subject: When To Ash A Cigar To Achieve The Best Smoke [print this page] When smoking a cigarette, the quality and flavor of your smoke will not depend so much on when you ash it. Unlike cigarettes, higher-quality cigar tobacco burns best at a lower temperature. Maintaining an even burn and the best flavor depends on keeping your cigar at a lower temperature, which can be achieved by ashing your cigar at the right time.
What does the length of the ash have to do with the temperature of a lit cigar? In order for a cigar ember to remain lit, it requires fuel, heat and oxygen. The tobacco and a lighter serve as the fuel and heat sources. Oxygen allows the cigar to be lit, and a greater amount of oxygen will reach the embers when you draw in air through the cigar. A longer ash serves as a barrier that will decrease the amount of oxygen that you are able to draw into the cigar thus reducing how high the temperature of your smoke is able to rise.
How long should I wait to ash my cigar? The answer to this question depends on the cigar you are smoking. Some cigars will burn hotter than others and will, therefore, require a longer ash in order to maintain a lower temperature. It will be up to you to experiment with your cigars in order to achieve the best flavor. Keep in mind that the first few draws on your cigar right after lighting it will be at a point when the embers are the hottest. Once ash builds up a bit, the temperature will be reduced, and you will then be able to experiment with the flavor of your cigar in comparison with the length of the ash.
Another consideration when ashing your cigar will be based on etiquette. Waiting too long to ash will inevitably lead to ash spilling on your clothes, furniture, the carpet, or anywhere else besides the ashtray.
The time to ash should be after the ash has developed enough that it won't pull off the cherry of the cigar along with it and before it becomes so long that it falls off in the wrong places causing damage to furniture or your clothing. With a little bit of practice, you will learn to ash at the most opportune times so that you can achieve the best smoke. Soon enough, ashing your cigar will become second nature so that you can simply enjoy your smoking experience.
