Purging during your smoke... Bad idea?

[Brog52]

Tonight as I was enjoying an Ashton VSG... I noticed that I purge quite often. I guess looking back now I have always done this but only noticed it tonight.
I am still relatively young in the cigar trade so I figured I would as you gentleman what the pros and conns are to purging your cigar as you smoke.


Do you do the same? And is this something I should try and stop doing so often?


-Brandon-

 

[Craig Mac]

Nothing wrong with purging a smoke. I usually do it 3-4 times during a cigar to keep the tar build up at the finish down.

 

[Slim]

I like to purge too, I usually do it if I get a bitter taste or get a tight draw on a stick that was drawing smoothly.

 

[Cigarizard]

is there a danger of 'over-purging'? in the last half, i purge after ever toke...

 

[Treinenwj]

The only downside I could think of is if you puff, purge, puff, purge etc without allowing time for the cherry to cool.

 

[Cigary43]

We talk alot about purging and the effects of doing it....it does help turnaround a cigar that starts to get bitter and that's usually in the last 3rd of a cigar. The idea is to knock off as much ash as you can then gently blow through the cigar a time or two to "purge" the bad taste out. I won't purge unless there is a reason for it and if the cigar is smoking well there really isn't a reason to purge.

Keeping a good ash on your cigar is important...it acts as an insulator from the heat of the cigar itself...keeping a good inch or two makes for a more enjoyable smoke. When I see a cigar with a bright cherry end I know it looks cool but it really allows the cigar to smoke 'hot' and that is where we get a cigar that smokes too hot and the bitterness starts to creep in.

 

[38-50]

Every cigar is different but the only reason why I would try to limit purging is the increased humidity that it adds. Throughout a cigar I usually try to experiment with ash length and purges to dial in the flavor.