A few questions

1) cutting does depend on shape. but a rule of thumb is that you should always leave enough cap so the cigar does not unravel. a good trick is to put the cutter flat on the table and then the head of the cigar in and clip. most of the time that will give a good cut. however I use a punch cutter on all non-torp cigars so the 1/8th inch and table trick thing dont really appply to me.

2) IMO, hold it however you want. just dont burn yourself or others with it. there is list of Cigar Etiquette rules out there and one of them is dont walk while smoking. Frankly i think that one is a bunch of BS. there are a few other things on the list that are a crock also. ( who the hell only smokes half of the cigar??!! (here is the list: http://www.cigartrends.com/etiquette.php )) I feel that as long as you dont burn others or yourself with the cigar it shouldnt matter what direction the foot is sitting. It shouldnt burn too much faster if its face down. thats how i hold mine even when im sitting down and a robusto still takes over an hour for me to go through .

3) its not your imagination. keep developing your palate.
http://cigar.ambackforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=308017

I have to agree with all of Kuzi's responses. I would only add that a cigar's changing flavor is an attribute of it's complexity.

Muerte said:

a cigar's changing flavor is an attribute of it's complexity.

Click to expand...

great point that i totally overlooked.