Secretos -- problem

[highdudgeon]

Okay, maybe the problem is that I've never smoked secretos before and my "quick fixes" have been Hoyo de Monterey Petit Robustos and Montecristo 4's and 5's.

I recently had a bad experience with a Cohiba Maduro Magico 5 -- see other post -- from a local retailer. I'm tossing it up to bad luck.

However, last week I received a box of Secretos from a very reputable dealer with whom I've done business in the past. There are zero fake issues. Because of where I am and how the mail system behaves here, it took two and a half weeks for the sealed (in plastic, that is) box to reach me.

I promptly threw them in one of my larger storage humidors which is stable at 70-71%. The cigars sat there, quiet and resting from their arduous journey, for four days. Then, today, I couldn't resist. I opened the windows in the den, turned on the air purifier, made some special prayers (because it is cold outside), and lit up a secreto.

The good news: it burned very, very well, with a whitish ash that just hung on forever. Smelled nice, felt good, etc.

The bad news: it smoked kinda hot. Kinda a lot hot. The flavor was really dominated by the hot smoke. It never turned bitter and it wasn't flavorful at all. I just kept smoking to the last 1/3 for the hell of it. Got a bit worse toward the end. Mind you, it was HORRIBLE. It just wasn't that great and, as with the other, I have Fuentes that would top it easily -- especially WOAs and Short Storys, and I have two boxes each of those.

Aftertaste -- for some reason, this is very important to my and a major point of my enjoyment of the experience. I like having an oily, rich, tangy flavor. Instead, I had ash.

So, what gives? Again, a bad sample? The cigar was impeccable in construction and burned like a champ. Not enough rest? Would a week or a month make THAT much of a difference?

I'm just disappointed. These are expensive cigars and I'm really starting to see the logic in perhaps staying away from Cubanos except for one or two truly prove (to myself) sticks.

Help!

 

[jfields]

Hey brother, have you tried reducing your humidity level down to around 65% for a month and seeing what happens? It seems to me from experience that humidity can affect flavor. I've found that to be the case with my VR Unicos. They always taste better at 65% compared to 70-71%.

I've given up on smoking cigars out on the porch when it rains, as they always turn for the worst after the first third. The humidity being the suspect in this case. They burn hot, and the flavor is bad compared to what I am used to.

 

[mr.mac]

4 days isn't long enough. I would have let them rest for at least 2 months... maybe even 3-4 months before smoking them. Otherwise, in my opinion, its almost like wasting a cigar. At least this is what I typically do with super premium and HTF smokes. I give them several months to sit in a contsant humidified environment before smoking them. In my experience, humidity fluxuations do not do cigars very well leading to wrapper burning problems, draw problems and flavor problems.

JMHO though...

mac

 

[Ginseng]

John makes a good point about the humidity but if the sticks were really overhumidified, they'd also likely be acrid, tight, and exhibit a poor or wandering burn. Your account of the Secretos doesn't fit with any descriptions of the cigar that I've read. The "hot" smoke you described, do you mean temperature hot as in burning to the tongue? If so, then you might be drawing too hard or too frequently. Clearly something is wrong.

Also, in my experience, Monte PR, No.4, and No.5 are not cigars generally regarded as "oily or rich." Good 4 and 5's do exhibit tanginess with some regularity though.

I don't know what issues you're really having and I'm not even sure where to start. Perhaps the first step, though, is to examine your own preconceptions and expectations of the Cohiba Maduros. To steal an aphorism, smoking is 90% mental and 10% the cigar/setting/accompaniment. I get the impression that there is a psychological component to your disappointment. As I remarked in your other thread, smoked on their own merits, the CM5 line is a unique and satisfying Havana experience.

Wilkey

 

[Infinity]

What John and Wilkey have said.

All my ISOM's are at 62 to 65 RH, usually closer to 62. If you store at 70 RH and the stick is small, like the Secretos, usually the draw will be tighter
and therefore you have to suck harder which would make any small stick smoke hot.

On a side note, my Secretos are smoking great, I am pleasantly surprised by Cohiba new CM5's

Brian

 

[highdudgeon]

Interesting -- I guess I ought to try that. I have an embarrassing (I guess) six humidors. I'm really hurting for just one big unit, but we might be moving, it would be terribly expensive, etc. Anyway, just distilled water in all of them and all between 68-71% with digital hygrometers.

Based on what I've read and this thread I went to www.cigarmony.com and ordered a pile of 65% beads. When they get here, I'll remove the existing devices and replace with the beads. My understanding is that they will soak up the humidity fairly well?

 

[Ginseng]

On further reflection, I think Mr. Mac raises a good point about the cigars possibly being dried out from transit.

Wilkey

 

[Mike33]

On further reflection, I think Mr. Mac raises a good point about the cigars possibly being dried out from transit.

Wilkey

I agree. Mac raised a great point in that cigars need time to acclimate back to their natural state after transit. Usually a min. of two weeks and possibly more after a longer journey.

The other issues already mentioned may be a problem as well (too high of humidity, smoking too fast, ect..).

 

[Rodrigo de Jerez]

Right guys, I had a great experience with this smoke. Good right off the bat but can only get better with age.

-Mark

 

[mtshdtv]

I definitely think the extra transit time, effected your smokes. I notice it a little more in the winter time, maybe the dryer air. I ordered a box of smokes and took about 6 days to ship and they just looked and felt dry. Didn't have that slight give to them. I had to have a BBF so after about a week I lit one up. Burned fast and hot. It's been about 5 weeks and just smoked another, burned well and tasted better.

 

[edng]

I've recently had a Maduro5 Secreto and a Magico on 2 seperate occassions and they were very very nice full smokes without any of the problems you mentioned. They were sitting in 67-69% rh for a couple of months.

Sorry to hear of your poor experience with it. Hope it turns better later.

 

[Drewcali]

I'd like to agree with the comments above. perhaps a longer rest period would be beneficial for this particular box.

these really are excellent small cigars, that add another flavor profile to the habanos line. i believe they will be satisfying smokes in the right conditions.