Rainfall / Humidity and Smoking CC's

[GVan]

A question for you all:  At what humidity outside do you reach for a NC rather than a CC?  Does humidity drive your choices at all?

Here in Southeast Florida, we've had an incredible rainy weekend.  Flooding all around, super high king tides and continuous downpours all day every day.  5.11" of rain in the last 2 days.  Typically, I look at the outside humidity before grabbing a cigar to head for the covered, second floor porch.  Anything above 76%, I automatically go for a NC.  Between 70% and 76%, I would pick an aged CC (anything > 4 years old).  Below 70%, which is pretty rare in our rainy season, it's whatever I have a taste for regardless of age or location of origin.

It always amazes me that my CC's do not smoke well in high humidity.  Typically they start out fine but then I have multiple relights on the last half.  NC's do not seem to follow this pattern. I do try and smoke rather slowly (PC's > 45 minutes, Corona Gorda's > 75 minutes ...).  I've always attributed this behavior to the back half of a good CC taking much longer to reach the perfect equilibrium of 63% in my humidor.  Given how humid Cuba is -- you would think that any CC regardless of age would smoke well in high humidity.  Do any of you have this same issue?

[GoodStix]

2 hours ago, GVan said:

my CC's do not smoke well in high humidity.

Agreed, for my tastes.  I’ll smoke my “lesser” cigars in more humid conditions, and save my preferred cigars for less humid days.  I suspect the best tobacco growing conditions, like in Cuba, aren’t necessarily the best smoking conditions.

[Cigarsmoker81]

I live in high humidity and I was smoking nc outdoor yesterday ( smoked half of it indoors ) and I noticed by the last third I had to relight it few times more than I did when I was indoors. In my limited experience there isn’t a big difference between the two but I’m always humbled by the knowledge of other members 

[JohnS]

As @GoodStix stated, yes...I've heard it said that Habanos cigars aren't always smoked optimally within Cuba itself due to its higher humidity, in general.

If you have made a rendez-vous with others to catch up for a cigar, let's say, and the weather is overcast, wet or humid, then reach for a smaller cigar if you can. The reason for this is because a cigar acts like a sponge, it will soak up that moisture in the air, but it takes a little time. In my experience, you'd notice the effect of the higher humidity less with a shorter cigar or a cigar that doesn't take as much time to smoke.

[HoyoFan]

I’m in SW Florida so I definitely know the feeling. Typically, I leave the Cubans alone above 80% outside humidity.

[TacoSauce]

9 minutes ago, HoyoFan said:

I’m in SW Florida so I definitely know the feeling. Typically, I leave the Cubans alone above 80% outside humidity.

I am fascinated by the idea that one cannot reliably smoke a cuban cigar while residing only a few miles away from Cuba itself. Is that why the Cubans export so many cigars? Because they are unable to smoke them in their own country? 🤣

[Greenhorn2]

Northern North Carolina has some terrible humidity in the summer and if it's above 80% it seems like  there is no use in grabbing a big cigar. A 46 rg or smaller seems to burn better. 

[MagicalBikeRide]

Ireland is basically a big walk in humidor. External humidity tends to frequently be in the region of 80% in the morning and 70% in the evening. I never give it a second thought. Can only smoke outdoors, so I’d never have a cigar if I did!

[PauvreLelian]

I found that surprisingly heat often plays a bigger role for me than humidity... Over 85F I found that even if the humidity is relatively low the flavor is sub par. With much cooler weather even with relatively high humidity (within reason) the flavors are better. 

Then obviously with higher humidity I try to pick cigars that don't start out with a tight draw, otherwise that will became unserviceable. 

[Rhinoww]

I no longer try to smoke anything over 46 rg if it’s raining. I find the larger rg tend to show more bitterness when it’s pouring. 
Rain is a minuto or a PC typically in the rain. 
I have a covered porch and can stay dry in almost any storm, but rarely will pull out a big or special stick when it’s raining. Been burned with bad tastes too many times. 
It is humid around here in the summer as well, but usually caps at 80% and drops at night when I usually smoke. Thankfully fall is approaching and with that humidity will as well. 
 

