Humid days and smoking.

[Duxnutz]

Humidity has been hanging round the 80% mark for a few days and I've been reaching for the non Cubans instinctively as I just don't get much out of them past 75 or so percent RH outside.

Was wondering who else does this, if you have a cut off at a certain % or if you just more aggressively dry box or what have you.

[earthson]

I go with aggressive dryboxing if the cigar is youngish - often as long as 4-8 weeks.

I tend to reach for some of the more mundane cigars in my stash when weather is iffy, too - if it gets too overwhelming and I am not enjoying sitting out there, I don't want to pitch one of my favorites or top-tier smokes that cannot be replaced!

[PapaDisco]

I spend a lot of time in Saigon and still haven't cracked the code on consistently dealing with high heat and humidity. I've tried aggressively dry boxing, only to get wonky burns from the wrapper humidifying while the filler stays dry; to letting the cigars 'wet box' to the ambient environment (which yields better burns but smokes that easily get harsh if you don't smoke them slow).

Some random wins: Sancho Panza Bellicosas do fine and maintain their great taste. So to do Partagas E2's, although they are sensitive to smoking too fast. Punch Punch keep their flavors but swell up into consistently tight draws (maybe that's what helps the flavor: it makes it burn slow?). I've had very, very few churchills do well (don't understand why that vitola), PC's always draw well in the humidity but are hit or miss with the humidity harshness. To me it seems like Epi 2's always suffer but PSD4's come out o.k. for the most part.

Anyway, still haven't solved this problem, but I keep trying!

[planetary]

Average monthly RH in Cuba seems to hover around 75-80%, with many days over 90%. One would naively expect that CC would do just fine in those conditions?

[PapaDisco]

Average monthly RH in Cuba seems to hover around 75-80%, with many days over 90%. One would naively expect that CC would do just fine in those conditions?

Exactly. So if they're rolled in that condition, why is it such a struggle to get them to perform in 90/90? It's a mystery to me. They do absolutely great in cooler, 50rH conditions (like San Francisco), or in a cigar lounge.

[Fugu]

Exactly. So if they're rolled in that condition, why is it such a struggle to get them to perform in 90/90? It's a mystery to me. They do absolutely great in cooler, 50rH conditions (like San Francisco), or in a cigar lounge.

Yes, it is a mystery. In particular, since the absolute amount of water in the air drawn through the cigar is only a fraction (I'd almost say negligible) compared to the amount of water coming from the tobacco and being generated by the combustion itself.

But still, although I am rarely facing very high humidity values in summer, I tend to agree and find it more difficult to smoke in high rH conditions. Haven't enough empirical experience with that to say with certainty. Perhaps just incidental.

[SipIt]

I guess I don't normally smoke in the middle of the day when it's that hot. I either have one in the morning or once the sun starts going down. I do this only for a more comfortable setting and not a well performed cigar, but from the sounds of it I'm killing two birds with one stone.

[El Presidente]

When smoking in a really humid environment, I will generally smoke only petit corona/corona/corona gorda.

I cheat. I clip the cigars for that day and put them in the refrigerator for an hour or more.

What I find is that I will finish the cigar before the high levels of moisture in the air start playing havoc with it.

[PapaDisco]

The Ramon Allones Superiores do well in the heat and humidity. Had two last night and two today (2014, ULA IIRC), they'll do a bit better if you're indoors of course, but even out on the deck here in Saigon they tasted great, smoked just a bit tighter and required few relights.

[PigFish]

Yes, it is a mystery. In particular, since the absolute amount of water in the air drawn through the cigar is only a fraction (I'd almost say negligible) compared to the amount of water coming from the tobacco and being generated by the combustion itself.

But still, although I am rarely facing very high humidity values in summer, I tend to agree and find it more difficult to smoke in high rH conditions. Haven't enough empirical experience with that to say with certainty. Perhaps just incidental.

I have measured the foot of a cigar to temperatures exceeding 800˚F. Water vapor is not going to bond to anything at that temp!

Don't let your cigar sit around, choose shorter smokes and keep them hotter (smoke more actively), and don't worry about it!

-Piggy

[Fugu]

Exactly, Ray, so the amount of water "entering" through the ember is --> none.

The amount of water generated by the ember during drawing (i.e. evaporation of hygroscopically bound plus generated water from combustion) is a multiple of the concentration in the surrounding air. The moisture acting from the inside of the cigar is >>> moisture acting from the outside onto the cigar.

So, how at all could the rH during a one- to two-hour smoke affect the smoking performance I ask?!

[PapaDisco]

Exactly, Ray, so the amount of water "entering" through the ember is --> none.

The amount of water generated by the ember during drawing (i.e. evaporation of hygroscopically bound plus generated water from combustion) is a multiple of the concentration in the surrounding air. The moisture acting from the inside of the cigar is >>> moisture acting from the outside onto the cigar.

So, how at all could the rH during a one- to two-hour smoke affect the smoking performance I ask?!

