Would you like a Cigar?

[mdwest]

As a rule (although I sometimes break it).. I dont smoke anything that I get from a local B&M store for at least a week.. or anything I get online for at least 2 weeks..

I find that many/most B&M's keep their RH in their walk in humidor set at 70.. and that its not unusual for them to "spike" at times during the day at 71 or 72.. that is way too wet for my liking.. I keep my humidors at 65..

The big online retailers like Famous, CI, Thompsons, etc.. keep their warehouses significantly more humid (closer to the 73-75 range most of the year).. this is intentional.. they dont know where they are shipping (could be Phoenix.. could be Tacoma)... and they dont know how long the package they are sending is going to sit in the mail and then sit on the front porch after they ship... they dont want cigars drying out and loosing their oils.. so they ship wet...

The problem is hot and wet = tobacco beetles and/or mold.. (not to mention I dont like the taste when most cigars have been sitting north of 70 for a while)..

So.. my process is.. I bring them home.. and put them in a desktop humidor for about a week.. inspect them.. make sure I have no beetle holes.. make sure no mold.. then either smoke them if I think they have dried enough.. or transfer them to my cabinet humidor to longer term storage..

If Im smoking at the local B&M lounge I will break the "rule".. and smoke whatever I just bought.. or occasionally when Im excited about a purchase (some new release Im anxious to try, etc) I'll pull one out of the box immediately and smoke it..

My almost without exception I find that cigars taste better and perform better if I bring the RH down to about 65 before I put a spark to them.. so.. into the desktop they go for a while whenever I pick up new sticks..

 

[Brent in Az]

My weekly Friday pilgrimage to the local Cigar shop.

Enjoying a Rocky Patel 1999 Vintage Connecticut. I don't smoke alot of Connecticut's, but I enjoy one now and then.

A couple bags of Cigars for the 3 day weekend & BBQ'S.

 

[Mort Hill]

And how do you enjoy a rest day in the middle of a 10 day hunt? Nothing more to say....

 

[Mort Hill]

 

[Brent in Az]

And how do you enjoy a rest day in the middle of a 10 day hunt? Nothing more to say....
View attachment 302842

have to say that I am envious. Today is filled with chores, and sweating like a race horse in the desert heat.

 

[Brent in Az]

Davidoff "The late hour"

 

[Brent in Az]

Caldwell "Blind Man's bluff" Maduro.

Pretty tight draw on this particular stick.

 

[Brent in Az]

La Aroma de Cuba "Mi Amor"

This was a freebie given to me by the Cigar shop. The Rep gave him some samples, and he gave one to me.

 

[Royal27]

I'm smoking a Davidoff Maxamar White Knight that I got in a COTM package from small batch. Wow....

Buttery and sweet but it isn't a light cigar, full bodied or really close to it.

I want more of them but, gulp, $21 per stick, which is double my typical max I will pay . May still get a few at some point....

 

[Brent in Az]

Morning Joe & Ashdrop.

La Barba Ricochet Cru Mexi Sol.

I bought this in a petite Corona in case I didn't like it. Just a touch spicy for a morning smoke, but not too bad.

 

[Brent in Az]

Arturo Fuente "Don Carlos No.2"

 

[Brent in Az]

E.P Carrillo " la Historia El Senador"

 

[Royal27]

Chain smoking cigars!

 

[Chago]

Brent I think you have a problem lol.

10pm here. Kids and wife are asleep. She's mad at me so no chance of getting lucky. Seems like a great time to go smoke a cigar and come to bed stinking like a ashtray.

 

[Brent in Az]

Chain smoking cigars!

Yep. Chain drinking beers too.

I always smoke a few cigars during BBQ time.

 

[Brent in Az]

Brent I think you have a problem lol.

10pm here. Kids and wife are asleep. She's mad at me so no chance of getting lucky. Seems like a great time to go smoke a cigar and come to bed stinking like a ashtray.

Seems like we both have a problem.

 

[Brent in Az]

No weekend is complete without a couple of My Father cigars in the line-up.

 

[curtism1234]

Quick humidor question as this is my first summer of owning one.

Humidity is running at about 74% through the entire house whether I have the lid open, closed, closed with cedar grilling papers, and closed with beads. One cigar is starting to show small signs of mold.

Any advice to get it back down to 70?

Thanks

 

[Royal27]

Quick humidor question as this is my first summer of owning one.

Humidity is running at about 74% through the entire house whether I have the lid open, closed, closed with cedar grilling papers, and closed with beads. One cigar is starting to show small signs of mold.

Any advice to get it back down to 70?

Thanks

So I like 65% personally, tops, although mine goes up to 67% or so occasionally.

What kind of beads do you use? Heartfelt? Something else? You need two-way humidification (meaning something that will drop or raise the humidity and not just raise) and I'm betting you don't have it...

The second question I'd have is does your humidor really seal well, or is it leaking? If it has a gap somewhere it won't hold the humidity down. Lots of ways to test this, including pulling a dollar bill through the lid deal. If it pulls easily, no Bueno.... If its hard to pull, then good sign.

 

[Brent in Az]

Are you saying the interior of the house is 74%, or just the humidor?

Desktop humidors are always difficult to control humidity. Open the lid for a couple hours, throw in some cedar strips, and a Boveda pack of 62 - 65% and close it up. Bad sealing humidors will kill the cigars.

If you are a casual smoker, and don't keep alot of cigars, consider buying an acrylic cigar jar. Throw in a small boveda pack, or cedar strips soaked in distilled water, and you are good to go.