Pardon me, does my box stink?

[Lamboinee]

Respectfully requesting thoughts and input concerning how your dress boxes of CC's smell after 10+ years. 

Here's why I ask.

My CC journey recently incorporated some older (for me) boxes into my collection including 4 dress boxes acquired from 3 different trusted sources and with box dates ranging from 2001 - 2009 A.D. These boxes represent some of the oldest CC's that I have ever sampled/owned with the next oldest dress box in my collection bearing a box date of 2014 A.D.

I have noticed a distinct aroma on these older boxes when compared to the my younger dress boxes.  I asked a couple of my friends if they smelled anything "weird" about the older boxes.  They said the boxes smelled "great" and did not detect anything "off".......but, they know less than me on this topic.

Similar to my younger boxes, the older boxes have scents with undertones of tobacco, barn, etc.  However, the older boxes have vivid notes that remind of what a floral print couch would smell like if you stuffed it into my grandma's purse and stored it in a basement wrapped in paper and cigar box wood.  The elder boxes also have a slight tinge of potpourri that you find in the powder room of your mom's neighbor's house....the one that irons and reuses the $8 hand-towels.  To be clear, the old boxes smell a bit like boxes of old lady.

All the CC's came from reputable sources or trusted people and I trust they were stored correctly (in their grandma's purse?).

I spoke with the sources and they each gave me their thoughts on the issue.  One of them suggested I throw the topic out to FOHverse.

So, I ask:

Do old dress boxes kinda stank as they get older?  Should the CC's stay in their dress boxes at this age? My older cabinets of CC's do not have the same smell despite being of similar age.  Is it the paper on the dress boxes?  What kind of crackers go good with cigar blue cheese box mold rot from a mildrewy dress box? Is this Vegemite? Can these these older boxes commune safely with the other juvenile boxes I have in storage? Is it true that mildewy smells actually cost extra?

Thanks in advance.

[Ford2112]

Send me a few and I'll be your guinea pig

[Rushman]

Wonderful writing by the way. I can smell that by reading. I have a handful of dress boxes with early 2000’s dates and haven’t smelled anything like that. My wife might have some older than that. If she will let me crack the seal I will check.



rushman

[99call]

8 hours ago, Lamboinee said:

So, I ask:

Everything in your humidor is in a process of breakdown, and "off-gassing", cigars, paper, glue, ink, timber etc etc.   It maybe very very slow process, but it's still happening. 

I would guess paper covered dress boxes are slightly more susceptible, as mould is very happy on glue, and smooth paper surfaces will more readily wick and saturate with moisture. I think the moisture exchange with solely timbre SLB boxes, is much more in and out i.e. better breathability. 

I would hazard a guess that if we were to steam and strip a 20yr old paper covered cigar box, you would find mould spores on the glued reverse of the paper. I think this may count for the extra stank. With regards to the potpourri vibe, this might be the inks off-gassing?

 

[BrightonCorgi]

Like the smell of a baby vs. the smell of the geriatric.

[Edicion]

I would take out the cigars from these boxes and keep them in a humidor or source some nice cabs instead to ensure whatever is happening does not affect the cigars themselves.

[Lamboinee]

20 hours ago, Ford2112 said:

Send me

Ok. 

 

20 hours ago, Ford2112 said:

I'll be your guinea pig

Fine, but we all know your real dad was really just a gussied up hamster that was sold as a guinea to Richard Gere's gullible ex assistant. 

 

13 hours ago, Edicion said:

I would take out the cigars from these boxes and keep... 

This was also recommended by one of the sources of the cigars. Appreciate the advice! 

[Fugu]

Nothing wrong there I'd say. That notorious note of 'old lady's handbag' (TM kbg). Typical sign of a perfectly matured dress box of that period. From my experience, some persons appear more sensitive to this note than others. Mind you, we are not speaking of a mildewy, muggy smell, but instead this is a more musky/mossy note with some old leathery-woodiness and the slightest overtone of cheap 'old ladies'' cologne.

You won't notice it in the lit cigar.