[GVan]

22 hours ago, Rhinoww said:

I no longer try to smoke anything over 46 rg if it’s raining. I find the larger rg tend to show more bitterness when it’s pouring. 
Rain is a minuto or a PC typically in the rain. 
I have a covered porch and can stay dry in almost any storm, but rarely will pull out a big or special stick when it’s raining. Been burned with bad tastes too many times. 
It is humid around here in the summer as well, but usually caps at 80% and drops at night when I usually smoke. Thankfully fall is approaching and with that humidity will as well. 
 

I sort of follow this insight as well.  I've found I can get away with smoking 4 year old Boli Pc's even in high humidity.

On 10/4/2023 at 7:44 AM, PauvreLelian said:

I found that surprisingly heat often plays a bigger role for me than humidity... Over 85F I found that even if the humidity is relatively low the flavor is sub par. With much cooler weather even with relatively high humidity (within reason) the flavors are better. 

Then obviously with higher humidity I try to pick cigars that don't start out with a tight draw, otherwise that will became unserviceable. 

I agree with the higher heat comment.  The higher the temperature the more weight of water the air holds for a given humidity level.  On cooler evenings I can get away with a Cuban at relatively higher humidity levels.  I also think that the cool air makes the cuban taste better.

[SCgarman]

3 minutes ago, GVan said:

I agree with the higher heat comment.  The higher the temperature the more weight of water the air holds for a given humidity level.  On cooler evenings I can get away with a Cuban at relatively higher humidity levels.  I also think that the cool air makes the cuban taste better.

I'm in SC two states above you, and even smoking in the garage during summer months causes burn issues especially with Cubans. They are definitely more weather/high dew point finicky than NC cigars. Best thing is we are in the fall months and high dewpoints are gone until next spring. The best cigar weather is now until around April/May here in South Carolina. Florida is a bit more "tropical" than we are here. Not much of a break humidity-wise there. 

[GVan]

2 minutes ago, SCgarman said:

I'm in SC two states above you, and even smoking in the garage during summer months causes burn issues especially with Cubans. They are definitely more weather/high dew point finicky than NC cigars. Best thing is we are in the fall months and high dewpoints are gone until next spring. The best cigar weather is now until around April/May here in South Carolina. Florida is a bit more "tropical" than we are here. Not much of a break humidity-wise there. 

Fully agree with your point above that we are headed into some of the best months for cigar smoking!  Our overall humidity drops with the cooler temperatures here as well.  We routinely see 59% outside later in the evening.  

Ive enjoyed everyone's perspective to my question - some very similar trends popping-up in the responses.

However, I think it is also very cigar size, cigar condition and regional specific (meaning NC vs. CC).  One of my top ever cigars (the one that @El Presidente talks about is still in my mind) was a 1999 Padron A smoked after 36 holes of golf in a 103 degree F hot tub while it was ~ 62 degrees F outside on a Florida evening.  A strange combination of an older cigar thoroughly acclimated to the 63% in my humidor, an NC rather unaffected by the hot water humid environment and the cool evening air contributing towards highlighting the flavors.  My son, son-in-law and myself sat in the hot tub smoking these Pardon A's for  2+ hours and everyone commented that it was one of the best smokes of the year.  Now Padron's are generally very good cigars - but these were exceptional.  Not sure my best CC would have held-up to the high humidity above the hot tub.  

Or maybe it's all just chance and a great aged cigar, is a great cigar that will hold up anywhere and anytime .... I'm probably over-thinking it .... but I like having the odds / conditions in my favor when I share with friends and family what should be a great cigar!

[Nocoins]

Yes. In NW Florida, I’ve lost plenty to the humidity too. I remember the last one was a BBF that started so well, then turned a bit acrid and then just wouldn’t smoke well at all. The bummer was, I know this phenomenon and try to avoid it. I didn’t even really think it was humid that day. Like you guys, I’ve really not noticed this with cigars not from Cuba.