Bad Padilla Obsidian ?

[bigjoe]

I had just finished a Padilla Obsidian that I recievied in the CI 8 bundle pack. I got the pack about 3-4 months ago and let the sticks marinate in my humi. I tried the El Mejor Emerald with the shaggy foot a few days ago. Great stick, delicious, no problem, good burn, ect...

I decided to try the Padilla Obsidian.

First, inspection - looked good, no visible imperfections, firm, not dry and felt good in the hand and it had almost a slight dark maroon wine color to it. moisture content looked and felt good. After all, it did spend almost 4 months in the humidor.
I clipped the stick with my cutter and clipped it just right, only slightly below the cap to allow a good flow and no unraveling. I did a pre-light draw. It was very tight. Felt like I was trying to draw sap through an oak log. I figured it 'is' a top rated stick, it has to be decent, it will flow better once i light up. I am usually an Ashton Maduro flavor kind of smoker. Mild-medium with occasional med-full sticks, so knowing this is a full, I expected a heavy taste.

I lit it up and was drawing so hard I my lips were turning purple. I looked at the end and thought, ok, maybe some debris or big chunck of tobacco or something got knotted up in the stick. No. In fact the stick smoked this way through 2/3rds of it until I tossed it. I couldnt handle the draw anymore. The flavor was very heavy and about 1/2 way through I started to get a headache from it. Not sure if that was from the stick or drawing so hard.

Overall it was not a good experience. Has anyone experienced anything like this ? any ideas on a possibly cause for such a heavy draw when all else looked ok ?

[PerpetualNoob]

When I look at all the variables between the seed going in the ground and the cigar meeting the end of my lighter, I'm actually amazed there's any consistency at all. It's pretty miraculous.

Sometimes, you can smoke your way past a blockage, sometimes it's too close to the head. Other times, the heat and moisture will loosen one up as it goes along, or it can tighten up a good draw. Sometimes you can very gently finger-roll them and get them to open up, but there's a good chance of damaging the wrappers. If they're really stubborn, I have a little poker thing that I'll jam into it, and even that doesn't always work. Sometimes you just get a bad stick. Give it a chance, work with it a little, and if it just refuses to come around, pitch it and try another one.

[bobarian]

Four months is about the minimum for the Obsidian's. Try dryboxing the next one for about a week before smoking. Sounds like they might need more rest, these are unsmokably wet for the first few months.

[Emjaysmash]

Ive had the same problem with them. And it takes a lighter-full of fluid to keep her in check with such a thick wrapper. I had 2 and ended up giving the others away. Ok flavor, but not worth the effort.

[MrMayorga]

Originally Posted by Emjaysmash

Ive had the same problem with them. And it takes a lighter-full of fluid to keep her in check with such a thick wrapper. I had 2 and ended up giving the others away. Ok flavor, but not worth the effort.

X 2

They are definitely on my do not buy again list.

[uvacom]

I had the same problem myself with some, such that I RMA'd the remaining sticks I had to CI. Of course, they just sent me more obsidians, which I have yet to smoke. I am hoping time will set them straight.

[sonic_mike]

I smoked one @ Bobarian's house not to long ago that had a a little more then a year on it and it was phenomenal.I would recommend you guys give it another chance but age it this time.

[krisko]

Originally Posted by sonic_mike

I smoked one @ Bobarian's house not to long ago that had a a little more then a year on it and it was phenomenal.I would recommend you guys give it another chance but age it this time.

Life is too short to have to sit on a cigar for 4 months before even looking at it. (Of course I say this with over 1000 CCs tucked away)

There are too many other $3 cigars that are pretty good right now.

[orca99usa]

Life is too short to have to sit on a cigar for 4 months before even looking at it.

Amen, brother. Aging a cigar is the manufacturer's responsibility, not mine. If a stick has to age for months after I buy it, I won't be buying any.

[ksibew]

Originally Posted by bobarian

Four months is about the minimum for the Obsidian's. Try dryboxing the next one for about a week before smoking. Sounds like they might need more rest, these are unsmokably wet for the first few months.

He is right on the money! They have to rest a long time.

[Cigary]

Ditto that these need age. After about a year they are a very good cigar.

[PerpetualNoob]

Just won a bundle of these from c-bid. I guess I'll have to resist the temptation to smoke them right away, and let them rest in the cooler for a good long while. I'll probably still have one OTT, just because.

[pizzaboy089]

Smoking my first one right now and think it's great. Only has a week on it from CI.

[pimp3leet]

I had one a couple nights ago and I must say it was a pretty good smoke for resting for a couple weeks.
The flavor really exploded after the first 3rd and it kept producing a very nice quantity of smoke and the taste was slowly growing through the rest of the stick.

I've got a few more in the humi and I'm gonna give those a couple months before I light up another one.

[Glacierman]

Ahh, you get a plugged cigar every now and then. Sometimes you can clip off the plugged part. If not, chuck it and grab another'n.