Is this typical with Monte #2's?

[clutch5150]

Over the years I've noticed something with the #2's none of my CC's demonstrate to this extent and that is humidity level to keep the wrapper moist enough without being brittle vs. most of my many other CC's. I keep two Aristocrat humidors in the house, one cooled controlled, and the other without, but both humidity controlled.  Both humidors at 62-64% rel. humidity levels and I keep my aged Montes in the cooled unit and the other keeps the newer stock. In these cases, both Monte wrappers are always brittle and begs for more humidity it appears. This also a big factor when I smoke outside, I live in the S/W USA when the overall humidity is very dry. After just a few minutes, the Monte wrapper gets terrible at the halfway point with 10-15 minutes of smoking, Still the initial wrapper at 62-64% humidity is too brittle it appears to begin with.

So I setup up a stand alone humidor and setup the humidity to run at 72% and the Monte's are now PERFECT and can smoke leisurely without flaking.  Is there something specific in the Monte #2 blend that is unique vs. most other CC?  Sorry if this has been talked about before, but it's been a long time question I've had. Thanks!

[avaldes]

IMO it depends on your definition of "aged." I think it takes a couple years for cigars to acclimate to a lower humidity like 63%. So you may be experiencing the wrappers being at a lower humidity than the filler. So the filler expands and causes splits.

Over 5-10 years, that humidity will become more uniform through the cigar and the 63% cigars should smoke great!

[clutch5150]

6 minutes ago, avaldes said:

IMO it depends on your definition of "aged." I think it takes a couple years for cigars to acclimate to a lower humidity like 63%. So you may be experiencing the wrappers being at a lower humidity than the filler. So the filler expands and causes splits.

Over 5-10 years, that humidity will become more uniform through the cigar and the 63% cigars should smoke great!

Agree with your reasoning, but not sure why the Monte#2's are the only smokes I have showing the most issues in this regard. Thank you.

[avaldes]

There is a lot of filler tobacco in a #2. Takes a long time to dry out.

[clutch5150]

3 minutes ago, avaldes said:

There is a lot of filler tobacco in a #2. Takes a long time to dry out.

Thanks, I have 2 boxes, 2008/2011 and 2 boxes 2015, they both have the same characteristics.

[topdiesel]

An interesting experiment would be the rinse method.  I read about it here a year or so ago and this might be a good time to try it.  Have you ever rinsed your cigar?  I have not, but what you are explaining might be resolved with a little rinse. 

?

[clutch5150]

I have not tried any rinse method, never heard of it.

I think I will keep the Monte's 2's I have at 72%. Interestingly, the draw at 72% vs. 62-64% has not changed, as mentioned they are perfect at this rel. humidity which most my other smokes effect the draw and other matters at 72%. I was just curious if others have noticed this with their Monte #2's?

[luckme10]

 

Washing the cigars doesn't sound like the worst idea. After all, look at the hands that make them.

[OB1]

46 minutes ago, luckme10 said:

 

Washing the cigars doesn't sound like the worst idea. After all, look at the hands that make them.

That's why I drink two gallons of hard liquor with every smoke. 

 

[JohnS]

@clutch5150, to answer your original question, no this is not typical of Montecristo No.2's otherwise there would be a well-documented thread on this topic on our board by now. This doesn't negate your experience with Montecristo No.2s, rather, I think the reason/s why this is happening to you could be a combination of environmental factors and the cigar itself. I think I need to have a think about, that is, mull over it to come up with a better response.

[Mattb82]

4 hours ago, avaldes said:

IMO it depends on your definition of "aged." I think it takes a couple years for cigars to acclimate to a lower humidity like 63%. So you may be experiencing the wrappers being at a lower humidity than the filler. So the filler expands and causes splits.

Over 5-10 years, that humidity will become more uniform through the cigar and the 63% cigars should smoke great!

I don't think it takes years for a cigar to adjust to humidity. I think we all say to let cigars acclimatize to everyone humidor for 90 days when received is because that's around the timeframe it takes. I agree with you wholeheartedly in that some cigars take longer than others, I just think it takes a fraction of the time your talking about. 

[Smokin Joe]

I keep mine around 62% and it's not something I've found with Monte 2s.

[garbandz]

On ‎10‎/‎6‎/‎2017 at 4:10 PM, clutch5150 said:

the Monte wrapper gets terrible at the halfway point with 10-15 minutes of smoking,

if this is true you are smoking waaaayyyyy too fast, could add to your problem.

Have you checked your hydrometer for accuracy?

sounds like wetting your wrapper could be a solution as well. I do it and have done for many years.

Once your Monte 2s get to the full 72% you may find you have another problem.

[vladdraq]

17 hours ago, clutch5150 said:

I have not tried any rinse method, never heard of it.

 

there was that big shot Bill guy, you should have heard of him. 

[feral]

 
Washing the cigars doesn't sound like the worst idea. After all, look at the hands that make them.

You'll wash off that Cuban twang.

[PigFish]

While I don't want to get into the particulars of another humidor makers products, cigar storage is a specialty of mine. Some of this might be storage, it might be the cigar... It might be both.

To line up with @JohnS, this is not a Monte 2 issue! It might just be your Monte 2 issue, but not mine.

In fareness I don't smoke a lot of piramides and my last Monte 2's are from '08, and they have been excellent in general.

Lets talk about your storage for a moment. Where in relation to the cooling units do you keep them? Have you tried rotating them?

By varying their condition of storage, you can narrow your questions down to storage or the cigars in general.

Some humidors don't circulate well. This might not show up in some cigars, where other cigar may have wrappers that are not stretched as tight, and so on...

I would have to say, that any Cuban cigar stored at 72rH (I must accompany it by a temperature, and 70F) that smokes well, is a stick that is likely too loosely packed. MHO...

-Piggy

[Smallclub]

On 10/07/2017 at 12:12 AM, luckme10 said:

 

Washing the cigars doesn't sound like the worst idea. After all, look at the hands that make them.

I hope this is humor, otherwise this must be the most stupid and hateful post I've ever seen on this forum. What you see as dirt is simply the contrast function in Photoshop…

[luckme10]

Yes, it was meant to be humor. Didn't mean to infer hateful race/class innuendo or anything. My apologizes for any offense.  The hands just look dirty to me, and this is coming from a former gardener.

[Fugu]

I'd like to ask, do you keep them in their boxes or in a singles tray?

[clutch5150]

Thanks for the replies.  As for storage and rotation.  I think I mentioned where and how I keep these. The boxes of 2008 (and some 2011) are kept in a Aristrocat cooled cabinet at 62-64% /63/64 deg F and the 2015 boxes are kept in a in the book shelf humidor  64% at 74-76 deg summer (4mos).  (Can't keep the house cooler in the summer, but 68deg F in the winter 8 months) 

All Monte #2's  kept in their original boxes and all have the same characteristics in both humidors until I brought them into a 72% condition, smoking very well now.  As I mentioned, almost all my other CC's (and I have a pretty big collection of variety) never have displayed this dry characteristic, which got me thinking is this something with the blend of the Monte #2 because this situation has never effected any other smokes?  Also (forgot to mention this), my other Monte brand boxes I own are also stored in both humidors mentioned , all of them have not displayed what I am experiencing with the #2's.

I do feel the Monte #2 in my case is the most humidity sensitive sticks I own based on my environments.  Thank you guys, I will keep digging.