Why does it get bitter?

Originally Posted by spincycle

Every time I leave a smoke alone for too long, and I need to relight, it gets bitter. I cut off the dead end plus about a 1/4 inch. Purge the smoke, and relight. The cigar just doesn't taste the same. Something in there gets nasty. Harsh, bitter.

I have same experience. In Cigar Clan magazine (5/2010), I read about the degasation of a cigar. Even when smoking a cigar it can get bitter (happens with me with a lot of carabianan cigars, and I put them in the bin half smoked...).
This degasation sounds a good method:
. remove the ash form the still burning cigar
. heat the burning part (with lighter) and pull at the cigar lightly (to heat up the inside somewhat).
. then puff out with some force (but not too hard) into the cigar (thus removing all kind of by products of the burning). One can even see a small blue-ish flame coming out of the cigar due to this purging.

After that the cigar tastes good again. This might help also when you lay teh cigar down for a walk;-)

Let me know your experiences.

All the best,

Victor