Draw issues

[Kayslay]

We all know Cuban QC is the Achilles heel, but I have been coming across this particular issue more and more - and I’m starting to question my storage conditions.

This is the situation:

The cigar on cold draw feels a little closed, but doable. May be a little tight of a draw, but nothing major. Light up the cigar, take a couple of somewhat closed puffs, then it’s nearly impossible to hit. I notice that behind the burn line the tobacco is rock hard, almost like concrete. There is some squish down the length of the cigar- so it’s not too tight. 
 

what gives? QC issues? Or storage issues?

note- I keep my humidor around 63-66%RH

live in Louisiana 

 

[Fuzz]

Try dry boxing your cigar before smoking. Take 3 cigars, dry box them all at the same time. Smoke one after 48hrs, 72hrs and 96hrs. See what the difference is like.

If you find you are having a more enjoyable experience, you may want to keep a selection of smoke now cigars at a lower RH. The rest can be stored at your normal conditions for long term storage.

 

[Subcomandante]

I’ve found that dry boxing for a day helps, multiple days even better. Sometimes I try and make it work but but midway through used a perfecdraw and it helped open the cigar up and the experience much better. 

 

*just saw Louisiana. That summer humidity. Maybe drop em in a box with silica packets. ?

[Kayslay]

21 hours ago, Fuzz said:

Try dry boxing your cigar before smoking. Take 3 cigars, dry box them all at the same time. Smoke one after 48hrs, 72hrs and 96hrs. See what the difference is like.

If you find you are having a more enjoyable experience, you may want to keep a selection of smoke now cigars at a lower RH. The rest can be stored at your normal conditions for long term storage.

 

Thanks man. I was thinking this. Most of the stuff I’ve been having issues is 2019 stock. With one RASS with some age on it. I’ll definitely try that. 
 

just makes my head spin a little- to let the cigars rest 60-90 days to stabilize. Just to dry box them again for a few days ?. Seems like madnness

 

20 hours ago, Subcomandante said:

*just saw Louisiana. That summer humidity. Maybe drop em in a box with silica packets. ?

Haha Yeah no doubt. You must be familiar. Sticky

[BuzzArd]

Dry

them 

OUT. 

[PigFish]

Start storing at 70F and 60rH and discover what Cuban cigars really taste like!

[Smokecigareveryday]

Take out a perfect draw and poke the hell of it until the draw that you want. It works every time with tight draws. 

[Bagman]

It's not just you.  I hear of improvements in quality, I have yet to see it.  Thank goodness for the perfecdraw.  What would us cuban cigar smokers do without it?  (Throw a lot of cigars away)

[Kayslay]

8 hours ago, PigFish said:

Start storing at 70F and 60rH and discover what Cuban cigars really taste like!

Is there sarcasm here? I have always heard the 65-75 rule, which above 70% seems like madness.

[rcarlson]

6 hours ago, Kayslay said:

Is there sarcasm here? I have always heard the 65-75 rule, which above 70% seems like madness.

60 rH. 

75%?  That's sopping wet, waiting for mold, and would make 'em taste like sh*t.  

Hell, most here would say 65% is way too much.      

[StogieSteve23]

Dry boxing for several days before smoking your cigars, keeping your cigars at a lower RH like 60-64% and investing in a PerfectDraw will solve most of your issues. 

[PigFish]

4 hours ago, Kayslay said:

Is there sarcasm here? I have always heard the 65-75 rule, which above 70% seems like madness.

I am not much of a believer in cigar ‘rules...’ They are mostly wrong, steeped in myth. Education is not much good when many doing the educating have no clue what they are talking about.

I know how to store cigars. I have been building the only true precision humidor (that I know about) for many years now. 

I think you might have misread my post, or I am not understanding yours!

Cheers! -Piggy

[Kayslay]

Thanks for your replies fellas. I will drop it down a touch!

