What about the ash?

[suretolose]

I would be interested to here thoughts on the ash. I have heard all sorts of stories about color, flake, and length as it relates to strength and quality. Does anybody have any firm held beliefs on the subject?

[rudeJARHEAD]

My only firm held belief concerning the ash is; if you are about to tap your ash off in the ashtray murphy's law says that it will fall in your lap and shirt prior to reaching the proper receptacale.

[K Baz]

Originally Posted by rudeJARHEAD

My only firm held belief concerning the ash is; if you are about to tap your ash off in the ashtray murphy's law says that it will fall in your lap and shirt prior to reaching the proper receptacale.

Agreed about the time I think I should ash soon it falls usually down the front of my shirt.

I have heard lots the colour can indicate age of the cigar - some say they can tell the providence of the tobacco from ash colour i.e. cuban is such and such a colour.

Personally I have no thoughts on it in my world all ash is good ash.

[mrreindeer]

Originally Posted by rudeJARHEAD

My only firm held belief concerning the ash is; if you are about to tap your ash off in the ashtray murphy's law says that it will fall in your lap and shirt prior to reaching the proper receptacale.

If it does, don't rub it off, just stand up and shake it off.

Originally Posted by K Baz

Personally I have no thoughts on it in my world all ash is good ash.

I've heard the whiter the ash, the BETTER a cigar but who knows. I'm not terribly concerned about the ash as long as I'm enjoying the flavor of the cigar and it's burning evenly.

[madurolover]

Originally Posted by mrreindeer

I've heard the whiter the ash, the BETTER a cigar but who knows.

Most of the Cuban cigars I have smoked have a very dark ash, sometimes almost black.

Ash has more to do with the chemicals and minerals in the soil the plant is gown in than anything. I have had great cigars with almost black ash and great cigars with white ash.

Sometimes an ash is just an ash.

[FNA]

Color of ash is a function of chemical composition in the leaf which largely is determined by composition of the soil. You are what you eat.

I'm not sure off the top of my head, but I think it is potassium that contributes to white ash. Certain regions will have a higher concentration of this (or other chemical component) than others.

[ToJo]

I try not to believe the hype about ash color relating to quality but one thing I've learned from experience is to ash when the ash length is 1.5X the diameter of the cigar. This is always a safe bet for me. Sometimes I like to let an ash go for as long as possible to see how long it will get, but really, this is an unimportant statistic as all cigars that I smoke are of sufficient quality to hang a long ash. Even some machine rolled cigars will hold an ash past the 1.5Xdia length.

[rudeJARHEAD]

Originally Posted by mrreindeer

If it does, don't rub it off, just stand up and shake it off.

I normaly do that, but often get the look like I am having some type of seizure when shaking it off.

[tx_tuff]

Originally Posted by rudeJARHEAD

I normaly do that, but often get the look like I am having some type of seizure when shaking it off.

Coming from a man who's step son has had 5 brain surgeries this year to try and stop his 40 plus seizures a day, that shit isn't funny!

[tx_tuff]

Ash means nothing. Color has to do with soil like said above. I have had great cigars in range from white ash to dark gray ash, flaky ash to an ash that holds almost the whole length of cigar. So like what David said, an ash is just an ash.

[rudeJARHEAD]

Originally Posted by tx_tuff

Coming from a man who's step son has had 5 brain surgeries this year to try and stop his 40 plus seizures a day, that shit isn't funny!

Frank,
no offense intended.

[DBCcigar]

Originally Posted by madurolover

Most of the Cuban cigars I have smoked have a very dark ash, sometimes almost black.

Ash has more to do with the chemicals and minerals in the soil the plant is gown in than anything. I have had great cigars with almost black ash and great cigars with white ash.

Sometimes an ash is just an ash.

In a nut shell....

[GlockG23]

Originally Posted by mrreindeer

If it does, don't rub it off, just stand up and shake it off.

(in my best Chinese accent) you funny funny man, Mr David

[Phantom57]

No real firm beliefs other than I don't think length etc of ash means much. Some think it indicates quality of construction to hold a long ash, but I don't. Color is dictated by mineral composition of the soil. Flaking, I think, is caused by a dryer cigar. Just my .2¢.

[defcon3]

I have heard that if the ash arcs downward it is indicative of a wrapper grown and/or produced below the equator and vice versa if it bends in an skyward direction...