My first Mongrel

[Mattb82]

I'm a huge fan of Coro and have a nice stash of aged/fresh currently. Have a 15 pack one year old Tubos in rotating in to give the others some rest. First two of the tubos were great. Almonds, honey, citrus, just great flavor. Not necessarily as smooth as they are with time but very good with some rough edges. Tonight I light one up and bam. Starts out with the hints of those flavors and then the harshness sets in with some bitter on the side. I've never tasted ammonia so I don't know what it tastes like but I'm guessing this was a good example. If I'm not enjoying a cigar I have to toss it. 

Sound like typical fresh ammonia to you guys? I can guarantee it's not a humidity or storage issue. It's been at 68 degrees and 60%rh for over a month 

[Bohn007]

Sounds like ammonia. From what I understand, tubos age more slowly than cabs too. 

[rxavier1979]

1 hour ago, Mattb82 said:

Sound like typical fresh ammonia to you guys? I can guarantee it's not a humidity or storage issue. It's been at 68 degrees and 60%rh for over a month 

I've always heard people say that a young cigar in their sick period may have a harsh ammonia taste/odor as well but I have no idea what that tastes like. Weird as it sounds, it would be nice to be able to smoke a cigar that someone says has that flavor to help identify that as the issue instead of just wondering if that is what I'm tasting or if it's just a bad cigar...

One of these days I'll be unlucky enough to find out I suppose. Maybe on my first trip to Cuba I'll intentionally smoke a fresh rolled large RG custom roll about a month after it was rolled just to know for sure.

[SMQQKIN]

Take the caps off & store them in a stable 65 rh at 70 degrees. Give them 6 months to a year & bet they improve substantially. 

[Mattb82]

@SMQQKINI prefer a lower RH for a better smoking experience in my storage for short term ready to smoke cigars. My long term storage is 65/65. I have no doubt these will improve although I don't think I would ever remove the caps in long term storage. My main point was trying to figure out if what I experienced is the ammonia people speak of. 

[Fugu]

19 minutes ago, Mattb82 said:

I don't think I would ever remove the caps in long term storage.

Wouldn't do that either.

But it is always a good idea to store a cigar out of the tube for a few days prior to smoking. I almost never smoke straight from the tubo. Always give them a few days of rest in the open. More time with younger cigars less time with older ones. Yours are absolute freshies, so the experience doesn't come by much surprise.

[TheMonk]

Wouldn't do that either.

But it is always a good idea to store a cigar out of the tube for a few days prior to smoking. I almost never smoke straight from the tubo. Always give them a few days of rest in the open. More time with younger cigars less time with older ones. Yours are absolute freshies, so the experience doesn't come by much surprise.

This. And fresh cigars in tubos always need more time, as the reduced oxygen contact means that the overall aging process is definitely slowed down.

[Mattb82]

Agreed, I always remove them immediately and save the tubes for transport 

[foursite12]

Two of the more off-putting bad cigar flavors are ammonia and soap. Encounter either one and you won't have to ask if that is what you're tasting. I can't tell you about tasting honey or driftwood or describe which Starbucks flavors are present in a cigar but ammonia is unmistakable, even to a half dead palate like mine. Give the cigars a breath of fresh air outside the can, like others have suggested, and that stuff will dissipate.

[SloppyJ]

I got a box of Du Prince when everyone was going on about them. Tried one the day it came in. Worst cigar I've ever had. I don't know if it was ammonia or what, but good god. So bad I haven't tried another. It's been a few months too. Whatever it was, it didn't come close to even resembling a cigar. 

[Bohn007]

7 minutes ago, SloppyJ said:

I got a box of Du Prince when everyone was going on about them. Tried one the day it came in. Worst cigar I've ever had. I don't know if it was ammonia or what, but good god. So bad I haven't tried another. It's been a few months too. Whatever it was, it didn't come close to even resembling a cigar. 

I try to never smoke anything until I have had it in my humidor for at least 30 days. Some guys wait as long as 60. It could be a bad cigar too but I would give them time to first aclimate and then to perhaps age a little too if it's a young cigar. 

[SloppyJ]

5 minutes ago, Bohn007 said:

I try to never smoke anything until I have had it in my humidor for at least 30 days. Some guys wait as long as 60. It could be a bad cigar too but I would give them time to first aclimate and then to perhaps age a little too if it's a young cigar. 

I'm sure you know how it goes. At the time my stock wasn't as diverse and I was really excited to get something new. That specific Du Prince was the cigar that broke my spirit. 

 

I haven't smoked a cigar that hasn't been in my humidor for at least 60 days from that point forward. I even have a cab of RASS that I got a couple months ago that I haven't touched. When I first started smoking CCs, I went an inch deep and a mile wide. Meaning that I ordered a little bit of everything and I smoked them as fast as possible. It was a new experience. As a self admitted member of Camp W, self control isn't my strong suit. Because of smoking sticks that didn't receive the rest they needed, I wrote off many cigars. I'm finally starting to come full circle and revisit many of those. RASS is my best example of this situation. Smoked 6-7 out of 10 within a month. Didn't like them one bit. Found them rolling around in a singles SLB I have and tried one over a year later...... one of the best cigars I've had. That's what prompted my purchase of a cab knowing full and well that I probably don't want to smoke many of them for 1-2yrs.

[Bohn007]

5 minutes ago, SloppyJ said:

As a self admitted member of Camp W, self control isn't my strong suit. Because of smoking sticks that didn't receive the rest they needed, I wrote off many cigars. I'm finally starting to come full circle and revisit many of those. RASS is my best example of this situation. Smoked 6-7 out of 10 within a month. Didn't like them one bit. Found them rolling around in a singles SLB I have and tried one over a year later...... one of the best cigars I've had. That's what prompted my purchase of a cab knowing full and well that I probably don't want to smoke many of them for 1-2yrs.

Love the RASS, I spent the coin also and got a 50 cabinet of the 2008 RA Gran Robusto. A mind blowing cigar IMHO. That being said, there are cigars that are good to go when they are young, like the Monte Petite Edmundo, that can easily be smoked right out of the gate. The RASS, IMO, is an in between cigar that doesn't need a lot of years but 2-4 can really make a difference. Then there are others that need even longer. I have some Cohibas and Trinidads from the '90's that are amazing. Buy yourself some coolidors and dig yourself in for the long haul. You will be rewarded for the patience. And if it makes you feel better, remember that if you use the right credit card, you will get miles that can be used for that first trip to Cuba. Yep, I am an enabler. 

[SloppyJ]

^^ That's wisdom right there! 

 

I've found a couple sticks that I like that don't need much age. Monte 4s and BPCs seem to always deliver. As long as I keep a box of those on deck, I can weather the storm. The petite edmundo has peaked my interest but i've never heard that they're great with little to no down time. Congrats, you just pulled me back in! Damnit Bohn!