length and ring size characteristics?

What are the general characteristics to smoking one size or an other?
For example, pick any brand and start with a small ring size, what will be the difference in the cigar compared to the same length only with a LARGER ring size.

Same thing with length. How does the experience change when you go from a long cigar to a short? Do the longer cigars smoke cooler, do the shorter ones get less bitter towards the end?

Just looking for generalizations here guys.

From my experience...

The smaller ring gauge cigars can tend to burn hotter, and the larger tend to burn cooler. It has been said that since the smaller ring gauge cigars contain less filler tobacco, the flavor of the wrapper is more prominent. I have heard that tasters often smoke smaller ring gauge cigars to get a feel for the complete blend of a cigar, and how the wrapper performs. Just a thought.

I feel that longer cigars can get more nicotene build up, and it has made a difference for me to purge after ashing a longer cigar...especially at the end.

Welcome to CS!

Harder to get your mouth around!!


I find that i get more smoke and flavour from a larger RG, also burn cooler and longer i find.

I agree with the above statement about flavour of filler and wrapper changing as RG increases, this seems to make sense but i have never really explored it myself.

Since you are just looking for generalizations ...

I really can't take issue with any of the observations offered so far. I might add that I seem to have more draw problems with the smaller rings. With certain cigars, the blenders also seem to be able to create more flavor in the larger ring sizes.

I have found some slight taste and heat differences been longer and shorter cigars of the same brand and approximate ring size. The shorter ones do seem to burn a little hotter and the flavor may be "in your face" a little sooner.

Just as a rough rule of thumb, larger ring gauge = slower, cooler burning, greater volume of smoke in each draw, and reduced influence of the wrapper (as compared to the filler) on the overall flavor.

No facts here, just my observation in the short time I have been smoking cigars.

To me a Robusto size cigar, short but with a large RG of 50 or more, is the best smoking size I have found. This size seems to smoke cooler and the taste and flavors come through more than with longer, smaller RG sizes.

I'm not saying that the Robusto is the only size I enjoy smoking, but in general it is the best.

Bill

Originally Posted by WBill

No facts here, just my observation in the short time I have been smoking cigars.

To me a Robusto size cigar, short but with a large RG of 50 or more, is the best smoking size I have found. This size seems to smoke cooler and the taste and flavors come through more than with longer, smaller RG sizes.

I'm not saying that the Robusto is the only size I enjoy smoking, but in general it is the best.

Bill

i feel the *same* way. robusto has always been my go-to choice, at least the majority of the time.

Originally Posted by cb25

i feel the *same* way. robusto has always been my go-to choice, at least the majority of the time.

Agreed as well! Actually my go to smoke is a 4.5 x 52, it is a quicker smoke, but that is all I usually have time for. Great flavor profile over other sizes.

Smaller rgs provide a substantially different flavor profile then larger rgs of the same line. As was said above, the wrapper is far more prominent. My preffered rg is in the upper 40s but in some lines, such as Punch, I enjoy the flavor of a smaller rg more. The smoke is hotter on shorter cigars and smaller rgs but I can't say that I have ever noticed a huge difference based on rg alone. Just my

Generally speaking I like smaller ring gauge cigars and find them to be much more flavorful. I started out as a die hard robusto smoker but hardly ever reach for them anymore.

Torps are my favorite when I have the time. They just smoke slower and are more flavorful IMHO..

But the PCs are great when you only have 45 minutes. Nothing like a Boli or a Monte #4 .

Originally Posted by D. Generate

Generally speaking I like smaller ring gauge cigars and find them to be much more flavorful. I started out as a die hard robusto smoker but hardly ever reach for them anymore.

I'm with D, I like smaller rg cigars as well, my favorites sizes are all variances from the corona (PC, Lonsdale, etc).

In the panetella and lonsdale vitolas, the wrapper can more clearly shine through, IMH. In the larger RGs, it's the filler that predominates.

Originally Posted by RPB67

But the PCs are great when you only have 45 minutes. Nothing like a Boli or a Monte #4 .

The majority of my smokes are this size (Short Story, PAM Principe, Partagas Short, Monte 4, RyJ PC, etc...).

Originally Posted by Col.

What are the general characteristics to smoking one size or an other?
For example, pick any brand and start with a small ring size, what will be the difference in the cigar compared to the same length only with a LARGER ring size.

Same thing with length. How does the experience change when you go from a long cigar to a short? Do the longer cigars smoke cooler, do the shorter ones get less bitter towards the end?

Just looking for generalizations here guys.

The tobacco mix is different for large RGs and small RGs (altho not the recipe if that makes sense??) In smaller RGs, more flavourless tobacco is used as it controls the burn well whilst in Big RGs, less needs to be used so more flavourful tobacco can be used, hence the bigger taste hit in big RGs. Big RGs also burn slower and cooler (more surface area for the burn to occur over) and more leaves to filter the smoke over cooling it down.
Also construction can be a big part. on the whole small ring guages are worse constructed as the newbie torcedores (rollers) are put onto these whilst only the expert torcedores are allowed near large ring guage cigars, so less mistakes are made.
an interesting piece of trivia relating to this comes from Zino Davidoffs [i think] cigar etiquette where it was suggesrted that people should smoke cigars in keeping with their physical appearance-ie short fat men smoke robustos and tall thin man lanceros.