Cigar gave me a sore throat?

[DanLW]

Has this ever happened to any of you?

Last night I lit up a CAO Gold Churchill. The first third was good - medium body, woody flavor. But almost halfway through, the flavor turned weird. The way I described it at the time was soapy, chemically. About the same time, I felt my throat tighten a little. The way my throat tighened, it felt like it feels if I'm having allergies, but without the sneezing, runny nose, etc. I kept on going trying to see if it would come back, but about 2/3 of the way in I ended it with no improvement to the flavor. I decided to unroll what was left to see if there was anything strange inside. I did see a couple small gold colored flecks on one of the filler leaves. Also, there was a thicker stem inside. I broke it in half and it was dry all the way through.

The cigar was in my humidor for about a month. The humidity is about 67% as told by my calibrated digtal hygrometer. Temperature about 75. None of the other cigars I've had in the humidor have done this.

Today my throat still feels a little funny, but it's going away. Anybody ever had a reaction like this to a cigar? I sure hope the other three I have don't do the same thing...

 

[javajunkie]

i have had some hit me like that, and usually the storage conditions are the culprit. if you are sure of your stash's condition, try this: buy another one from a B&M (assuming one is handy), and smoke immediately. stores frequently run higher RH, and that smoke may just need more wet. or you could have gotten a bum stick, it happens. OR, CAO gold just may not sit well with you, which happens as wel.

good luck, and let us know!

 

[DanLW]

I have had a CAO Gold before and didn't notice this. I'm thinking I somehow got a bum stick. Hopefully the whole batch isn't like this as I have three others. Maybe some of the leaves came in contact with something weird.

 

[pbibby]

Like Java said, I think it could be that maybe you got a bum stick. Sometimes weird things happen when you smoke a cigar. After all, we are lighting up dead leaves and smoking them!!

 

[danthebugman]

The only time I've gotten a sore throat is when I smoke a lot in a day (4+). Take it easy for a few days and try another one. If the same thing happens maybe there's something going on with 'em :dunno:, but I think it's more likely it was either a bum stick or this one just rubbed you the wrong way.

Dan

 

[greytowhite]

That particular cigar had too much ammonia in the tobacco or ammonia was evaporating from it and it was in its "sick" phase at the time you smoked it. Ammonia can be a weak base or a weak acid and if the PH balance in a concentrated spot hitting your mouth goes bad sores can definitely develop. Ammonia is also what usually causes headache and nausea from a cigar as well. You may want to let the stick sit longer if the RH at the shop is that different from your home setup. A good practice if you encounter this sort of flavor again is to try slowing your smoking down to approximately one puff per minute or purging your cigar.

I would not worry about the thick stem, these are often used by rollers along with volado leaves to insure proper burn and structure to the cigar. I have smoked a cigar mainly made of stems in place of ligero and volado in the filler. Bound stems and a wrapper rolled right in front of me. I would not have believed it could taste good but my friend proved me wrong quickly. His words are, "Every part of the leaf has a purpose." The stems also make good swizzle sticks to stir some sugar into espresso and then chew on after the coffee is gone.

Slower smoking allows the oleoresins to stay closer to the cherry of your cigar and not be drawn through the construction to form concentrated spots. Purging pushes these oleoresins through the cherry to be burned and hopefully "reset" your cigar closer to a first third flavor profile. To purge your cigar I recommend that you first ash it to expose the cherry to oxygen. Next, instead of taking a puff, blow through your cigar in a long, slow, and preferably even pressured manner. You may notice a mirage effect in front of your stogie, this is normal, gases are coming out. If you hold a lighter in front of the cigar whilst purging you may notice flames. A good way to tell if you have purged your cigar fully is to light the exhaust from the cherry and continue to blow through your cigar until the flame changes color. I'm color blind so don't ask me WHAT color it is, I just know it changes. In the case of a bum stick purging may or may not make a difference in your smoke.

Partially purging a cigar is also a good way to leave your cigar ready if you have to set it down for up to 5 minutes. The pushed oleoresins allow the cherry to burn hotter for a short time and then the increased local fuel allows it to burn longer. My friend who taught me this will regularly leave a cigar for 5 minutes at a time and come back to it only having to puff a few times to restart his enjoyment.

EDIT: P.S.: If your mouth is sore try drinking green tea or if you can stand the flavor, yerba mate. The acidic nature of the two as well as antioxidants and increased blood flow in your mouth will accelerate healing. You may notice peeling of the inside of your mouth near the sore, that is normal.

 

[ciggy]

EDIT: P.S.: If your mouth is sore try drinking green tea or if you can stand the flavor, yerba mate. The acidic nature of the two as well as antioxidants and increased blood flow in your mouth will accelerate healing. You may notice peeling of the inside of your mouth near the sore, that is normal.

Good advice...Thanks.

 

[CasualStogie]

Wow, I have never heard it explained that way. You could really be on to something there. I've been smoking for about two years now and I have had an episode of this twice. Check the link, if you dare.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mucous_cyst_of_the_oral_mucosa

I believe I've taken care of it now, but the acidity thing really makes sense. And I have experienced the sore throat as well- especially from sticks that don't smoke particularly well, or when I was smoking in poor conditions and puffing a lot to try and keep a stick lit (lots of wind, etc.).

 

[gunch]

I haven't had a problem with a sore throat. I don't inhale, but when I have by accident, I have had sore throat issues. I don't think it was your cigar caused the sore throat, but the inhaling you may have done.