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Spongy cigars?

comptalk

comptalk

Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
86
So I got a few new boxes of CCs in and tried two so far.  Partagas Shorts, Bolivar Petit Corona, Cohiba Magicos Maduro 5, and San Cristobal El Principe.  I've only tried a Partagas Shorts and Bolivar Petit Corona.  To be fair, they were stamped in 2013, so they are pretty new.  The tastes were solid, however, both were very spongy/soft. The Bolivar, this time, was a better smoke than my ole stand by Partagas Short.  I pulled out an old box from 2006 and it was much more firm that this one.
 
Anyone else have a similar experience with the 2013/2014 CCs?
 
Comptalk, this usually happens when humidity and temperatures are too high.  If you just got these in then this is probably the case so just let them sit for a while in the humi to get acclimated. 
 
This is more to do with the vendors storage practices. I just got two boxes of the PL Picadores and were over humified as well. 
 
Hopefully it will not take too long to correct the humidity issue in the cigars.
 
Over humidification usually takes months to rectify, unless they are singles. I always smoke the first cigar from the box when I get it, and that helps me determine how long before I try them again...
 
I will also note that my CC's do better at lower temp/humidity levels than my other cigars.
 
I've been at 65/65 for probably close to a year. Noticed that some of my non-cc's seemed to be smoking a bit dry so I went to 67/67. CC's didn't do well, some handled it better than others.
Also, the midpoint of Habanos SA recommended storage temp is [SIZE=15pt]63/67 = midpoint[/SIZE].
 
I'm handling the situation in the large wineador by moving the cubans to the area that is less humid.
 
It will take months for them to really stabilize well. I would see how the unopened boxes smoke.
 
You could also try dry boxing some singles in a box that has a boveda 65/65 pack in it.
 
It would surprise me if they all stabilize at the same time. Just smoke a few as you go along.
 
[SIZE=11pt]An overly soggy cigar may have a festering taste, and will be not easy to light or keep lighted.[/SIZE]
 
Not overly spongy, just slightly spongy.  I've adjusted my Cuban wineador to be a bit cooler at 66% to counter-act the over humidification in the new boxes as they arrived.  Hopefully they will be ready and set for the Spring. :)  Going to let them sleep for a while.  
 
comptalk said:
Not overly spongy, just slightly spongy.  I've adjusted my Cuban wineador to be a bit cooler at 66% to counter-act the over humidification in the new boxes as they arrived.  Hopefully they will be ready and set for the Spring. :)  Going to let them sleep for a while.  
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Do you mean 66F?
 
It's hovering around 67F right now.  Changes slightly with the weather in the North East.
 
I am now concerned. Two of the boxes of Cubans I picked up now have some white furry spots on the cigars. The other boxes are fine. Just two boxes had high humidity in them when they arrived. Should I place the boxes in the freezer? I've already separated the cigars from the wineador.
 
I like to wedge a quarter of a Cialis in the foot of the cigar, and the thing firms right up.
 
I don't know about putting them in the freezer or refrigerator. Someone may say they like that course of action, but personally - I don't like exposing them to that much temperature differential.
 
Sounds like mold. Particularly if over-humidified. If they are easy to return and get refunded, you may consider doing that. Probably depends at least somewhat on how long you have had them. May not be feasible.
 
If moldy, I would gently wipe the mold off with a damp cloth, keep segregated from the other cigars. The boxes will likely  be overhumidified, and almost certanily will contain mold spores.
 
It's late, I'm tired. Not sure if I have two brain cells to rub together or not. But, at the moment what makes sense to me would be to wipe them down, don't return to moldy boxes. Place in large plastic zip locks with one or two boveda packs, place the whole bit in the wineador. If you get 65% boveda packs, that should be right for cubans and the boveda packs should slowly pull the extra moisture out.
 
What you want to avoid here is extreme change and rapid change. At the same time you want to keep the cigars with mold from contaminating the rest of your cigars.
 
Hope this helps.
 
ETA - to be clear - you want to avoid extreme change in both temperature and RH. And rapid change in both.
 
If you have on hand some empty boxes sitting around that aren't too dried out, you could put the cigars in there and the boxes should pull some of the extra humidity out. Problem is, I would think most empty boxes sitting around in the North East US might be too dried out and cause too much change too fast. The Boveda would probably be kinder and gentler to the cigars.  I can buy Boveda packs at the local B&M for $4.
 
I ordered some boveda 65% from Amazon. 6 of the cigars had mold in the foot so I threw them out. The others had very little, like faint white on the tips. I removed the boxes from the wineador and placed the cigars in ziplock bags. The boxes I threw out as well. Need to get a new box to place these cigars in with a 65% boveda pack.. If I place them in another box with the 65% boveda pack, would it be safe to place that box back into the wineador?
 
comptalk said:
. If I place them in another box with the 65% boveda pack, would it be safe to place that box back into the wineador?
Click to expand...
I would think so.
 
Should be fine if the box seals well. If you're concerned, just slip box and all in a large zip lock. Or, just double bag them in large zip locks and no box.
 
If most of your stuff is in boxes, that will help protect them from cross contamination.
 
My wife is allergic to mold, she says mold spores travel through air if there is enough air movement or something physically causes the spores to move.
 
FWIW, last box I had that got mold I tossed the box, wiped them down and double bagged them in two large zip locks. Just smoking them from the zip locks :)
 
One nice thing that a box does in a wineador does is that it acts somewhat like a humidity fly wheel and protects you cigars from humidity shifts.
 
Going to try that then. I checked all the other boxes, and they are all fine. Very strange. The humidor next to the wineador is fine. So, I know it isn't something I did. Still weird that the cigars came in with such high humidity. Here's hoping this works!!!
 
You're on the right track. Keep a close eye on those that you deemed ok. I'd also let the vendor know about this. 
 
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