Favorite ring gauge/cigar size?

[idbowman]

what about a range? any combo of 5"-8" and 48-60 ring.

Yep...pretty much the same. Probably more in the 48-54 range, though.

 

[Dutch]

A larger ring gauge smokes much cooler

Honest question: why is that? I'm a very occasional cigar smoker, so I've never been (and will never be) able to make even an anecdotal comparison. But shouldn't a larger burning surface area produce more heat, all other factors being equal?

Doc, the larger ring gauges have a more open draw, and consequently the smoke is much cooler.

It's much easier to ruin a small cigar by smoking it too fast, leaving the last third of the stick very bitter. It is usually much easier to "nub" the larger ring gauges.

As with pipe tobacco, the less heat involved, the better the chance to taste the transitions in the tobacco as you smoke it.

 

[szyzk]

what about a range? any combo of 5"-8" and 48-60 ring.

Typically 4-7" and anywhere from 40 to 46. 'Though, as I've said before, I'll make exceptions on the RG (Tatuaje Face, Opus Double Corona and Opus Power Ranger).

 

[Behike54]

A larger ring gauge smokes much cooler

Honest question: why is that? I'm a very occasional cigar smoker, so I've never been (and will never be) able to make even an anecdotal comparison. But shouldn't a larger burning surface area produce more heat, all other factors being equal?

Doc, the larger ring gauges have a more open draw, and consequently the smoke is much cooler.

It's much easier to ruin a small cigar by smoking it too fast, leaving the last third of the stick very bitter. It is usually much easier to "nub" the larger ring gauges.

As with pipe tobacco, the less heat involved, the better the chance to taste the transitions in the tobacco as you smoke it.

I have to respectfully disagree wit your first two points. Any size cigar can be plugged or have a tight draw and as far as getting too hot, ever smoke a Liga Privada Flying Pig? The absolute KEY to enjoying that cigar is not over-puffing.

One develops a feel for these things the longer one smokes. Every vitola/brand combo is different.

I am agreement about heat and flavor. I see guys torching their cigars like they are welders and I just see a cigar circling the drain. Terrible.

 

[szyzk]

I am agreement about heat and flavor. I see guys torching their cigars like they are welders and I just see a cigar circling the drain. Terrible.

You have no idea how many people come into the cigar shop, light up a toro, and nub it 45 minutes later. I have no idea how they're tasting anything other than "burnt". A 5x42 usually takes me about 60-70 minutes to smoke!

 

[ZeroContent]

The absolute KEY to enjoying that cigar is not over-puffing.

:cheers:

Definitely huge difference between the rhythm of pipe smoking and cigar smoking. Pipe smokers smoke cigars too fast (and slobber all over them) and cigar smokers smoke pipes too slow.

 

[LIPIPE]

Nail smokers are used to quick fixes. The key to pipe and cigar smoking is to do it slowly. You cannot relax fast. A good pipe or cigar requires dedicated hours not a few minutes. When I light a Partagas I'm relaxing for at least five hours. My oom paul pipes loaded with Penzance require two hours to clench from char to dump. I suspect that being a more "mature" gentleman who has "available" retirement time equals a slow smoker. At my point in life every day is a day off, a vacation day, chores get accomplished when I get around to them and my pipe or a cigar get undivided attention. I smoke them both slowly and with reverence.

P.S. You may note that I've changed avatars. I've taken my hand off my largest billiard bowl so you can visualize how long a Penzance smoke might last.

 

[SailorJack]

5"-6" 52-54 RG

 

[user 2031]

*

 

[Hunter5117]

I will breath some life into this thread. I have always gravitated to torps/belicosos which are most often 6 x 52 or there about. I like the larger cigar for flavor and smoking characteristics, but can clip the head at whatever ring size suits me. Favorite wrapper is cameroon. Lately I have been almost exclusively smoking H. Upmann vintage cammy torps, which happily were on sale all during the holiday season so I loaded up on about 15 boxes of them.

 

[LIPIPE]

My cigar is always a Partagas Black Label Magnifico. It is 6 inches long with a 54 ring gauge and it is wrapped in delicious dark oily oscuro leaf. I buy my cigars a box at a time and when I light one I am "occupied" for the entire day. Needless to say I'm drinking a cold Heineken along the way.

 

[Zanaspus]

Anything with a ring of <50 works for me. Really limits the choices for NCs. :no:

 

[sam a]

A larger ring gauge smokes much cooler

Honest question: why is that? I'm a very occasional cigar smoker, so I've never been (and will never be) able to make even an anecdotal comparison. But shouldn't a larger burning surface area produce more heat, all other factors being equal?

with a thinner RG the pressure created from suction is greater than it would be with a larger RG. alot like using a smaller nozzle on a hose will give you more pressure. that said... i personally prefer small ring gauges, just draw more gently and there is no problem. actually i'd argue that smoking a thin RG slowly offers much more flavorful and complex smoke than large RG cigars can, because large RG cigars use a higher percentage of volado to keep them burning well.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

I've smoked several Illusione Holy Lance lanceros and a Cuban El Rey Del Mundo corona as well as a Cuban Flor de Raphael Gonzalez corona. The Illusione's flavor was sophisticated and savory while the ERdM exploded with flavors. I only had one; it would take me a half dozen of them to learn how to control that explosion by sorting the flavors. The RG was exactly what my stereotyped Cuban expectations dictated: sophisticated, complex flavors that present as a unit, medium. Loved loved loved it!

 

[sam a]

I've smoked several Illusione Holy Lance lanceros and a Cuban El Rey Del Mundo corona as well as a Cuban Flor de Raphael Gonzalez corona. The Illusione's flavor was sophisticated and savory while the ERdM exploded with flavors. I only had one; it would take me a half dozen of them to learn how to control that explosion by sorting the flavors. The RG was exactly what my stereotyped Cuban expectations dictated: sophisticated, complex flavors that present as a unit, medium. Loved loved loved it!

you like ERdM and RG do ya? i think they are seriously underrated marcas... two of my favorites. PM me your address, i've got a few cigars i think you'll enjoy, and i'd love to get your take on them.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

pm sent