Long ash photos...why?

[GavLew79]

I don't get it. Why would you even bother? It must make smoking the cigar a chore rather than an enjoyable experience. 

[zyxwvu44]

Because you can.

Not all cigars have good enough construction...it's kind of nice when you get a good one and see how long it goes!

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[nKostyan]

It can be a training for the international championship of the slow Smoking

[99call]

10 minutes ago, GavLew79 said:

I don't get it

Millenials have to photograph something!!   I don't get it.  I do buy into the concept that a cm or so of ash, acts as a it of a cooling/regulating effect on the burn, and minimises spikes of harshness.......but any more than a cm or so really annoys me.  

If I'm reviewing a cigar thats forming a solid well structured ash, i'll document it in images,  but not because the ash is impressive, more that is suggest a well built cigar. 

Long ashing goes into room 101 for me

[MD Puffer]

It's a puzzling thing.  

 

[mbflash80]

doesnt bother me...I think its indicative of a quality roll...whether it keeps the smoke cool or not is another story...but I rather enjoy holding an ash...not a chore at all in my opinion.

[GavLew79]

I'm not talking an inch or so. Sometimes it's the whole thing. Ridiculous. You'd have to smoke it with your head tilted all the way back. 

[99call]

2 minutes ago, GavLew79 said:

I'm not talking an inch or so. Sometimes it's the whole thing. Ridiculous. You'd have to smoke it with your head tilted all the way back. 

To me, cigars are supposed to be about pure relaxation.  To me 'longashing' would be like someone handing me a nearly over flowing cup of boiling tea, that I couldn't put down, or drink......that I just had to hold still, and concentrate on.........bugger to that,  thats less Zen and more self flagellation

[GavLew79]

10 minutes ago, 99call said:

To me, cigars are supposed to be about pure relaxation.  To me 'longashing' would be like someone handing me a nearly over flowing cup of boiling tea, that I couldn't put down, or drink......that I just had to hold still, and concentrate on.........bugger to that,  thats less Zen and more self flagellation

Nice analogy mate. Nailed it. 

[foursite12]

I don't have the shirt or tablecloth replacement budget sufficient to allow that sort of faux showiness.  And my undercarriage suffers enough abuse from other sources.

[Fuzz]

When State of Origin or Bledisloe Cup are not going the way you want, forget the game and go for a long ash comp.

[cfc1016]

5 hours ago, GavLew79 said:

I'm not talking an inch or so. Sometimes it's the whole thing. Ridiculous. You'd have to smoke it with your head tilted all the way back. 

1. Pragmatism:

I'll let the ash stay on there for as long as it still seems sturdy. If i feel it getting loose, I tap it away. Very rarely, in the cases of really spot on construction, it just never loosens up. Soooo I never tap it off. There's no superstition or compelling personal preference - just the habit of ashing behavior I've developed over 20+ years. I don't really even think about it when I'm doing it.

2. Critical analysis:

After thousands of cigars, I can not share any conclusive evidence that a long-ash-holding cigar will taste consistently better/worse. Same with ash color. As far as I'm concerned, any notions that the ash somehow indicates quality, are at best speculative rubbish. If there even is a correlation, I highly doubt it's causal.

3. Emotion:

Aesthetically, it's pretty. People like pretty things.

4. Hypothesis:

Being uncommon, aesthetically appealing, and vicariously enjoyed by peers - I would posit that as the most logical explanation for the photos being so common in social media.

5. Personal analogy:

I look at it like catching an otherwise run of the mill fish that has a highly unusual color pattern, for its species. I don't expect it to taste better or worse than the normal looking fish. It's just different from what I expect the other 99% of the time. Different is interesting.

[teamrandr]

I only smoke for the ash.

[bpm32]

8 hours ago, GavLew79 said:

I don't get it. Why would you even bother? It must make smoking the cigar a chore rather than an enjoyable experience. 

I don’t know—I assume people only do it when they’re sitting around in a group smoking cigars. It’s just a silly way to pass the time with friends.

[Fuzz]

1 minute ago, bpm32 said:

I don’t know—I assume people only do it when they’re sitting around in a group smoking cigars. It’s just a silly way to pass the time with friends.

Drinking makes the game more interesting. Nobody wants to be the ashhole who drops theirs all over the table or on themselves.

[bpm32]

10 minutes ago, Fuzz said:

Drinking makes the game more interesting. Nobody wants to be the ashhole who drops theirs all over the table or on themselves.

Yeah, they’re a real Kobayashi Maru type situation. You really do need to be drunk to agree to a long ash contest.

[Jal154]

Boom! ??Every once in a while you get a nice ash burning.....so let’s see how long it stays on for. That’s all. Just done out of boredom. And this one stayed on horizontal to the ground.

[Riverstyx]

I’ve always thought it was kinda like an OCD thing.  Nothing showy about it, just good clean lines.  Or, just something silly like when I was a kid and I always  waited until the end to eat the marshmallows.  It made no sense but I liked it for whatever reason.  

[GavLew79]

11 minutes ago, SlimOne said:

Why not

 

Perhaps to avoid the sort of crass showmanship that would have Zino Davidoff turning in his grave?

Or, to not be that 'look at me' bell-end at the B&M/outdoor smoking area? ?

Lol. I jest of course. It's obviously a polarising subject and at the end of the day, do whatever floats your potatoes. It is a free world for most of us. 

? All the best. 

[KnightsAnole]

Long ash is just about having a bit of fun, That’s all.

[Edward7]

Seems more like a chore to start a forum thread over it haha. I think there are about 300 million things that people do that puzzles me more than long ashing.

[slowsmoke]

Ever played Jenga?

 

 

[westg]

With you on this. I cant be bothered nursing a  cigar with a long ash. like to keep it clean .Sit back relax a little. ?

[Hammer Smokin']

curious how many smokers try to "long ash" without taking photo's.

i'm guessing very few people "long ash" if they are not planning on posting on social media.

 

[99call]

8 hours ago, GavLew79 said:

Or, to not be that 'look at me' bell-end

Apt and rightful use of bell-end.............right i'm off to see if I can break my own personal record for holding my breath in the bathtub,  whilst filming myself live on facebook.   The most f-up thing about that is, 1000's of weird millenials would probably watch it. 

Please normality return..........we miss you.