The best way to bring back water damaged stock?

[El Presidente]

The best way to bring back water damaged stock?

Let's pray that it never happens to you but it certainly has happened to some of us. Yesterday, we were informed of awful circumstances where a member had his extensive collection stolen and the small percentage of boxes recovered having various extents of water damage. 

Some cigars were damaged extensively. Some cigars minimally. 

Approximately 18 years ago I had a burst water pipe in the walk in humidor which damaged some $40,000 dollars of stock in a specific area. Another time I had roof damage from a storm that damaged $20,000 of stock. These amounts may or may not have been the insurance amounts 

Either way, I have passed on my experience on bringing back water damaged stock (which I will share later), but I wanted to see what input members could give based upon their experience and/or expertise. 

 

[Hammer Smokin']

Quote

Like a steam locomotive, rollin' down the track
He's gone, he's gone and nothin's gonna bring him back, he's gone

[MrBirdman]

17 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

The best way to bring back water damaged stock?

Let's pray that it never happens to you but it certainly has happened to some of us. Yesterday, we were informed of awful circumstances where a member had his extensive collection stolen and the small percentage of boxes recovered having various extents of water damage. 

Some cigars were damaged extensively. Some cigars minimally. 

Approximatley 18 years ago I had a burst water pipe in the walk in humidor which damged some $40,000 dollars of stock in a specific area. Another time I had roof damage from a storm that damaged $20,000 of stock. These amounts may or may not have been the insurance amounts 

Either way, I have passed on my experience on bringing back water damaged stock (which I will share later), but I wanted to see what input members could give based upon their experience and/or expertise. 

 

Terrible news for this fellow, I hope his losses are at least covered by his homeowners insurance. 

[usleepicreep]

I can only pray to the power at be that this never happens to anyone


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[vladdraq]

Never happened to me, but what comes to my mind is a Peltier effect dehumidifier, Eva-Dry or similar, put the damaged stock in a big sealed crate, ammo crate is perfect and run it until 20/65% RH  is reached.

[chris12381]

I've dealt with cigars that got wet.  I put in the refrigerator.  My thinking was it was way more important for them to dry quickly and I would try and put them back in a controlled environment if it worked.  

The wrappers were stained with water spots but other than that, it worked.  Didn't get any mold and they smoked fine. 

[jazzboypro]

I think it would be important to know for how long the cigars have been damaged by water and mostly how clean the water was to start with. Personally I would be worried about bacteria or something else to have developed in the cigars what might not be killed during the restoration process. I'm not sure I would try to restore them at all. I throw food in the garbage at the slightest suspicion lol.

[Fugu]

What a shame, so sorry to hear that! Can’t speak out of own experience, other than some soaked nubs from the deck’s ashtray.... lucky to never had such happen (and hopefully never will - 🤞). But in trying to lend some help and advice anyways, this would be my approach:

Separate the sticks from their boxes immediately (if not done already anyway), and singularise each cigar (i.e. dismantle bundles etc.). Then let cigars (and boxes separately) dry in a cool place, preferably at not too low an air humidity (around rH 65-70 %, like done in the ‘escaparate’) to allow for a slowed down process, so as to not damage the wrappers. To be clear, the initial free water will be shed pretty quickly. From there on, cigars will be drying from the outside, after the capillary (wick-) effect ceases, so I’d take a slow rather than a quick approach. Even then, you might still be confronted with some wrapper wrinkling, shrinkage and splitting. When cigars are stabilised, which will take a few weeks under these conditions, you may try and bring them back to your standard storage conditions.

Depending on the actual extent and duration of that mishap, you may have to accept that they/some will simply never be brought back, at least not to their previous condition. But they might become smokeable, even enjoyable cigars again. Good luck!

[Nevrknow]

@PigFish ! We need THE expert for this one.

[El Presidente]

In my experience there is "soaked" and there is "splashed" 

I have never recovered a soaked one yet. You can kiss them goodbye unless someone has had more success and wishes to divulge.

"Splashed" .....not "waterlogged" I have had more success with.

• Remove into a dry environment,
• Take them out of the box
• Lay them out so they are not touching each other.
• Pray
• Come back in 3 months and reassess. .
• Check for any signs of mold at the foot. If in the foot discard. Pick the worst one, cut it open and inspect the internals. 
• Check the aroma. If amonia or offputting, throw them out. 
• Acclimatise in a tupperdore  for 30 days if you deem them to "look and smell right". 62% Boveda's. 
• Finally, three glasses of scotch or rum or wine or 4 beers......and then light one up.  
• If you are alive in the morning......good to go 

 

[GoodStix]

Have only seen one example of soaked collection, an unlucky friend. He took a “rip the bandage off” approach. Sharp chef knife, like cutting carrots, cubed the cigars up so they could be well exposed to dry air. Warm room and prayed moisture would dry up before mould could grow. Successfully created pipe tobacco (of a sort). Not a recovery of the cigars, but at least some enjoyment rather than the trash bin. He was happy making the best of a bad hand.