Box press

[Edward7]

Curious thought:

I dislike box pressed cigars. There is just something so irritating to see a box pressed cigar, particularly the Padrons. Kinda reminds me of those square shaped watermelons that you see in Japan. Nothing to do with aging as it's not something I care to do, but why is it that some dress boxes arrive with the cigars looking a bit pressed and some don't. Generally the wooden SLB's have lots of space and the flat 13/12 25 cedar boxes don't tend to boxpress, but the decorated cardboard dress boxes press the crap out of cigars. Partagas shorts, punch punch, partagas mille fleur, RyJ Belicoso, RyJ Churchill, RASS just to name a few that I have that are all a soft square shape. The thing is, I have had other boxes of the exact same cigar that is not box pressed. Same dress box dimensions and allegedly the same 42 or 50 rg or whatever the cigar happens to be. Why does this happen?

[Derboesekoenig]

Because they are a handmade product. There will always exist variables and they will never be exactly the same size every single time. It is what it is. Initially, I liked boxed pressed cigars. Now? I don't know why, but I'm in the same boat--not a fan anymore. Which is why I tend to steer clear of many dress boxes. Something about a 25 or 50 slb/cab. Love them

[BrightonCorgi]

I buy mostly dress boxes to save space.  Perfect round cigar is great, but I do not find a slight pressed cigar an issue or negative.  In perfect world; sure I would want only cab and humidors...  I don't like the pressed like Padron style.  They don't sit in the hand the same.  A buddy vacuum sealed a box of RJ Churchills too much to the point they looked Padrons+ or worse...  The cigars were tight as could be :-(

[Derboesekoenig]

12 minutes ago, BrightonCorgi said:

I buy mostly dress boxes to save space.  Perfect round cigar is great, but I do not find a slight pressed cigar an issue or negative.  In perfect world; sure I would want only cab and humidors...  I don't like the pressed like Padron style.  They don't sit in the hand the same.  A buddy vacuum sealed a box of RJ Churchills too much to the point they looked Padrons+ or worse...  The cigars were tight as could be ?

The better question is; how long to de-boxpress these cigars, if at all possible?

[Shelby07]

I don’t mind them. I don’t think it does anything to the way the cigar smokes or tastes, and it’s kinda nice to be able to lay them down on the edge of a flat surface and not have them roll away. 

[prodigy]

I love box pressed cigars. Padrons are my absolute favorite. I wish more/all Cubans were box pressed. The real way too, not just from being squished into a box that's slightly too small.

 

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[SCgarman]

Cigars are box pressed in dress boxes (Cuban) because the dimensions of the box are slightly smaller than the size of the cigars. The cigars are also moist when they are placed in the dress box and it is nailed shut and I believe they are placed in a stack and compressed in a big manual press. I love dress boxes. They are space saving, and you can sit a pressed cigar down and it won't roll away. If one doesn't like the square-ish shape from dress boxes, simply buy cigars that are in wooden cabs or wood boxes like PSD4's are packed in. 

[Fuzz]

Or take them out of the dress box. Eventually, they will become round... if you can wait that long.

[MD Puffer]

2 hours ago, Derboesekoenig said:

The better question is; how long to de-boxpress these cigars, if at all possible?

No- the better question is, where can I get some of these square-shaped watermelons?!

[Lomey]

I don't mind box pressed.  The first one I smoked was a little different feeling in my mouth, but I got used to it.  Even though looks only play a small part in smoking a cigar, I like the look of them.

[Fugu]

On 1/23/2019 at 9:20 PM, Edward7 said:

The thing is, I have had other boxes of the exact same cigar that is not box pressed. Same dress box dimensions and allegedly the same 42 or 50 rg or whatever the cigar happens to be. Why does this happen?

You're sure you're talking about a complete box? Usually, in standard dress boxes sticks all come box-pressed (exceptions such as cedro-sleeved cigars, certain specials, such as eg. the brooch-clasp Monte520). But if they do, all of those would usually do. Even in Cuba there isn't that much play. I've never seen a non-pressed BCJ or Monte 1.... What may happen, once you dig in, due to the additional space available cigars expand and will lose some of their initial heavy box-press.

