Top three in your current rotation.

Alex Svenson

j0z3r:

Alex Svenson:

alienmisprint:

stephen_hannibal:

alienmisprint:

Alex Svenson:

...... San Lotano Habano

I've seen a few people mention these, what's the deal with them? I don't see them on the Ccom site and I haven't heard of them before.

AJs B&M (and ccom call in) only blend.

Ah. Thanks for the heads up, I know this is going against the grain here, but I'm not the biggest AJ fan. I think I might want to try that corona sampler though, depending on what all comes in it.

He has a pretty specific flavor and signature style to cigar making. I find that with so E other guys too. Some I like and some I dislike. Just one of those preference things. On thing I really dislike is cigar makers who make non descript stuff. Just plain Jane cigars.

On that note Alex...what are your thoughts on EP Carillo? To me he's one of those blenders who has a signature taste, and it happens to be one I quite enjoy. Curious what you think of what he's been releasing under his own brand.

I do like the EPC stuff and it is indeed very specific in terms of profile. It isn't one of my favorites but is a cigar I won't ever turn down. It has a nice balance. We just brought this brand in. Should be online in a few days.

fitzroy9

Jesus Fuego 777 Maduro
La Aroma de Cuba EE
Oliveros LTD

kuzi16

Russ55:

I like AJ blends, but the thing that keeps them out of my top ten is that I get a lot of draw issues. I'd estimate about 25% of the sticks I get from him are over-packed, either to the point where the draw is uncomfortable for me, or just plain unsmokeable. I love the way most of his blends taste, he's very talented, but I think his quality control needs a little improvement.

/Dons flame proof suit.

i know this statement wont help your issues very much but....


many times when a person has draw issues it is not so much because there is too much tobacco packed into the cigar but because there is a problem with the way that it is bunched. in the rolling process, the way the buncher holds the tobacco can effect the draw. they bunch in the palm of the hand using the thumb to hold the bunch as they add leaves. if there is too much pressure with the thumb or the thumb moves the leaves in a way they are not intending, you get draw issues. about 90% of all draw issues are caused by, and happen in the same area (near the head of the cigar about where the band is located) because of this.


...like i said, it doesnt help your situation but it is an explanation.
maybe over time this will go away. AJ's factory is still young and it takes time to really build up a team of good rollers.

personally, i have never had draw issues but i seem to be a lucky guy in the cigar world. out of the tons of cigars that i have smoked, a disproportionality small amount have had draw issues compared to other cigar smokers.
...win for me. and knock on wood...

Russ55

kuzi16:

Russ55:

I like AJ blends, but the thing that keeps them out of my top ten is that I get a lot of draw issues. I'd estimate about 25% of the sticks I get from him are over-packed, either to the point where the draw is uncomfortable for me, or just plain unsmokeable. I love the way most of his blends taste, he's very talented, but I think his quality control needs a little improvement.

/Dons flame proof suit.

i know this statement wont help your issues very much but....


many times when a person has draw issues it is not so much because there is too much tobacco packed into the cigar but because there is a problem with the way that it is bunched. in the rolling process, the way the buncher holds the tobacco can effect the draw. they bunch in the palm of the hand using the thumb to hold the bunch as they add leaves. if there is too much pressure with the thumb or the thumb moves the leaves in a way they are not intending, you get draw issues. about 90% of all draw issues are caused by, and happen in the same area (near the head of the cigar about where the band is located) because of this.


...like i said, it doesnt help your situation but it is an explanation.
maybe over time this will go away. AJ's factory is still young and it takes time to really build up a team of good rollers.

personally, i have never had draw issues but i seem to be a lucky guy in the cigar world. out of the tons of cigars that i have smoked, a disproportionality small amount have had draw issues compared to other cigar smokers.
...win for me. and knock on wood...

Interesting. Would this cause the cigar to be noticeably "harder", less give when you pinch it, than other properly bunched cigars? I ask because I can tell now which ones will give me issues because they are always hard as rocks.

Edit: I don't want to suggest that a hard cigar will always mean a tough draw, but want to know if an improperly bunched cigar will result in a hard cigar? Does that make sense?

Mperconte

Hawk55:

For me it is the: 1) Oliva Serie V Double Toro 2) Opus X Shark 3) GOF Carlito Double Robusto Tubo (2006)

Now that's a daily rotation...

clearlysuspect

I don't get it. I smoke AJ's cigars almost exclusively and I have never had a draw issue. The only cigar of his that I have tried and didn't care for are the La Cuna Bin 85's. Those were pretty bad.

xmacro

Alex Svenson:

I cant pick only three. In no particular order

Man O War Puro Authentico
Man O War Armada
Man O War Ruination
Diesel Unlimited
San Lotano Habano

I'd kill to get MOW Armada into my daily rotation :-O

xmacro

kuzi16:

Russ55:

I like AJ blends, but the thing that keeps them out of my top ten is that I get a lot of draw issues. I'd estimate about 25% of the sticks I get from him are over-packed, either to the point where the draw is uncomfortable for me, or just plain unsmokeable. I love the way most of his blends taste, he's very talented, but I think his quality control needs a little improvement.

