like, and like what I smoke. I'd expect any one else to do the same.

What Jamie said X 2

I can't imagine what difference the ring guage makes! I just smoked a Padron Londres (42 x 5 1/2" - thanks for the split Will) yesterday and enjoyed it every bit as much as any other Padron I've ever smoked. I never give the guage much thought and never do. I can't see how it could possibly matter.

I suspect the people in question who were hacking at someone else about the ring guage of their cigar have yet to reach mental maturity because that's just childish behaviour that I'd expect from a 9 year old. "My cigar's bigger'n yours.......nah nah nah nah boo boo........."

I realize it takes all kinds to make the world go round, but does it have to be so full of dumbasses!?!?

[kevin7]

It has to be a real good cigar fro me to smoke anything over 54 . I have never had anybody say shit to me in a BM about what Im smoking. Now when we as friends used to herf all the time it was game on insult wise LOL. Bunch of 40+ yr old men acting like 17 yr olds LOL

[ashauler]

snip....

I can't imagine what difference the ring guage makes! I just smoked a Padron Londres (42 x 5 1/2" - thanks for the split Will) yesterday and enjoyed it every bit as much as any other Padron I've ever smoked. I never give the guage much thought and never do. I can't see how it could possibly matter.

snip...

Well, imo, it does matter. Search around, and you'll find discussions of wrapper/binder/filler ratio's as it relates to ring guage, etc.....in a nutshell, in my experience, the smaller ring guages provide more intense elements of flavor. For me, one very good example of this is the Ashton VSG.....to my palate, the flavor "intensity" of this line varies significantly across the different vitolas. But, taste is subjective ya know.

[craig]

I taste chocolate in VSG's ;-)

[CptnBlues63]

Well, imo, it does matter. Search around, and you'll find discussions of wrapper/binder/filler ratio's as it relates to ring guage, etc.....in a nutshell, in my experience, the smaller ring guages provide more intense elements of flavor. For me, one very good example of this is the Ashton VSG.....to my palate, the flavor "intensity" of this line varies significantly across the different vitolas. But, taste is subjective ya know.

I'll have to do some taste testing I guess. I'd never really considered it before but it seems logical that even using the exact same tobacco, a larger cigar will have more and that would change the taste. Darn, now I have to go smoke some more cigars............

[Old Spice]

I wanted to bump this thread to ask about some of the smaller Padron's in particular the Corticos and Panetela vitolas. I'm looking towards smaller vitolas to accommodate my friends who are a tad shy of smoking a larger cigar. I was wondering what some your experiences with them might be. They haven't been mentioned much on the forums, though I have seen the Corticos recommend before.

[ashauler]

I like them both. I would lean towards the cortico for a "newer" smoker rather than the longer panatela.

[ggiese]

Actually - the Corona (42-45 RG) or Lonsdale (42-44 RG) which are (both not much bigger than the 34-38 RG Panatela) vitola's have historically been the favored Cuban cigars. The US market is what has largely influenced the emergence of Robusto and other similar "Gigante" vitolas.

I'm with others - one of my preferred smokes is the Lancero (roughly the same ring gauge, but a bit longer). My favorite's are the Trinidad Fundadore's and Opus X Petit Lancero's.

[kingbeefy]

I may be reading too much into this but I understand the best leaf is used for the wrapper, with that being the case it would make sense that having a higher wrapper to filler ratio like you have with the thinner rings would make for an all around better cigar.

Regardless whether that's true or not I have found that I like the smaller rings. If nothing else they are just a more comfortable smoke in my opinion.

[Devil Doc]

I may be reading too much into this but I understand the best leaf is used for the wrapper, with that being the case it would make sense that having a higher wrapper to filler ratio like you have with the thinner rings would make for an all around better cigar.

Regardless whether that's true or not I have found that I like the smaller rings. If nothing else they are just a more comfortable smoke in my opinion.

Not a better cigar, but one where you would certainly taste the wrapper more. I'm a lancero fan, myself. Padron makes an excellent panatella in the x000 series.

Doc

[steffanan]

I'm 19 so the dumb kids I'm surrounded with occasionally hear I'm into smoking cigars, and they say one of two things. "so you like swishers and stuff"? And "do you have any huge ones like on tv"? I get pretty annoyed by these people. I sometimes will be fixing a burn problem, and ill light the wrapper of a tunneling cigar. Usually, if the next few puffs taste better, as so much wrapper is burning at once, I try to buy a smaller ring gauge next time for the smaller amount of filler. I might be crazy, but its eggar I do anyway.

[Sumatra Samurai]

While every cigar is different and each one seems to have its own ring gauge/length sweet spot, I generally only like the small ring gauges (40s) with no longer than a 5" stick because they seem to have burn/draw issues.

[Old Spice]

Thanks for the recommendations guys, it took some shopping around but I was able to find some corticos and lanceros in the brands I wanted.