Beats the heck outta me guys, but I have identical boxes in San Francisco and Saigon, and the ones in Saigon have a higher fail rate and three common failure modes (if they fail): 1. Draw is too tight, 2. 'Tunneling' i.e. the filler burns faster than the wrapper (this usually starts around 1/4 to 1/3 in if it's going to happen), 3. Bitterness of flavor. The bitterness, I speculate, is coming from either over humidification OR smoking too fast (Ray is right that keeping the fire stoked seems to help with humidity and I do puff more frequently in high humidity, but that can also cause one to smoke it too fast and also create a less pleasant experience).

For me, the most significant of these is the Tunneling, simply because I almost never, ever see it in San Francisco but see it in quite a lot of my cigars in Saigon.

I agree with you guys that it seems counterintuitive that these effects could happen so quickly, and also, think of those guys that like to dip their sticks in a glass of water first, they're not reporting the same struggle to smoke a cigar. Even more interesting, is that the struggle to keep a stick lit really gets tough in the final third. Wazzup wit dat?? It's no problem in the beginning, but quite a problem in the end.

I think I'm going to try El Pres' refrigerator trick next. Just going from my 65% humi to smoking isn't doing the trick currently.

[cigaraholic]

I'm running a test right now....My Sir Winston this morning did tunnel a bit....

[El Presidente]

For me, the most significant of these is the Tunneling, simply because I almost never, ever see it in San Francisco but see it in quite a lot of my cigars in Saigon.

High humidity is going to affect the wrapper first. I suspect that is where the tunneling is occuring as the filler ends up burning faster than the wrapper.

Just my thoughts

[polarbear]

I've made the choice to not smoke CCs for the wetter half of the year (usually 6 months)

Anything over a PC tends to turn bitter and harsh by halfway if smoked during the wet season up here.

I instead reach for NCs during the wet months while continuing to purchase CCs

This allows all my new CCs to spend at least 6 months in my humidor before I start to think about burning them

[JohnS]

Beats the heck outta me guys, but I have identical boxes in San Francisco and Saigon, and the ones in Saigon have a higher fail rate and three common failure modes (if they fail): 1. Draw is too tight, 2. 'Tunneling' i.e. the filler burns faster than the wrapper (this usually starts around 1/4 to 1/3 in if it's going to happen), 3. Bitterness of flavor. The bitterness, I speculate, is coming from either over humidification OR smoking too fast (Ray is right that keeping the fire stoked seems to help with humidity and I do puff more frequently in high humidity, but that can also cause one to smoke it too fast and also create a less pleasant experience).

For me, the most significant of these is the Tunneling, simply because I almost never, ever see it in San Francisco but see it in quite a lot of my cigars in Saigon.

I agree with you guys that it seems counterintuitive that these effects could happen so quickly, and also, think of those guys that like to dip their sticks in a glass of water first, they're not reporting the same struggle to smoke a cigar. Even more interesting, is that the struggle to keep a stick lit really gets tough in the final third. Wazzup wit dat?? It's no problem in the beginning, but quite a problem in the end.

I think I'm going to try El Pres' refrigerator trick next. Just going from my 65% humi to smoking isn't doing the trick currently.

You've summed up my smoking experience last night. I had a corona gorda cigar, which I've only had great smoking experiences with lately, tunnel on me, I had to re-light multiple times and yes it went bitter because I couldn't let it rest long enough without extinguishing. I pitched it in the last third, and tried again with a minuto cigar, this was much better, but only if I took short draws and did not let it rest too long. I still pitched it halfway through the last third. I woke up this morning to a slightly bitter taste in my mouth...this is upsetting as I enjoy waking up to a pleasant aftertaste after smoking a cigar at night.

Sydney has had unseasonally high humidity and high daily temperatures for the last month. We've had above 26°C for 34 days in a row, without any rain either. What's amazing is that there is 5 days left of this weather. In the same time, most nights have been above 20°C, the temperature where human beings struggle to sleep in. I guess you'd be used to this in Saigon. Last night was 27-28°C and 90%RH. I'm looking forward to trying the same cigars from the same box again next week to compare, when the smoking conditions will be much more favourable.

When smoking in a really humid environment, I will generally smoke only petit corona/corona/corona gorda.

I cheat. I clip the cigars for that day and put them in the refrigerator for an hour or more.

What I find is that I will finish the cigar before the high levels of moisture in the air start playing havoc with it.

I guess I instinctively agreed last night with the vitolas as I put my churchill away for another time. I'll try the refrigerator next time.

[cigaraholic]

I did as much research as I could on St Lucia......25 cigars in 10 days. I brought them from the Bay Area and they smoked like a dream. I would imagine you get less plunged cigars because they did get a little soft. I think I need to go back and recheck.....

[stigmata]

bali and cigars with a villa and a private pool .. end of rainy season..

not worried.. did it all before...

just smoke it...