Why aint my ash white?

**TheVitaleMob** · 08-09-2005, 03:19 AM

Whenever I smoke a cigar, the ash is NEVER white. It ranges from "salt and pepper" to fairly black. Are my smokes just too hot or is there another problem? This has happened to me on my Torano Signature, Cusano Corojo, AVO No. 2, Kahlua, CAO Eileen's Dream, and Hoyo Maduros.

**Roham** · 08-09-2005, 03:54 AM

I don't think color makes a differance, and I heard it all depends on the contents of the soil it was grown in.

**MMAB** · 08-09-2005, 04:14 AM

Yep...he's right.

Ash color has no bearing on cigar quality.

If I remember correctly it's magnesium, calcium and phosphorus in the soil that affects ash color.

**stjohnroe** · 08-09-2005, 04:37 AM

All my cigars have grey and black ash, generally that is the way with cubans. I've even heard that pure white ash is a good way to spot a fake!

**Jonsey5484** · 08-09-2005, 08:27 AM

Yeah, I would be more concerned with how long the ash will hang on. I don't think that the color makes that big of a difference. I smoked a Padron 2000 Maduro last night and the ash hung on for about 2" into the smoke! It was one of the best cigars I have had.

**stjohnroe** · 08-09-2005, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Jonsey5484

Yeah, I would be more concerned with how long the ash will hang on. I don't think that the color makes that big of a difference. I smoked a Padron 2000 Maduro last night and the ash hung on for about 2" into the smoke! It was one of the best cigars I have had.

On the subject of long ash, there is an interesting story about how Winston Churchill used to distract people in meetings:

Originally Posted by http://www.cigarsclub.co.uk/romeo-y-julieta.htm

British lore claims that when Prime Minister Churchill would meet with foreign heads of state, he would insert a straightened paperclip through the length of his cigar. As his cigar ash would grow longer and longer but not fall, it is said that Churchill would unnerve his often-hostile guests, allowing him to gain an upper hand during delicate negotiations

Not that I'd try it, especially with those plastic coated clips you get nowadays

**Jonsey5484** · 08-09-2005, 09:01 AM

That is really funny. Yeah who know what is in a paperclip that smoking with it would probably give you some rare disease.

**Chè** · 08-09-2005, 11:10 AM

Some believe the soil contents is the cause of the color of the ash. It is also my understanding that magnesium does turn white when burned... but that is in a lab under very intense heat... the kind of heat you couldn't continusously generate at the tip of a cigar.

As hard as it may be to believe, the Cubans are forced to use magnesium and the other soil enhancing components just as the Dominican Republican. If not, don't you think the Domincan Republic would have long been trying to strip magnesium from the soil in an effort to produce tobacco on par with the Cubans?

I believe in the other theory, which is ash that burns white is simply more combustible (aged longer or is more broken down & stripped of impurities that resist burning) – than a darker burning ash. Very old Cuban cigars tend to burn much whiter than more recent production.

**Kenyth** · 08-09-2005, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by stjohnroe

On the subject of long ash, there is an interesting story about how Winston Churchill used to distract people in meetings:

Not that I'd try it, especially with those plastic coated clips you get nowadays

Nothing like poking your full length into a fine bit of cuban ash!

**cigar no baka** · 08-09-2005, 12:42 PM

Ahh, where are leaders like Winston Churchill when we need them???

**MMAB** · 08-09-2005, 04:19 PM

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/tobacco.html

http://www.smokemag.com/0604/feature.htm

**stjohnroe** · 08-09-2005, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by Kenyth

Nothing like poking your full length into a fine bit of cuban ash!

I wish to say that I have no idea what you are talking about. Or were you looking for the word bush?

**stjohnroe** · 08-09-2005, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by MMAB

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/tobacco.html

http://www.smokemag.com/0604/feature.htm

I'll take that as backing up my Cuban grey ash argument then?

**hevyboy** · 08-09-2005, 04:26 PM

Maybe your mom and dad's ass wasn't white.
Oh, you said ash.
Sorry guys that was just too easy.

**8-5-8** · 08-09-2005, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by cigar no baka

Ahh, where are leaders like Winston Churchill when we need them???

Errr... Dead?

**MMAB** · 08-09-2005, 08:11 PM

Well, yes!

It appears that a varied gray is more desireable BUT it still is not indicative of a good cigar, i.e. a good cigar could have a white ash. But it also means that CUBAN cigars should not have a white ash!

And this also shows that the presence of various minerals in the soil DOES affect the color of a cigar's ash.

Well, at least according to those web sites!

**cigar no baka** · 08-09-2005, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by 8-5-8

Errr... Dead?

Ya, they all seem to be dead, no one is willing to take charge, make tough decisions and stand up for what is right.

**Chè** · 08-10-2005, 09:13 AM

Matter of personal opinion but I find the Cuban ash absent minerals etc being the reason for gray ash false. Honestly I believe non Cuban ash is whiter because the tobacco is "cooked", whereas Cuban tobacco is not. Artificial heating sources are used to accelerate fermentation. This more extreem fermentation process removes more impurities making the tobacco burn more complete (to a white ash).

If you have a Weber filled with charcoal and a portion of the coals burn to white ash, but some portions remain darker, perhaps even black... do you figure the white ash burned more completely or do you believe the brickets that burned all the way to white ash had a higher magnesium count?