Monday, November 29 1999
If your primo is slow on the
draw it could be the result of a "
plug."
A plug is a blockage that sometimes occurs in the cigar and keeps
it from drawing properly. This could be anything from a piece of leaf
that's packed too tight to a stray stem that got into the
bunch before
rolling. Many plugs tend to occur near the "
head" (drawing
end) which makes the cigar very hard or even impossible to smoke.
The recommended method for unplugging a cigar is to gently massage
the cigar between your fingers. A persistent smoker can attempt to
massage the location of the knot in order to try to loosen the bunch,
but care should be taken to prevent cracking the
wrapper. It helps
if you slightly moisten your fingertips before massaging the cigar.
Most often the problem is that the roller has twisted the filler tobacco
while making the bunch. If this is the
case, massaging isn't going
to help. Some smokers will make a desperate attempt to unplug a cigar
by using a toothpick. Not only is it risky - because you can very
easily poke right through the wrapper - it often doesn't work. Unfortunately,
plugs are inevitable if you smoke a lot of cigars. Fortunately, they're
more the exception than the rule.
