Long Ash

[saggel]

dont hear that often!

ssssh... SOTLs might be listening...

[barrytb]

I can't find the book I read it in now, but I remember a great Churchill story about long ash.
Apparently, Winston had a trick which he used to use in tough negotiations. He used to insert a straightened paper clip into his cigar (the longer the smoke, the better). He would then wait until he had at least 3 inches of ash on the go before getting to the tough bit of the argument. Because of the paper clip, he could smoke right down to the nub whilst nonchalently waving the cigar about.
His opponents were frequently so distracted by the ever lengthening ash, that it gave Winston an advantage.
Don't know if it's true & I don't know what the metal did to the flavour, but I loved the concept

[senor_robusto]

hey barry,
i read exactly the same thing, though i'm not sure that it was used as a distraction to his opponents as he 'waved it about'! it was suggested that he used the paper clip to hold the ash on longer so as to appear calm in hostile negotiations! it unnerved those engaged in tough negotiations with him as it made him appear 'unnaturally relaxed and calm'! i suppose that they would've been focusing on the ash as well, wondering when it was gonna fall off....... so yes, to that extent it would've been a distraction! also, from what i've gathered, he kept an english stiff upper lip during his dealings!

all the best,

alex

ps: only found out recently that the londonderry arms hotel in carnlough on the east antrim coast used to be owned by the big man himself! he used to stay there and the room he used to sleep in in named after him, naturally! enjoyed many a pint of the black stuff here (and a cigar outside with a coffee) since my girlfriends family live only about 5miles away!

http://www.glensofantrim.com/

http://www.glensofantrim.com/our_history.html

[Jason]

Man I hate long ash.

[moosekelly]

Why's that Jason?

[Jason]

Why's that Jason?

I just like my cigars to be neat I guess lol.

[peanutpete]

nice ash k but how cold were your hands

[daverave999]

Impressive! I never keep it that long as I'm either driving or trying not to drop it in the porch...

[tippexx]

Me too. I smoke in the conservatory, with the ashtray on top of a pierced pattern wrought iron table. I live in terror of ash falling off through the table and onto the (her) Chinese rug below! Life would not be worth living after!