Restore some Monte As?

[namithajay]

HI fellow FOHrs. Any good tips on how to restore some Monte As? A friend of mine gave me a box with 10 (15 were smoked) but they have not been kept in a humidor for may be 2 years or so. Wrappers are intact. Have been reading many methods...just thought I'll ask. Thanks

[ajgagnon]

I would just keep them in the box and put the box in your humidor. Bring them back slowly. It may be, depending on the humidity where you live, that some of the oils have been driven off if they got bone dry. But if you're lucky, in 6 months or so you'll have something to smoke and write back about!

[SethG]

I'd imagine the oils are probably gone, sadly. but if there's anything there then Atchbo's advice is good on restoration.

[Puros Y Vino]

Here's what worked for me.

List of materials.

Airproof tupperware oblong in shape preferably and cleaned out of any odor.

ziploc bag(s)

sponges cut into little cubes 1inch * 1inch (roughly)

Instructions. (in order of execution)

Cut two long strips of dry sponge in which to rest the cigars on inside the tupperware.

With a sharp knife, poke holes into the ziploc bag (each hole roughly an inch away from the others in all directions)

soak the sponge cubes in distilled water, squeeze them out of excess water. Put one in each corner of the tupperware container.

Place the cigars into the ziploc, seal it and enclose it in the tupperware. If you have a mini hygrometer to spare, toss in in too.

Now that you've got the little package prepped. You'll want to see RH in the 60 range. Patience is of the essence. You're going to nurse this for 3-6 months, checking every week to ensure the humidity doesn't rise too high above 60 or fall below.

The idea is to raise it slowly over the weeks. Rotate the cigars every week too about a 1/4 turn.

Keep the package out of the sunlight, check your readings, adjust your water levels in the sponges. In 3-6 months you'll see results. The cigars will regain their "sponginess".

This method worked for me for a couple of Romeo # 2's and a bone dry Joya Di Nicaragua Antonao. All cigars in question came out of the process for the better.

For a box of Monte A's. This is definitely worth doing!

Good luck

[CanuckSARTech]

I'd fully agree with Bundwallah's post also.

Bring them back very slowly, at only about then mentioned 60% humidity (even as low as 55%) for the first 3 or 4 months. Once they're stable and coming back nicely at that humidity, then put them into your 65-68% humidor and leave them alone there for another 3 months or so.

It's a long and arduous 6 month process, but they can be brought back. Flavours may be muted due to oil evaporation, but you should still have a nicely smokable product.

[rallones]

I'd fully agree with Bundwallah's post also.

Bring them back very slowly, at only about then mentioned 60% humidity (even as low as 55%) for the first 3 or 4 months. Once they're stable and coming back nicely at that humidity, then put them into your 65-68% humidor and leave them alone there for another 3 months or so.

I store my smokes at around 62% and they smoke very well. Some, like me, prefer to store Habanos in the low 60s rather than the high 60s because they feel the cigars show better at lower humidity levels. If your tastes run to the lower humidity level, I wouldn't put them in anything above 63% at any point before I smoked them.

[CanuckSARTech]

I store my smokes at around 62% and they smoke very well. Some, like me, prefer to store Habanos in the low 60s rather than the high 60s because they feel the cigars show better at lower humidity levels. If your tastes run to the lower humidity level, I wouldn't put them in anything above 63% at any point before I smoked them.

True, granted. I mentioned that number, as that's my general range, but yes, preferences vary.

Either way, for the original poster, I would "step-up" the moisture level gradually over two stages to let them slowly acclimatize and restore. That's what's worked for me anyways.

Cheers, and let us know in due time how it goes.

[namithajay]

Thank u all. Very good insight. Shall keep u posted.

[thechenman]

Good luck with restoring those Monte As. It would be a shame to just let them go. Truly a great cigar if you have the time. They are great on leisurely vacations when the kids are occupied for long stretches of time.

[mm12]

They might not even be in that bad shape. How do they look/feel? I know in my house, the relative humidity pretty much never goes outside the range of 55% to 75%, and it stays in mid-upper 60s like 85% of the time. If they haven't totally dried out or burst because of wild swings, You might not have anything to worry about. Maybe seal a couple in a small air-tight container with an accurate hydrometer for a few days and see where they are at now. You might be able to just stick these in the humidor and not worry about them.