Why are so many Cubans badly rolled / blocked?

[daverave999]

Perhaps they are tested before the cap is put on?

I still reckon the majority can be sorted with extra humidor time. Stability seems to be the key.

[larrysputnik]

It makes you wonder about the authenticity of some of the cigars you get, doesn't it? I have never had a plugged NC cigar. I know people who have, but that's hearsay. I have had Cohiba Secretos (box of 10) where they were all plugged or like trying to suck a golf ball through a garden hose, and D4s and Bolivars that have one or two plugged in each box. Maybe when companies open the boxes to check their quality they are actually pulling some real cigars and swapping in some fakes to earn an extra buck here and there.

I'm just speculating about a hypothesis, but something tells me that not all people are trustworthy... Especially those smelly Americans.

[daverave999]

Larry, the only Secretos I had was plugged and that was from Gimeno on the main street in Barcelona. If that was fake there's no hope for any of us...

[larrysputnik]

Larry, the only Secretos I had was plugged and that was from Gimeno on the main street in Barcelona. If that was fake there's no hope for any of us...

I better go there and check it out Dave. I'm not too sure I like how this Gimeno character sounds. Being in Barcelona and all. What's Robusto think about all this cigar constipation BTW?

[Robusto]

I was disappointed at the sucking machine like Dave.

[spacemonkey_no9]

I still reckon the majority can be sorted with extra humidor time. Stability seems to be the key.

I would have thought that a cigar that is properly plugged (solid when pinched at the band) is that way from the minute it is , poorly, rolled and thats it. I'm not sure that any amount of humidor time will sort it out. High humidity can effect the draw but probably not plug the cigar up.

I've read lots of reasons why plugging happens, each one sounds plausible.

[daverave999]

I would have thought that a cigar that is properly plugged (solid when pinched at the band) is that way from the minute it is , poorly, rolled and thats it. I'm not sure that any amount of humidor time will sort it out. High humidity can effect the draw but probably not plug the cigar up.

I've read lots of reasons why plugging happens, each one sounds plausible.

Well I'm only speculating; I don't know for certain! I'm just going on how the first few Boli RCs I had from this box were and how the last one felt after resting for a few months-'relaxed'. Yeah it probably won't fix all of them, just 40% seems a ridiculously high proportion to have plugged going on most other people's experiences.

[EDIT] I'm not necessarily talking about the level of humidity here, just that it is even throughout the cigar so 'mechanical stresses' are minimised.

[spacemonkey_no9]

Dave, I think some vendors do store stock at a slightly higher RH than a lot of people prefer (helps the cigar survive transit?), say 70% rather than 65% and they benefit from a 'relaxation' period as you say. These cigars are not plugged, just swelled up with increased water content due to high humidity.

Thinking back I would say that less than 5% (1 in 20) of the cigars I have smoked in recent years have been plugged, probably nearer 2%. A far higher percentage have been tight on the draw but smokable, especially Lonsdales and the longer but smaller RG.