A cigar that tunnels is a major disappointment to a smoker, and it is a common problem that cigar smokers face. Not only is the smoking experience less enjoyable, but the cigar is also more difficult to keep lit. This can be frustrating, especially if you paid good money for a cigar that is supposed to be of high quality.
There are a few reasons why this happens, and understanding them can help you avoid it in the future. So if you’re wondering why your cigar experiences it, here are five reasons why your cigar starts to tunnel, and hopefully, with this, you’ll learn how to try avoiding it.
#1: Improper storage
Cigar tunneling is a problem that cigar smokers may face if they do not store their cigars properly. If a cigar is not stored in the proper environment, it will not be able to breathe, and the tobacco will become dry. This will also happen if cigars are not stored in a humidor; the tobacco can dry out, causing the cigar to burn unevenly and, ultimately, ruin the smoking experience.
Furthermore, if the cigar is too dry, the tobacco will not be able to expand when heated and will also lead to an uneven burn. Lastly, if the cigar is stored in an environment that is too hot or too cold, the tobacco will also dry out and will not burn properly.
If you have yet to learn how or where to store your cigars so you won’t experience a cigar tunnel anymore, you can buy a humidor. A humidor is a box that is specifically designed to keep cigars fresh and moist. It is crucial to ensure the humidor is not too humid, as this can also cause the cigar to burn unevenly. The ideal humidity level for storing cigars is between 65% to 72%
#2: Uneven light or improper lighting
Another common cause of tunneling is uneven light. If the cigar is not lit evenly, it will often tunnel. As anyone who has ever smoked a cigar can attest, good lighting is crucial to enjoying the smoking experience. Unfortunately, many cigar smokers don’t know how to properly light a cigar, which can ruin the flavor and cause the cigar to “tunnel.
When a cigar is lit unevenly, the heat will cause the cigar to expand unevenly, which can lead to the formation of a tunnel. Also, if a cigar is lit too quickly or with too much heat, the wrapper can separate from the filler, or the outside of the cigar will burn faster than the inside, causing the filler leaves to expand and tighten up. This can also happen if a cigar is allowed to go out and then relit, as the uneven burning can cause the same issue.
#3: Smoking too slowly
Smoking cigars has become a popular pastime among many people, but there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Smoking too slowly is one of the most common mistakes people make, and it can result in cigar tunneling.
When a cigar tunnel, it means that the cigar is burning too slowly and unevenly. This usually happens because the smoker is not drawing enough air through the cigar as they smoke. As a result, the cigar will start to feel tight, produce less smoke, and the tobacco can start to char, which will cause the cigar to tunnel.
To avoid this, it’s essential to draw slow and steady puffs. The cigar should also be rotated regularly to ensure that it burns evenly. If a cigar starts to tunnel, it’s best to gently reform it by pinching the sides of the cigar and blowing through it.
#4: Cigar was not rolled correctly; tightly rolled or loosely rolled
The most common cause of why a cigar starts to tunnel is that the cigar was not rolled correctly. If the tobacco in the center of the cigar is packed too tightly, it will burn faster than the tobacco on the outside. This can also happen if the cigar is not rotated often enough while it is being smoked.
In addition, a cigar might “tunnel” simply because if the tobacco leaves are packed too tightly together, they will block the air from flowing through the cigar, and it won’t be easy to draw smoke. This can happen even if the cigar is appropriately stored and lit correctly, and it is usually just a result of bad rolling.
Another reason that can cause a cigar to tunnel is when it is loosely rolled. This occurs when the cigar’s filler tobacco expands unevenly, causing the cigar’s wrapper to balloon out in certain spots and become concave in others. This can ruin the cigar smoking experience, as the cigar will not produce the desired flavor and aroma. In addition, a loosely rolled cigar can be hard to keep lit and can make a large amount of smoke.
#5: The cigar was made with poor-quality tobacco
Another reason why a cigar might tunnel is if it is made with poor-quality tobacco. The tobacco in the center of the cigar will be of a lower quality than the tobacco on the outside, and it will therefore burn faster. This is also because the tobacco in the cigar has been poorly cultivated or even genetically modified.
In order to avoid this, it is crucial to purchase cigars from a reputable source instead of those with low prices and cheap quality because you’ll most likely get what you paid for. However, not all cheap cigars are cheap in quality. Sometimes, those have the potential to become one of the best cigars.
This part needs to be done with a little bit of research as well as trial and error. You need to search for a budget-friendly cigar that has been tested by many and can testify that it has good quality if you’re really on a tight budget but want to smoke whatever best cigar you can get based on your preferred price point. Ultimately, avoiding cigar tunneling is a matter of practice and experimentation.
