Cohiba Lancero

I HATE to do this… And I would GLADLY LOVE to try another one to change my mind…

I had High expectations for this smoke, it was recommended to me in the Cuban forum on CA as a sweet mellow smoke.

The construction APPEARED nice, the wrapper, smooth and oily. I like the little twisted end.

Pre light it seemed like this would be a pretty good smoke… I didn’t really notice the tight draw till I lit it.

OK, I admit to being Asthmatic, but I haven’t had an episode in MONTHS… This smoke might have driven me to one though…

What little smoke I did get, was sweet enough, but the draw was so tight that there was little of it. I tried massaging it, this helped a little but still it was un-smokeable. I tired to find SOMETHING to try and poke it… A pin proved to be way too short… In the absence of any paperclips I tried as a last ditch effort a piece of skinny coat hanger. This sadly ended up destroying the smoke…

I got maybe an inch worth of smoke out of this… I was VERY sadly disappointed.

send one my way and I'll review it.

...try a bamboo skewer down the middle. When you feel the plug, twist the skewer as you push it through the plug. If that doesn't work, you take a gutter nail and...

Sknit...I got one of these things called a "Draw Poker". It is a plastic tray that you lay your cigar in and it has a long skinny needle that you poke through the cigar. The end has several alignment holes in it to accomodate different ring sizes. I use it on all my cigars just to make sure that they will draw. Send me an email and I will tell you about [email protected]

A cigar with a bad draw can be cut in half with a very sharp blade. This is a last ditch effort to salvage the guy. The wrapper will tend to unravel at the sliced ends, particularly the lower segment, but you should end up with two smokable, albeit shortened, pieces.

tandem, I tried your suggestion. Now I"ve got 2 27X6 canoe shaped cigars. What do I do now? It was a 54x6 b4 cutting. Barry

Sorry BMW, I realize I'll have to give more detailed directions in the future. I would assume now that the draw is pretty good. That problem being solved, we now must figure out how to get the smoke into your mouth. So proceed as follows: Before lighting, rub the cigar between you fingers so that it breaks into shreds. It is essential that you do that before lighting but you may wish to experiment. Now set it ablaze inside a small kettle BBQ. Open a top vent and enjoy. Or, just put it in your pipe and smoke it!

you people are vicious

Appreciate the tips... Sadly I didn't have anything avalible out here...
Again, I would LOVE to try another one... But sadly, that one sucked (or rather didn't!)

Rickmaven posted that had the same problem with some Lancero's back in March.

Just throw them away/better idea send them to me and I will "dispose" of them! Charlie

I was smoking a San Luis Rey Remedio last night that was a bit tight as well,couple stabs with a bamboo thingy took care of the problem and I got to enjoy a fine cuban cigar.The draw pokers do work well BTW.

Cuban Cigars are known for their tightness and difficulty in drawing smoke from them. It quite common with most of them. I let them sit out of the humidors for a day/night ... then I smoke it.

I also use one of those turkey 'needles' that you buy in the housewares department, you know, the ones used to 'sew-up' the turkey after you stuff it at Thanksgiving? It's a spike about 4/5 inches long and has an eye at the end.

It works great!

A #8 4" drywall screw is always nearby when I smoke in the garage. Has never failed me.

Mean, a drywall screw? Why not just use a screwdriver? Charlie

I love my cigars....but I NEVER screw them!

I don't screw them either, only caress and feel them! Charlie

Charlie... You are startin to scare me... You SURE you aren't the one who has been in the desert all this time?

Personally I like to have a lovely lady stroke and caress... even massage my stogie if it is hard and tight.