In the 25ct sbn-boxes you mention (plain wooden, two layers), cigars indeed usually don't come box-pressed. But some again may do, like e.g. the Party LE 2012 (10ct), showing a very slight box-press.

But, for the same vitola in identical packaging, the shape would normally be all the same. If you don't dig the press, go e.g. for SLBs, bn, sbn, 898, cedro, tubo, bundle, petaca... but you may miss out on great sticks that only come box-pressed.

[Fugu]

2 hours ago, Derboesekoenig said:

The better question is; how long to de-boxpress these cigars, if at all possible?

It is depending on age: Fresh cigars taken out of their box and stored as singles (within a year, perhaps two from date of boxing, as to my experience) can regain full roundness within a few months to a year, provided not stored overly dry. The younger, the quicker. Fairly aged sticks may rebound slightly but will never regain full roundness again.

[KGM]

I like box press. Much easier to set down and not worry about rolling off a rock or a fence or a tailgate. I rarely notice a box press when puffing. I use to mouth cigarettes when I smoked, and when I picked up cigars several years later I told myself that was one of the quirks I wouldn't replicate with cigars. Usually the press is far enough down the shoulder it's not noticeable to me with out holding between my teeth.

[Whisky91]

I don't mind box press cigars as long as they taste and smoke good! With that said I can say that I have not smoked many of them but I have liked the ones I did smoke. 

[Eric E]

I don’t even think about it. I’m smoking the tail end of a Vegas Robaina right now that is nicely round on the final 2 inches. It was squared off when I lit it, but I never even thought about it. 

[1fastmach1]

I’m not a huge fan of box press sticks but if they’re good, I’ll smoke them.  I really enjoy the 1926 anniversary padron though.  I’ll give em all a shot.  It’s just not my favorite.  

[joshhooper7]

The press doesn't have any effect on the flavor so I never pay it mind, but I do agree that I like the look and feeling of a perfectly round cigar. However, I don't care if Padrons are shaped like triangles, they are damn great cigars!

[Colt45]

22 hours ago, Derboesekoenig said:

The better question is; how long to de-boxpress these cigars, if at all possible?

I've always found that once they heat up a bit during smoking, they tend to plump back up to near, if not completely, round.

21 hours ago, prodigy said:

I wish more/all Cubans were box pressed. The real way too, not just from being squished into a box that's slightly too small.

That is the real way - hence the name box press. The way some other producers do it - pressing them prior to boxing - is an affectation 

[blakeLA]

@Edward7 the real question is how do we get you to start aging...would probably have to smoke less I guess.

[BrightonCorgi]

On 1/23/2019 at 4:37 PM, Derboesekoenig said:

The better question is; how long to de-boxpress these cigars, if at all possible?

Not possible.  These  cigars are kindling at best now.

[RijkdeGooier]

On 1/24/2019 at 1:33 AM, Fugu said:

It is depending on age: Fresh cigars taken out of their box and stored as singles (within a year, perhaps two from date of boxing, as to my experience) can regain full roundness within a few months to a year, provided not stored overly dry. The younger, the quicker. Fairly aged sticks may rebound slightly but will never regain full roundness again.

This is what I do with the PShorts and RASS, I repack them losely in 50Cabs then store them for aging. 

Come smoking time, presto, a round cigar. 

[Edward7]

22 hours ago, blakeLA said:

@Edward7 the real question is how do we get you to start aging...would probably have to smoke less I guess.

At my rate, I would need to buy 4 boxes of 25 a month to build up. Currently I think I replenish a the rate that I smoke. When we getting together?

[blakeLA]

 

51 minutes ago, Edward7 said:

At my rate, I would need to buy 4 boxes of 25 a month to build up. Currently I think I replenish a the rate that I smoke. When we getting together?

Gotta start buying 50 cabs!  I'm swamped this weekend and out of town next, but hit me up we'll figure something out.

[captain]

I’m with you 100%. I greatly dislike box pressed sticks. They just bother me....I don’t mind if the foot gets a little pressed but that’s about it. To each his own.....