Mad 50

[Rehman]

The H.Upmann Magnum 50 was one of my favourite cigars, so I ordered a cabinet of 25. The box was delivered, with CCzar's usual efficiency and goodwill, a month ago. I have since had one a week. I've just discarded my fifth from this box. Each and every one so far has burned horribly. They tunnel. They canoe. Half the wrapper burns one way, the other half another. I drain my lighter correcting burns on every draw. The flavours become confused and charry. They are mockeries of the cigar I once enjoyed so much.

But oh, it's only been a month. They need time to settle, to age. So I shall give them what time I have to give, rather than hurl the remainder off the nearest cliff. Besides, I have many other cigars to smoke, including sufficient stocks of the non-Cubans that have never, ever, not once, given me such burn problems.

But already my feelings towards the Mag 50 have changed much for the worse. They mock me now, so colorado-rosy in my humidor, gleaming with double-banded promise unfulfilled. I view them no longer with eager anticipation but doubt and suspicion bordering on loathing. Such is the effect they now have on my emotions. Just as a good cigar can make me feel whole, balanced and at peace with the world, so can a bad one make me understand why my people gave the word "amok" to the English language.

[brazoseagle]

That sucks, hate to hear that!

[laficion]

Each and every one so far has burned horribly. They tunnel. They canoe. Half the wrapper burns one way, the other half another. I drain my lighter correcting burns on every draw. The flavours become confused and charry. .

Sorry to hear that Rehman, but a good cigar friend of mine also got a cab of these

and handed me 3 saying, here let me know what you think.

OMG, I smoked them a few days later and they were all 3 really disgusting, bad burn,

the ash almost becoming charcole hard, tunneling, bad taste etc etc.

My friend was REALLY pissed off

As for me, a very sad experience indeed.

[tmac77]

Very odd indeed. I have smoked through a cab of these over the summer and found them to be a delightful smoke. No burn issues either.

[Puros Y Vino]

I have two cabs of Mag50's. Not a dud in the 20 odd I've smoked from both. Post your box code Rehman, maybe some other FOH's can check if they have the same code and are experiencing the same issues.

[Rehman]

Box code: MOS NOV 09

I can only say I'm glad your mileage may vary - as indeed had mine, until these.

[cigaraholic]

Bummer

Not what I want to hear about a box that I have to.........MOS NOV09

It'll be a few years till I get to mine, maybe they put all the bad rolls in one box

[matt14]

If they are tuneling and canoeìng they could be over humidified, would let them settle a while longer , maybe you could try dryboxing a coule for a few days

[anacostiakat]

Prayers sent brother. I had a box of 09's that I smoked. Not as bad as your experience by any means. Have a cab of 08's that tried fine. Keeping my fingers crossed. . .

[Lastroll]

If they are tuneling and canoeìng they could be over humidified, would let them settle a while longer , maybe you could try dryboxing a coule for a few days

That was my 1st thought. I've had the same problem, but after a day or 2 dryboxing, they were fine.

[semery74]

What is the humidity you are smoking at? This time of year I have to turn on the dehumidifier to bring the humidity down to 60 or 70 percent. Anything more then I'm relighting at least twice and the taste is Jammy or artificially full bodied.

[Rehman]

Humidity 65%-70%. I did not think my storage was a problem, because they share that humidor with their smaller cousins, the Mag46 (not a scale model of the Mag50, though a genetic relative; a cigar in its own right, and smoking fine).

But yes, this is my only recourse now - to give them time, time, time. Leave them be, let them rest, don't even look at them; indeed, forget their very existence until some day in the unforeseeable future when perhaps they will burst forth in greater glory than they have ever known...

[CigarmanTim]

age isn't going to help a tunnel

[PuffDaddie]

Have a ten box,smoke two no problem so far.

[MoneyPit]

I had the exact same problem with a box of Mag 46's. I too had some of the same thoughts and dry boxed a few for 5 days. Unfortunately, I continued to have tunneling and burn issues.

Sometimes you just get a poorly constructed cigar.

[ptrthgr8]

Box code: MOS NOV 09

I can only say I'm glad your mileage may vary - as indeed had mine, until these.

That's a bummer. I got a cabinet of these smokes a couple of months ago and have smoked 5 of them already - each one was pretty much perfect. The code on mine is MOA NOV09. I've not experienced any tunneling or uneven burn. I'm sure they'll do even better with time, but I was definitely not disappointed.

Cheers,

~ Greg ~

[cellinisart]

age isn't going to help a tunnel

100% correct. Next time your Habano tastes bad, break the ash and look at the foot. I see those holes in at least 50% of my sticks. Mainly Cubans.

[Rehman]

Rehab underway. I'll get the humidity down to 60-65%, give it a few weeks, and report back on the results.

[Guest rob]

As well as that - try getting a few singles down to 55% -60% for a month or so..... and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

[davidl]

Rehman,

Just to elaborate on what others have already said: I have been having similar issues, and suspect that it is due to the fact that the cigars may be over humidified when they are shipped. It's not so much the RH in your humi, but the time the cigar needs to fully adjust to the RH in your humi, and to fully even out. This may be why Rob recommends to lay the cigars down for at least a month before smoking them.