Canoe in your cigar, what causes it, what to do about it.

Every once in a while you get a canoe in your cigar like the one I pictured.  The most likely culprit is an uneven filler in the cigar.  You can feel a cigar before you light it to see if it feels well packed and even around the length.  You can gently squeeze around soft areas and sometimes that helps.  

You should also be sure to foot the cigar at the start by making sure to light the cigar by rolling it around as you light it to get an even burn at the start, this also can help remove any unwanted tastes and chemicals before your first puff.

If it happens you can try letting it sit for a minute to let it catch up, unburned side down the get more air and see if it catches up.  If you need to use your lighter to burn it off it may introduce some bitter taste.  I also had a person tell me that smoking it too fast can cause this issue.  

Anyway, other than the burn, it usually does not impair the taste for me.   Happy smoking.