1st third 'hit' ratio between an open, and a closed foot

[99call]

In terms of "off gassing" and material breakdown of a cigar, I've always assumed that if a cigar that has a large open faced 56 ring gauge foot, it would be susceptible to "off gas" at an excellerated rate than of a large diademas. Or in a different way of thinking, does a closed cigar, stop it from exchanging or 'drinking'!?. Of course their is osmosis through the wrapper, but I wonder how it plays itself out.

The reason that this crosses my mind, is the frequency of a non existence 1st thirds. Especially in vintage cigars, the 1st thirds can often feel pretty dead and watery. 

As I've never really been one for closed foot cigars, (the only real experience being terrible Party Presidente+Perfectos R&J Perfectos)  what's the forums opinion? do you get a better ratio out of your 1st third quality, with open or closed feet?

 

 

[99call]

17 minutes ago, SenorPerfecto said:

Good question!

I have no idea! Lol!

BUT that won't stop me from opining that it seems correct to assume that in an otherwise vented space such as a cigar drawer your theory seems right. But in a closed, aging box, would it matter?

The closed box scenario is a very good point, that also makes me think of another daydreaming question of mine, which is. In an aged bundle of cigars, I naturally gravitate to the cigar right in the middle, I suppose subconsiously thinking it's going to have had 'nowhere to go' in its ageing, and in some sort of way marinaded in the breakdown of its brother and sisters. I think it would be really interesting for someone one day, to smoke a line of 4 cigars in a bundle of 50 in a direct line from the centre, inside to out, and see if it amps down.

[Cigarsandmalts]

Scientifically, there needs to be a concentration gradient for any type of diffusion to occur. In this case, it would be gas/solid diffusion at the foot of the cigar; and it would only happen if the surrounding air is significantly "wetter" than the cigar, and even then it would occur very slowly. Once the wetter air penetrates the foot of the cigar it becomes a mixed phase solid/solid gas/solid diffusion problem (again very slow)

As for the question of open vs closed, a closed box would (or should in normal cases) have a smaller concentration gradient so diffusion would be slower. 

As for the location of the cigar in a bundle, unless there is a significant local concentration gradient, location doesn't really matter. 

The above is all assuming minimal convective mass transfer (i.e. air flow). 

[MrGlass]

This doesn't really answer your question, but I always thought that the development of a cigar was in part due to the fact that you are "smoking" the leaves in the second and final thirds before actually igniting them.  This process is something that you obviously miss in the first third.