Tar in cigars

[alfbacca]

So I picked up two La Riqueza's No. 2, and they looked so good plus the weather was nice, I decided to light one up. A little bit into the second half of the cigar, it started plugging up. I massaged the tip a bit and noticed a little bit of tar oozing out.

Is tar something that happens normally or is it rare? Anything I can do to avoid it? Those La Riqueza's are amazing and I'm considering a box, but tar might be something that draws me away from them. I've never experienced tar but would like to know more. Thanks.

 

[Moro]

Wait until ye try and suck it out...ye'll see how the tar explodes!

Here's how to purge a cigar:

After about 1/2 way into the smoke if the tar appeared early, or until it gets bitter due to tar build up (ash it then), put the cigar foot near yer lighter flame (1/2" distance should do) and gently blow through the stick. Now, watch a flame leap out of the cigar. Rotate the cigar while still blowing through it, until the flame dies. This way ye just got rid of the tar.

 

[Moro]

By the way, that's when ye got one really screwed up. If not just blow until ye see the entire foot lit.

 

[architeuthis]

Squid® experiences a bit of tar in a cigar about once per year, no more... I find it to be pretty rare; although most of what I smoke has been aging for a year or more...

 

[Headbanger]

Most of my sticks rarely get tar build up. I purge once or twice per stick about 1/3 and again 2/3 though. Once the stick cools down they smoke much better.

The La Riqueza might have been too moist or too fresh. Aging sticks helps for sure.

I also heard the higher ligero (full strength sticks) can build up tar more often.

 

[alfbacca]

Yeah I make sure to purge a couple of times, but I was smoking faster than usual so maybe that could be part of it. Either way I enjoyed the cigar enough to consider some more. Good times.

 

[Zen Cigar Man]

Tar is the Devil. Nothing ruins a cigar (and cigars for the rest of the day) quicker than tar. As soon as it gets on my tongue, my palate is totally tainted (weird sentence there). I agree with others on moisture and ligero. Certain cigars seem to be more inclined to do it than others. Opus are one. I had a 10 year old Opus A that was humidifed correclty tar on me in the first few minutes. Usually you can clip the head back some more and you are good to go. the trick is to get it before it gets you!

 

[Soundwave13]

After reading this, wouldn't ya know - I had a Holy Lance I had been resting for about 6 months & decided to light last night...

Half way through - I noticed the tar. I clipped it, clipped it some more, purged & relit... It kept coming... I stubbornly held on, avoiding the 'necter' till about 1-1/2 inches left before finally having to ditch it.

Cryin shame when it is just a distraction, but more so when it ruins the last bits of an otherwise consistant & fantastic cigar.

 

[smokinghole]

I have yet, luckily, to get noticeable build up at the head. I may get it slightly but I find that when I smoke I regularly blow through the cigar I just don't use a lighter. Sometimes on certain cigars I have noticed that I will have ash "droplets" form which I assume are tar that burned up thanks to my tactics. I'm obsessive about keeping my cherry as flat as possible and blowing through the cigar I found has helped me regulate the burn. This way it stays nice and cool.