While i listen to the main three that I know of (DWSC, Blowin Smoke, and Cigar Nation), I prefer the "mindless banter" of the Dogwatch Social Club far more than that of the later two... personal preference, is all. Of course, winning a year's sub to ECCJ (in episode 102? 101? one of those...) has me bias as can be, but for what it's worth, I always preferred DWSC more.
I have to ask here, as I'm beyond curious... on episode 112, a question was asked of cigarmony dot com regarding "why do cigars have caps". Now I have been told in the past the, ahem, obvious "to give a purpose for the cigar cutter" and more relevant reasons, like "to hold the wrapper on"...
Still, when speaking to the local drew estate rep (admittedly, I'm not exactly drew estates' biggest fan - or even close, for that matter), his answer was most interesting, and follows what the roller replied with on that particular episode: Picturing a straw, if both ends of the cigar were wide open, the smoke wouldn't have time to build, concentrate, nor marry (i understand tobaccos marrying, but smoke? someone explain...) -- as a straw with both ends open won't keep liquid in it. Likewise, by capping one end, the smoke is almost "trapped" in the cigar, much as a finger held over one end of a straw will prevent liquid from dripping out the other end. Further, if we capped the other end, it would defeat the purpose, as we'd light it right away and then in essence get an un-capped cigar. I'm not sure I buy that whole line of reasoning, as the straw analogy is by liquid viscosity and surface tension in addition to vapor displacement/ airflow... but it at least has me thinking of it.
I've thought "well, not all cigars have caps" -- the Gurkha legends (a perfecto-shaped beauty that someone here bombed me with) have their heads "de-cap-itated"... but then after looking closer, I realized that the perfecto shape REALLY really tapers to that head, such that the smoke is so restricted in free air-flow that it essentially limits the flow through the cigar once lit. Also, remember that we cut (or punch, etc) the cap, so really we're opening that restricted end of the stick... emphasis being "restricted" end of the stick - so I suppose this theory makes SOME sense, still...
SO! My question is: Is this airflow and marrying theory even a possible reason, regardless of how important of a reason, for why cigars have caps?
Hope this isn't THAT long of a post.
Just my 2 cents worth,
ZugbugPete
