When its too hot to order/ship?

[mychetboy]

Summer is hitting hard for where I live now. Daily highs will be 95-103 F on average from now until late September sometimes.

While I know that the ideal tempature for aging cigars is 65-70F is there a danger that cigars shipped outside this tempature is in the 90+F? I.E. will the cigars become overly hot/lose oils and humdity (even if they are vacumed sealed with shipped)?

I know wineries will never ship wines during very hot times of the year, so I was wonder if the same holds true for cigars and merchants shipping to hot climate locations?

-Rob

[Hafner32]

I am glad you asked this question. The last few boxes I have bought I have placed in my OLH figuring I will have them shipped in 6 months when it will be winter time here in the northeast U.S. Really interested to hear if a week or two in higher temps will have an overall effect on the cigars

[finecigar]

I've never had any problems with receiving shipments in the summertime heat- but I could guess its not the healthiest process for them. Am interested in other members experiences

[Drguano]

Smithy has been experimenting with a deep freezing process that he saw in some movie. It doesn't look like it went so well. This could be why he has not been seen in any recent videos reviews:

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Carbon-freezing?file=HanPopcicle.png

[JimC]

I freeze everything that comes in if the outsude temps are over 65. Double bag in gallon size ziplock then freeze for 5 days... one day in fridge... then straight to humidor. No problens so far.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

[Bartolomeo]

Cigars are a lot more resilient than you think, I have had deliveries to NC and FL in the hottest months and transit times of anywhere from 3-30 days w no issues, just my experience so far

Bart

[ramon_cojones]

no issues and doesn't stop me from ordering

[CUBANO]

I don't think you have to worry about freezing cigars, after they have been over a week in very high temperatures. Beetles would have hatch already, but is always good to be extra careful.

[Hollywood414]

I haven't had a problem with it. Some of my shipments were in transit over two weeks in July and August last year and they were just fine. Just give them some time in the humidor before you start smoking them, let them sit in a stable environment.

[1LegLance]

Well we have had 119 F days (48C) recently here and that has not stopped me from ordering...I usually just pop them into the humidor and wait a few days to smoke one...then based on that stick determine how much time they need.

Knock on my fake leg, but now trouble here.

[SCgarman]

Freeze them just to be safe. Why take a chance? I freeze EVERYTHING incoming, no matter Cuban or non cuban

[DrunkenMonkey]

Freeze them just to be safe. Why take a chance? I freeze EVERYTHING incoming, no matter Cuban or non cuban

Seems easier to me to just keep them cool.

[Ken Gargett]

given the temperatures in cuba, i can't imagine they only ship from there when the temp is 65 or less.

and wineries always tell you that, but i suspect that a heap of them ignore it. and of course, once it is with a distributor, it is out of their hands.

[Orion21]

It depends on where the product is coming from and where you live. Being in one of the hottest parts of North America I do not ship wine or cigars in the summer unless I just can't help myself. But I never ever ship wine. A heat damaged bottle of wine with a bulging cork is as sad to see as a box of cigars with a bunch of tiny holes. If you can't help ordering in the heat of the summer just properly freeze the cigars to minimize the risk of bad things happening.

[Skyfall]

The OP specifically asked about "cigars become overly hot/lose oils and humidity" in regard to shipping in the heat. All the replies about freezing will just make the issues in question worse. He wasn't worried about bugs any that I could tell, as much as loss of RH and Oils.

Freezing will continue to increase the loss of RH and Oils from cigars that you are already concerned about the loss during a hot shipment.

I personally try not to ship during the hot months .

I personally don't believe in freezing for any reason.

[Hemsworth]

I don't give this a second thought either.

[jimb2u]

Cigars are a lot more resilient than you think, I have had deliveries to NC and FL in the hottest months and transit times of anywhere from 3-30 days w no issues, just my experience so far

Bart

X2. Never any issues to NYC or south Florida

[mychetboy]

Awesome...I just did not want my nice CC to be shipped wishing they had a nice old Corona to cool them down!

[Blakes]

given the temperatures in cuba, i can't imagine they only ship from there when the temp is 65 or less.

You beat me to it Ken, this is exactly what I was thinking.

In regards to freezing cigars, I think it'll do more harm than good... it seems over the top to me.

Sort of like washing your hands after every time you touch a door handle, just in case of "ze bugs".

[PaulP]

Never had an issue with shipping in summer or with freezing cigars.

[Smallclub]

I have ordered from shops in Andalusia (sub-desertic climate) in the middle of the summer, never had an issue…

[Fuzz]

given the temperatures in cuba, i can't imagine they only ship from there when the temp is 65 or less.

and wineries always tell you that, but i suspect that a heap of them ignore it. and of course, once it is with a distributor, it is out of their hands.

Damn straight. I can tell you without a doubt that the majors do not use temperature control for the majority of their wine. It was only a about 4-5 yrs ago when one of them put in a temperature controlled section in their Melb warehouse, but only for their cellar release program wines. And even that stock will still be sent on an ambient truck in the middle of summer, to bake for a few hours if you're lucky, or if not, a few days.

[SCgarman]

You beat me to it Ken, this is exactly what I was thinking.

In regards to freezing cigars, I think it'll do more harm than good... it seems over the top to me.

Sort of like washing your hands after every time you touch a door handle, just in case of "ze bugs".

Freezing does no harm whatsoever. Maybe where you are the temps stay cool in the summer but where I live it is 90- 100 degrees farenheit all summer long for months. I cannot afford to set the AC in my house at 65F otherwise the electric bill would be staggering. If you ever have a beetle infestation and lose dozens of cigars, you might rethink freezing. It convinced me.

[thechenman]

As Ken stated...Cuba gets hot...damn hot and humid. Cigars are rolled in that heat, sit in that heat, stored in that heat and shipped in that heat. I don't give the heat a second thought when ordering cigars. Granted I'm in the northeast and not the southwest U.S., but I wouldn't concern myself.

Bart brought up a great point as well. Cigars are much more resilient than man think. They'll survive. Just give them time to properly acclimate to your humidor before smoking.