[Jack]

My girlfriend once whispered to me "kiss me where it's hot and smelly".

So I took her to a tobacco curing hut (bohio)

[Edwin M]

@Lamboinee Is this something you figured out? I just got a box that has the same smell.

[Lamboinee]

On 12/6/2023 at 8:33 AM, Edwin M said:

s this something you figured out?

My top people would have been theoretically working on this for weeks. 

I emailed you, but I'll post the relevant part of my response for the benefit of the masses.....

 

I don't have a conclusive answer. However, the best conclusion I can muster is some combination of the responses from @99call and @Fugu. What I've been able to rationalize to myself is that it is just the consequence of simple age and some combination of what was described in the responses that were posted that generally referenced the break down of the dress box, probable mold in the innards of the dress box, and the possible decomposing ink and what not. Also, the fact that it came wrapped in a floral print dress from Hudson's Department store and a maxi-pad made by Phillip-Morris.  I think that makes sense. Following the suggestion of that same posts, as well as the recommendations of the people from whom I purchased each box, I removed the cigars from the dress boxes and placed them in slide lid cabinets or other plain wooden boxes that had left over.

No word from @Ford2112 on where I'm supposed to ship his free cigars. Dang ....I forgot about @TacoSauce...My bad bro, I swear they're coming. 

[Ford2112]

6 hours ago, Lamboinee said:

My top people would have been theoretically working on this for weeks. 

I emailed you, but I'll post the relevant part of my response for the benefit of the masses.....

 

I don't have a conclusive answer. However, the best conclusion I can muster is some combination of the responses from @99call and @Fugu. What I've been able to rationalize to myself is that it is just the consequence of simple age and some combination of what was described in the responses that were posted that generally referenced the break down of the dress box, probable mold in the innards of the dress box, and the possible decomposing ink and what not. Also, the fact that it came wrapped in a floral print dress from Hudson's Department store and a maxi-pad made by Phillip-Morris.  I think that makes sense. Following the suggestion of that same posts, as well as the recommendations of the people from whom I purchased each box, I removed the cigars from the dress boxes and placed them in slide lid cabinets or other plain wooden boxes that had left over.

No word from @Ford2112 on where I'm supposed to ship his free cigars. Dang...I forgot about @TacoSauce...My bad bro, I swear they're coming. 

I wasn't aware this was a real thing 1😂

[Havanaaddict]

I have had plenty of boxes from the 60s, 70s and 80s and some do you have that smell. I assume it came from them being stored at some point in a dark damp basement situation. A few of these vintage vendors do you store their cigars in that type of situation. If I had to venture a guess I would say that they were stored at a higher humidity percentage, causing the paper to absorb more humidity and give off that type of smell after it dried. If it’s not a strong smell, I wouldn’t worry too much about the cigars. On the other hand, if it is a strong smell, there's definitely a chance it will absorb into the cigars. Have you smoked any of the cigars? Do you taste that same taste you are smelling? I am not a fan of taking my cigars out of the original box, especially nowadays at these price points. If you ever do decide to sell them you will need the box code, the original box etc. etc. to prove what they are. If you have the space you could put a Cigars the Lake, put them in an empty 50 cabinet and just let the old box air out for a few months.

[Lamboinee]

On 12/7/2023 at 2:34 PM, Havanaaddict said:

, if it is a strong smell, there's definitely a chance it will absorb into the cigars. Have you smoked any of the cigars? Do you taste that same taste you are smelling? I am not a fan of taking my cigars out of the original box,

Stouter than gorilla scat. 

I've smoked two of some old montes. They were great. No apparent taste of grandma's moth ball couch. But, I could smell the aroma on the wrapper. 

I put them in some slb and saved the boxes.  I bought them to smoke and hadn't planned on selling them so I'm less concerned with maintaining the original format. 

Does anyone have a mass spectrometer and some petree dishes? I want to spin-up some box samples and see what's growing on these things. 

One thing that shocked me was that at least three other people who smokes cigars said that they smelled great. I would expect them to be honest about their impressions, so perhaps they like the smell.