Cohiba Siglo I

[bgoodz]

Got home from work today and looked in the Humi and picked a Cohiba Siglo I as I haven't had a Cohiba in awhile. A small selection of Cohibas have been resting in the humi for about a year. The smoke looked great, wrapper smooth, no blemishes or signs of mistreatment, felt a soft firm but not hard. I lit it up and it was like sucking a golf ball through a water hose. It burned well at first but at about the half way mark it tunneled & burned uneven. I fought that little guy all the way to the nub, rollling it between my fingers pinching it lightly. Even poked a tooth pick up it trying to loosen it up. RH was 69 & Temp 70.

Another thing, the flavor was there, but it seems like I can detect the flavor more when taking light pulls. The last two Habanos I've smoked recently have been tight draws and they have been resting a good time. I begining to wonder if I'm having too much RH swings over a period of time and that is effecting the smoking quality. Now I'm wondering if I'm going to find the same thing witht eh CoRo's......I certainly hope not but then again that would facilitate an order.

Thanks for any thoughts

[Colt45]

I would suggest smoking at a lower humidity, especially a small cigar like the sig1.

This should also help the uneven burn (barring a construction problem) as well.

I've found, generally, that the small sizes I've smoked have had somewhat tight, but

not overly tight, draws.

And personally, I like a long deliberate draw to get the most flavor, but this would be difficult with a poor draw.

[bgoodz]

» I would suggest smoking at a lower humidity, especially a small cigar like

» the sig1.

» This should also help the uneven burn (barring a construction problem) as

» well.

» I've found, generally, that the small sizes I've smoked have had somewhat

» tight, but

» not overly tight, draws.

» And personally, I like a long deliberate draw to get the most flavor, but

» this would be difficult with a poor draw.

Thanks Colt, I'm letting the RH drop now. It seems difficult maintaining the RH in both levels of the humi. I've recently went to having only Habanos in one humi alone. Maybe I should just target the RH in the bottom section as the top try would probably be a little higher. I probably have been too sensitive to risking "drying" out the nice Cohibas in the bottom section.

[Colt45]

Don't be afraid to go down to 65% - some might even say as low as 63%

Humidity will fluctuate, but what you want to avoid are rapid changes, which cause

swelling and shrinking and can lead to cracked wrappers.

I stopped agonizing over "perfect" humidity long ago. As long as it stays within an

acceptable range, I'm happy, and leave things be.

[bgoodz]

» Don't be afraid to go down to 65% - some might even say as low as 63%

» Humidity will fluctuate, but what you want to avoid are rapid changes,

» which cause

» swelling and shrinking and can lead to cracked wrappers.

» I stopped agonizing over "perfect" humidity long ago. As long as it stays

» within an

» acceptable range, I'm happy, and leave things be.

Well, that might be it then, my range has been in the high 60's to low 70's might be beacuse I probably have had a tendency to over fill the humidifier....I'll cut back and try to keep in in the lower ranges. I do like to check them out and smell that great aroma.

[Tampa1257]

One thing that needs to be considered, is that Fermentation of the tobacco is ALWAYS happening from the time the tobacco is harvested. Three factors effect fermentation. A. Oxygen exposure, B. Temperature, C. Humidity. The greatest factor being Humidity. The higher the humidity, the more the fermentation that is occuring in your cigars. Habanos taste better at a lower humidity level than the "standard" 70% that many articles indicate.

The ideal smoking condition of a Habanos is one where the cigar is in a "Stable" environment. I personally keep my aging cabinet humidor at 60 degrees and 60-63% rh. I keep my desk tops (which are my smoking cigars) at 63%-65% rh. Many factors influence how a cigar is going to perform when it is fired up, and if the tobacco is "Too Wet", the taste is not going to be right, the flavors will be muted, many times the cigar will burn "Hot" just because it needs to in order to keep the cigar lite.

My personal rule of thumb is that when I receive new cigars, they need to stableize for a min of 30 days in my humidor to ensure that they are properly maintained in a stable environment before smoking one.

The higher the Temp and the higher the humidity, the less flavor you are going to receive while smoking a cigar. It is also during these high environment conditions that the tobacco is fermenting more and will suffer greator periods that cigar smokers know as the "sick period", i.e.; flat, bland, unbalanced, and in many occassions an annoying ammonia smell and taste.

Cooler & dryer cigars make for better tasting smoking experiences IMHO.

Tampa

[bgoodz]

Thanks Tampa, point very well taken. I will start adjusting down the RH. Temp? I have some difficulties there. I live in Calif on the west coast and have difficulties keeping the humi's at a cool temps, they are normally in the low 70's

[El Presidente]

Tampa is spot on

I run humidity at between 65% to 68% RH. Preferred Temp range is 16 degrees.

Run the test yourself. Take a Siglo 1 out of your humidor and leave it in a cool dry place for 24 hrs.

Post your results ;-)

[rumrogue]

Tampa is right on the button & his experience mirrors mine.

[Colt45]

It has always been my understanding that true fermentation is caused by the heat generated by the weight/pressure of the bales of tobacco. I understand that as organic matter, tobacco rolled into cigars is always changing, and that environmental

conditions have an effect on these changes, but that this is not fermentation. Is this

incorrect? Thanks for any insight, and sorry for the minor threadjack.

[tmos]

They're unsmokeable at 70% imo. And I agree, a minimum of 1 to 2 months in the humi after they arrive makes all the differenc in the world.

[bgoodz]

Thanks Fellas, for straightening my young arse out with habanos required RH. Well actually it's not young, but the cigar enjoyment is about 2 years young. I certainly can zero in on the RH but the Temp for 3 desktop humis ? that might be a little more of a task.

Prez......16 degrees..........what's that :cool: I'd have to stuff em' in the fridge. I do like your instructions on the self test though, I've already told sweet pea that I have orders from the Prez so they must be followed. ;-)

Tampa, I'm printing your reply out.

Thanks again,

Bill

[bgoodz]

» Tampa is spot on

»

» I run humidity at between 65% to 68% RH. Preferred Temp range is 16

» degrees.

»

» Run the test yourself. Take a Siglo 1 out of your humidor and leave it in

» a cool dry place for 24 hrs.

»

» Post your results ;-)

Yep, that did it....took one out of the humi and place in a dry location for 24 hrs and fired it up. Burned smooth and straight, could've been a tad bit drier but the cigar was good and the flavore was there. After reading Tampa's post I think a little less humidity on this one would've or could've equaled more flavor.

Humi's are now on the downward move in RH.

Thanks Mates