/Dons flame proof suit.

i know this statement wont help your issues very much but....


many times when a person has draw issues it is not so much because there is too much tobacco packed into the cigar but because there is a problem with the way that it is bunched. in the rolling process, the way the buncher holds the tobacco can effect the draw. they bunch in the palm of the hand using the thumb to hold the bunch as they add leaves. if there is too much pressure with the thumb or the thumb moves the leaves in a way they are not intending, you get draw issues. about 90% of all draw issues are caused by, and happen in the same area (near the head of the cigar about where the band is located) because of this.


...like i said, it doesnt help your situation but it is an explanation.
maybe over time this will go away. AJ's factory is still young and it takes time to really build up a team of good rollers.

personally, i have never had draw issues but i seem to be a lucky guy in the cigar world. out of the tons of cigars that i have smoked, a disproportionality small amount have had draw issues compared to other cigar smokers.
...win for me. and knock on wood...

This actually explains a rather large mystery I've been having with my cigars. I'd say about half my cigars, from Diesel to RP's, smoke great for most of the stick, but when the cigar is burned down to where the band is, suddenly, I can't keep them lit unless I puff so often that the cigar turns bitter. It's been a total mystery why an entire cigar can be great, but have so many problems when it gets to the area underneath the band, and this explains it

kuzi16

Russ55:

kuzi16:

Russ55:

I like AJ blends, but the thing that keeps them out of my top ten is that I get a lot of draw issues. I'd estimate about 25% of the sticks I get from him are over-packed, either to the point where the draw is uncomfortable for me, or just plain unsmokeable. I love the way most of his blends taste, he's very talented, but I think his quality control needs a little improvement.

/Dons flame proof suit.

i know this statement wont help your issues very much but....


many times when a person has draw issues it is not so much because there is too much tobacco packed into the cigar but because there is a problem with the way that it is bunched. in the rolling process, the way the buncher holds the tobacco can effect the draw. they bunch in the palm of the hand using the thumb to hold the bunch as they add leaves. if there is too much pressure with the thumb or the thumb moves the leaves in a way they are not intending, you get draw issues. about 90% of all draw issues are caused by, and happen in the same area (near the head of the cigar about where the band is located) because of this.


...like i said, it doesnt help your situation but it is an explanation.
maybe over time this will go away. AJ's factory is still young and it takes time to really build up a team of good rollers.

personally, i have never had draw issues but i seem to be a lucky guy in the cigar world. out of the tons of cigars that i have smoked, a disproportionality small amount have had draw issues compared to other cigar smokers.
...win for me. and knock on wood...

Interesting. Would this cause the cigar to be noticeably "harder", less give when you pinch it, than other properly bunched cigars? I ask because I can tell now which ones will give me issues because they are always hard as rocks.

Edit: I don't want to suggest that a hard cigar will always mean a tough draw, but want to know if an improperly bunched cigar will result in a hard cigar? Does that make sense?

that does make sense.

in many of the quality control rooms of the cigar factories will train their people to look for plugs in cigars for the harder spots near the band. many cigars are very firm. but in a plugged cigar there is a change in the feel at the band area.


a side note that i forgot to mention before is that an over packed cigar may not have draw issues at all if it was still bunched correctly. what will happen is that the wrapper and the binder will crack and split when smoked no matter what the other conditions are. if they are way over packed they could split and crack over time.

Russ55

kuzi16:

Russ55:

kuzi16:

Russ55:

I like AJ blends, but the thing that keeps them out of my top ten is that I get a lot of draw issues. I'd estimate about 25% of the sticks I get from him are over-packed, either to the point where the draw is uncomfortable for me, or just plain unsmokeable. I love the way most of his blends taste, he's very talented, but I think his quality control needs a little improvement.

/Dons flame proof suit.

i know this statement wont help your issues very much but....


many times when a person has draw issues it is not so much because there is too much tobacco packed into the cigar but because there is a problem with the way that it is bunched. in the rolling process, the way the buncher holds the tobacco can effect the draw. they bunch in the palm of the hand using the thumb to hold the bunch as they add leaves. if there is too much pressure with the thumb or the thumb moves the leaves in a way they are not intending, you get draw issues. about 90% of all draw issues are caused by, and happen in the same area (near the head of the cigar about where the band is located) because of this.


...like i said, it doesnt help your situation but it is an explanation.
maybe over time this will go away. AJ's factory is still young and it takes time to really build up a team of good rollers.

personally, i have never had draw issues but i seem to be a lucky guy in the cigar world. out of the tons of cigars that i have smoked, a disproportionality small amount have had draw issues compared to other cigar smokers.
...win for me. and knock on wood...

Interesting. Would this cause the cigar to be noticeably "harder", less give when you pinch it, than other properly bunched cigars? I ask because I can tell now which ones will give me issues because they are always hard as rocks.

Edit: I don't want to suggest that a hard cigar will always mean a tough draw, but want to know if an improperly bunched cigar will result in a hard cigar? Does that make sense?

that does make sense.

in many of the quality control rooms of the cigar factories will train their people to look for plugs in cigars for the harder spots near the band. many cigars are very firm. but in a plugged cigar there is a change in the feel at the band area.


a side note that i forgot to mention before is that an over packed cigar may not have draw issues at all if it was still bunched correctly. what will happen is that the wrapper and the binder will crack and split when smoked no matter what the other conditions are. if they are way over packed they could split and crack over time.

I think you're right. After reading this I went and opened up my cooler, and started feeling the ones that I've segregated earlier. The hardness is definitely around the band. Occasionally it goes lower, but it almost always includes the band area on the half dozen I still have here.