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Posted

Hello All,

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend. I'm outside in the subzero cold smoking a JLS4 Asian-Pacific RE. It's not very impressive, quite static and no great flavors. That is beside the point.

I'm heading down to Mexico for a week in February and was planning on taking a box of smokes (assorted marcas and vitolas) for my buddies and I to smoke while our wives are off shopping. I currently keep all my sticks at 65/65 and dry box for two days at 40RH and 65F. This seems to reduce burn issues and allows me to not have to put so much effort into keeping my smoke lit.

As many of you know, Mexico has higher humidities (was 95%RH when I was there last June) so I'd like to keep my sticks at the right humidity so I can just grab one and smoke. My plan was to take down a box with a Boveda pack inside, but the problem is that the lowest RH Boveda is 62 (that I can find).

Do any of you dry box on vacation or do you merely take travel humidors or buy your smokes locally? It's miserable smoking up here in the dead of winter (oh wait, it's still fall) and I really want the best smoking experience possible while on my vacation.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Tom

(Hopefully this post doesn't fall into the tl;dr category)

Posted

Rob taught me a thing 2 days ago. Toss em in the fridge sealed in a bag for a few hours and they draw much better.

Yet to try it... But this is his 28th trip down so I trust the git.

Supporting Information: Do only if necessary. I rarely see the need even when I'm in super humid places...

  • Like 1
Posted

I've tossed sticks in the fridge here and there...sometimes works, sometimes not. If you keep your cigars stored properly, there should be little to no reason for dry boxing aside from wanting to smoke a drier cigar which I have no idea why anybody would want to do that.

  • Like 1
Posted

I've got a travel humi that holds 6 robustos or so. I've found that after a few days in there, my cigars are usually perfectly conditioned. No need for Boveda, especially if the humidity is around 95%

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Posted

We live on the Alabama gulf coast, so we're used to dealing with very high humidity levels such as what you'll have in Mexico. If you're going to be staying in an air conditioned house or condo, your humidity level will most likely be in the 55% range inside, so the sticks will effectively be dry boxing. I can tell you from lot's of experience, however, if you're going to be smoking those same sticks outside in 90% humidity, their burn and taste will change very quickly, and I mean while you're smoking the cigar. Also, if you'r flying and will be packing the sticks in your carry on, the 0% humidity levels inside the cabin will kill the cigars, so be sure to put them inside a freezer zip lock and put in a 65% boveda pack until you reach your destination.

  • Like 1
Posted

I'm another who would not add any kind of moisture (no humidity packs for me). What I typically do is add dry desiccant - beads or crystal kitty litter without wetting them. I have an aluminum churchill tube which I drilled holes in and filled with litter. They also make "humi tubes".

A cedar box or travel humi (which hold humidity quite well) with a tube or two should help. Have fun smile.png

P.S. where I've been in Mexico, the climate was far more desert than tropical.

  • Like 1
Posted

If you get your sticks to a good humidity,put them into 5 finger bags or ziplocks,without any humipacks.

The plastic will keep them for days and also keep out odors,and protect them from damage.

Experiment with this before you go.

A tip for smoking in extremes of heat or cold......wet the wrapper before lighting.

It wakes the wrapper up and gives it some flexibility when the whole cigar expands due to heat or in cold when the temp would dry the wrapper and make it split.

Generally this works on all wrappers I have seen except Cameroon,smoke those indoors or in spring/fall........

  • Like 1
Posted

We live on the Alabama gulf coast, so we're used to dealing with very high humidity levels such as what you'll have in Mexico. If you're going to be staying in an air conditioned house or condo, your humidity level will most likely be in the 55% range inside, so the sticks will effectively be dry boxing. I can tell you from lot's of experience, however, if you're going to be smoking those same sticks outside in 90% humidity, their burn and taste will change very quickly, and I mean while you're smoking the cigar. Also, if you'r flying and will be packing the sticks in your carry on, the 0% humidity levels inside the cabin will kill the cigars, so be sure to put them inside a freezer zip lock and put in a 65% boveda pack until you reach your destination.

Good advice here. When I go to Central America, I leave my sticks out on the shelf to acclimate to the ambient conditions. Depending on the humidity, It might take a couple of days, but it's way better than lighting up a dry stick and turning it into a harsh smouldering mess within minutes.

Posted

I have an aluminum churchill tube which I drilled holes in and filled with litter Choose your own humidification source.

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Posted

We live on the Alabama gulf coast, so we're used to dealing with very high humidity levels such as what you'll have in Mexico. If you're going to be staying in an air conditioned house or condo, your humidity level will most likely be in the 55% range inside, so the sticks will effectively be dry boxing. I can tell you from lot's of experience, however, if you're going to be smoking those same sticks outside in 90% humidity, their burn and taste will change very quickly, and I mean while you're smoking the cigar. Also, if you'r flying and will be packing the sticks in your carry on, the 0% humidity levels inside the cabin will kill the cigars, so be sure to put them inside a freezer zip lock and put in a 65% boveda pack until you reach your destination.

Great advice. I'll definitely do that. Thanks!

Posted

If you're going to be staying in an air conditioned house or condo, your humidity level will most likely be in the 55% range inside, so the sticks will effectively be dry boxing.

I follow this pretty closely! I've even taken them into a restaurant with me when we're out for the day to avoid leaving them in any parked car where temperature will skyrocket.

  • Like 1
Posted

Interest comment on the ac. I went Cambodia last year and took 10 cigars. I was there during a cold spell with low humidity (mid to high 80's).

I found cigars smoke much different than back home in February taste wise but burned well. They were stored in my travel humidor in an air conditioned room but the ac only runs with the key in the light switch.

Posted

Travel humi keeps the smokes at your preffered rh if kept in the shade to avoid too much temp variance.

I typically bring about 100 sticks down to the Dominican Republic each year. Smoke them either on the beach, in the mountains or inside friends houses. As long as the humidity is not crazy high and the sticks are kept in the shade, they maintain themsleves well inside the travelhumi. Of course I keep a heartfelt tube to guard against Rh fluctuatiins resulting from the difference in temperature..

Posted

I typically bring about 100 sticks down to the Dominican Republic each year. Smoke them either on the beach, in the mountains or inside friends houses.

Finally! A reason for me to go to the Dominican Republic. wink.png

Why do you head down there when Cuba is such a similar price!?

  • Like 1
Posted

Just got back from the DR last month, brought almost 30 sticks in my travel humi. I had no burn problems, our room was air conditioned so I think that helped.

Cigars seems to taste so much better when your on vacation!

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