What the length of the ash really tells you
Construction and mineral content, not quality — and it is doing a job while it sits there.
A long, firm ash means the cigar was bunched well and the leaf has enough mineral content to hold together. It does not mean the cigar is good, and short ash does not mean it is bad.
The ash has a job
While it stays on, it insulates the ember and restricts airflow to it, which keeps the burn cooler and slower. Knocking it off every inch makes a cigar burn hotter, and hotter is the direction nobody wants.
Let it build to an inch or so, then remove it gently rather than tapping — rolling the ash off against the side of the ashtray disturbs the ember far less than a knock.
Colour
Pale grey to white generally indicates soil rich in magnesium and calcium, and is associated with certain growing regions. Dark grey ash is not a fault. Flaky, crumbling ash usually means either short filler or a cigar being smoked too fast.
Do this: if the ash keeps falling early on a cigar you know is well made, slow down. Pace shows up in the ash before it shows up in the taste, which makes ash a free diagnostic.
The myths
- "White ash means quality." It means minerals in the soil.
- "A long ash proves a good roll." It suggests even bunching. Plenty of excellent cigars drop early.
- "Never let it fall." Balancing two inches over your lap is a party trick with a cleaning bill.
Ash is a note, not a score
What belongs in a journal is what the ash told you — "flaked from the start, probably rushed" — beside the score out of ten. It is the kind of observation that explains a number to your future self.
Read next
Purging, and why it rescues a bitter third
Blow gently back through the cigar. It clears the stale smoke sitting in it.
TechniqueDiagnosing a soggy cigar
Tight draw, drooping ash, a wet head and a burn that will not stay lit.
Formats & vitolasShort, medium and long filler
How the inside is cut decides the draw, the burn and most of the price.