The term "finish" applies to cigars very similarly as it applies to wines. In the case of cigars, it refers to how long the taste or flavor lasts on the palate after a draw or puff. Mild cigars usually have a short finish with little taste lingering while a medium to full body smoke will usually have a long finish, the taste lasting well after the puff has ended. The long finish will give the smoker a steady, stable flavor on the palate as the finish carries through from one draw to the next. The short finish tends to peak and valley during the smoke. A short finish, by no means, makes a cigar a bad smoke. It's just one of the complex characteristics of a cigar.
The term "finish" is also used by some experts to describe the last 1/3 of a cigar. The flavor of most cigars change somewhat as they are smoked. Many cigar enthusiasts enjoy the last third or so of the cigar the most as flavors intensify. Some cigars are terrible as they reach the end. So, the last third of the cigar is sometimes rated and described separately from the rest of the smoke and is termed the "finish". In this case, though, the finish is described by flavor instead of long and short. Hope this helps answer your question.
Mike
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