So what happened to it?!

[Rooster]

Have to work today, not unusual for refinery workers......
Grabbed a fav from the 'dor on my out for the 1 hr drive in... LFD Coronado 60 ring, afterall, it is a special day.

Used a scissor cutter on the cap, the toast was o.k., but the first draws were bland, lacking normal flavor, not bitter, just old tasting. Unusual for this stick. Within mintues I noticed swelling from the lit foot back, so much that the wrapper was cracking like a quake zone. This continued just ahead of the lit area as far as an inch or so throughout the smoke. The draw was very easy but difficult to pull the smoke through from the cracking. Next the ash was very light, flakey, uneven. Ash would not/could not build. It was awful. I maintained my composure and struggled through the first half but it was really a mess. If this had been my first LFD Coronado, it would have never become a fav of mine. It's been in my humi @ 68-72%/ 70-74degrees for several weeks in the cello wrap.
I have saved the corpse and will determine disposition following investigation.



Was this a miss manage on my part, a terrorist stokie attack or just a fluke from a novice roller?

[Darwin]

It sounds like it got over dry at some point and cracked the binder and wrapper. That would explain most of those symptoms.

[armod]

how cold was it when you lit it?

I heard if it's particularly cold it dries out the cigar leaving you with a smoke like you just described or with flames the size of your head burning just inches from your nose.

[Rooster]

Above 65*F since I took possession several weeks ago.... before that I couldn't tell you. I think the damage was done before I received it and may just be the fluke freak in the bunch. Will try another in a few days if my therapist approves.

[CRider]

My vote is it was just a random bad stick...happens to the best of em from time to time I guess.

[Rooster]

Originally Posted by CRider

My vote is it was just a random bad stick...happens to the best of em from time to time I guess.

Which brings me to this whine/gripe/complaint....
cigars fall into a particular area of consumer use where the consumer is pretty much stuck w/ whatever they get and we seem to accept this for some reason. Sorry to be the voice of discontent, but what other products do you buy where you are expected to walk away from $5-10 (any possibly much more) per unit losses each time you encounter a product piece that is not up to the claims of the manufacturer or the industry standards or claims. Essentially there's not much in the way to stop larger retailers, particularly online, from dumping a questionable batch of wares on an unsuspecting consumer. Food for thought during these economic times.