two things.

[AndyRN]

1. I tried to smoke a Macanudo Hyde Park Cafe yesterday and couldn't do it. The draw was so tight I couldn't keep the smoke lit and I could barely get any smoke. So then I cut way past the cap just to see what was going on, and it still was incredibly tight and wouldn't go. Anyone else have this issue. I had heard good things about this smoke and the consistency with macanudo brand.


2. On the recomendation of others, I purchased an Arturo Fuente hemingway signature. The smoke was good but I got such a strong bitter taste on my lips that it just about ruined it form me. I have never experienced this before. Was it tar? If so how do I remedy this? When I say it was bitter, I mean very BITTER, but the smoke itself was nice and mild.

 

[kann]

Any time I bring up Macanudo here, I get pretty negative reactions. I like the Hyde Park, however. I've smoked maybe a dozen of them, and I've yet to have any real issues. I'd definitely try another one. Maybe it was just that stick.

Sounds like tar to me. I've never experienced it with an AF cigar, but have had it happen in handful of others, like Puros Indios and even a My Father. Was there an excess of "juice" at your cut? Search for "juicy cigars". I recall a thread about this sort of thing that explained a good deal.

 

[The Black Cloud]

For both your questions you can probably chalk it up to defective cigars. Thems the breaks when you deal with handmade products. As an aside, Macanudos aren't my brand as I think they are way overpriced for what they are.

 

[Devil Doc]

Friends don't let friends smoke Macanudos. I've never had one that didn't have construction problems, of course, I haven't attempted to smoke one in 30 yrs.
As for your tar problem, it happens. I just cut it off and continue to smoke.

Doc

 

[coopsdeloops]

Could the cigars have been kept way overhumidified? That could have caused both plugging and bitter taste.

 

[Aussie Shaun]

I had the same bitter taste problem with a Padron 26 a couple of weeks back, kind of ruins the experience of smoking such a fine cigar.

 

[kona1000]

I have some Mac's from 1971- that are really pretty good, the Jamaican years!

 

[Setharsis]

Ahhhhh...Macanudos...very first cigar I ever tried back in '96. Right after my very first strip joint adventure. Didn't know what I was doing in either case.

 

[4cbln3]

I remember when I first started I thought Macanudos could be thrown in my smoking rotation, I was wrong. I did smoke a couple of the 1968 cigars from them that had my eyebrows surprised. As for the Fuente, it probably was tar as others said, you just didn't see it at the tip as you were smoking. Try another.

 

[Pugman1943]

I'm thinking about ' hand made '. Even the best torcedor has to have a bad day, so chit happens. Add to that the leaf. I can see the bundle inspected, but if they are handed out by the fistfull and your job is to roll, you grab and roll. Perhaps that is why we continue to search for that ultimate smoke. In the process we find some good stuff and of course you find some junk. When I first got serious about cigars I honestly thought price was the magic, if it cost more it had to be better. NOT! Eventually we all find our niche and have our go-tos, but most of us don't let a sleeping dog lie, we keep looking which is good.

I've had some tar balls , some tunnels and one freeking $15 smoke that went flying over the fence because I think it was a turd with a Maduro wrapper.

So find your happy spots, then continue the hunt. To borrow a much used quote here, smoke what ya like, like what ya smoke.

Typo fix (naturally)

 

[AndyRN]

Thanks for the input. I bought an 858 arturo at the same time so i will give that a try. I use heartfelt beads and it's pretty consistent at 68 percent.

 

[thefatguy]

When I first started smoking I smoked the Macanudo portifino. Now I don't smoke any of them and can't remember the last time I did.