[Chibearsv]

Listen to @PigFish he knows of what he speaks.  I store mine at 65-70 degrees F and 60-62% Rh in my basement.  Cigars smoke great right out of the wineador or tupperdor but they burn even more consistently if I dry box them for a day or 2.  Experiment until you find what works for you. 

[PigFish]

3 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

Listen to @PigFish he knows of what he speaks.  I store mine at 65-70 degrees F and 60-62% Rh in my basement.  Cigars smoke great right out of the wineador or tupperdor but they burn even more consistently if I dry box them for a day or 2.  Experiment until you find what works for you. 

... ahhh! Peer review! Thanks for the kind words! -R

[Hammer Smokin']

I have an overpacked desktop...ok, two overpacked desktops.

for me keeping my humidity up is a challenge. I often fluctuate between 58 and 62. great smoking conditions, always.

just every once and a while it drops below 58 (down to 56 or so). I know when I take a cigar out and the cigar is extra firm.

not the best solution for aging, but only having desktop humidors (150ct each) doesn't exactly lend to aging. But makes for perfect smoking!

temps are always at 70 degrees. (plus or minus a degree or two)

[JoeyBones777]

19 hours ago, PigFish said:

Start storing at 70F and 60rH and discover what Cuban cigars really taste like!

Do you age your cigars at these levels as well or just smoking stock?

[PigFish]

1 hour ago, JoeyBones777 said:

Do you age your cigars at these levels as well or just smoking stock?

Aging cigars is coincidental to hoarding them. I make no distinction.

Every cigar I have is open to being smoked. I store them all ready to smoke. I have seen no real evidence (guesses and speculation only) that storing cigars under any certain condition (that includes my own preference) is better or worse than another with regards to their longevity. With that being said, I store ready to smoke. Fines due to mis-storage notwithstanding.

The only evidence that I have then, is that dryer cigars taste better than wetter ones. If I am going to smoke, I am going to smoke a cigar in its best possible condition for smoking. Aging is full of myth and cigar folklore. I know a good or a bad cigar real time. I can smoke it only once. The evidence is no more than memory.

The owner of the cigar can do only two things with it once rolled. 1) control its water content. 2) smoke it or dispose of it in some other way.

I used to fuss with cigars. I created a controlled climate so I no longer have to do that. All that is left for me now is the smoking. Ockham's razor resides in my humidor!

-Piggy

[Skypilot]

23 hours ago, PigFish said:

Start storing at 70F and 60rH and discover what Cuban cigars really taste like!

What rh do you recommend for 62-64f? I watched your videos and set out for the 70F 60rh target but then moved my wineador to the basement which has been consistently cooler than planned.  

[Coloniales]

Cuban cigars should be aged on the dry side RH wise, and smoked nothing more than 65% RH. Take the cigar outside the humidor for 2-3 hours before smoking, if you can be that organised.

 

I rarely, I mean rarely have plugged Cuban cigars. I have more problems QC with Non Cuban cigars. Been smoking Havanas for 25+ years.

 

Keith.

 

[Smokecigareveryday]

Smoked a monte PE this morning  Had a tight draw even with perfect draw.  Big ring gauge+ tight draw= headache and jaw breaker.  I had to lay down a few hours because of nausea.  With tight draws I have to puff more often to get it going. 

[MasterYotti]

On 5/10/2020 at 10:53 PM, PigFish said:

Start storing at 70F and 60rH and discover what Cuban cigars really taste like!

I was wondering the same thing that @Skypilot brought up as well. The only reason I could think to have it at 70F would be to allow the RH to drop as low as 60RH and be able to maintain it, since RH and temperatures are somewhat inversely related correct?

I currently keep my humidor at 63F and 63RH. I was also curious why 70F is beneficial, unless I was correct in my statement above?

[Kayslay]

70 degrees and 60 % RH has worked wonders guys. Thanks. especially @BuzzArd ?

[BuzzArd]

They oughta taste better too, yes? 

[Kayslay]

Most improvement has been in the draw issue dept.