Singles Tray

[kilroy]

After reading the 'Ooohh that smell' thread I always get a lil anxious and open up my humidor to whiff through a couple of boxes to make myself happy happy.

I keep one open cedar tray with various singles in my humidor and I'm wondering if an open tray like that will ruin those cigars not being kept enclosed in a box? I know all cigars eventually peak and lose flavor, etc... but is keeping them out in the open (even in perfect environmental conditions) bad for them? I know when I put my face into a freshly opened box I get a huge cloud of hay happiness. When I get the singles tray I have to put the smokes directly under my nose to get a smell.

I have quite a few lovely singles if I had to I'd put into an old empty box instead of exposing them.

Any thoughts?

[stargazer14]

I dont think they will be 'ruined' at all,

they may just age different than those being stored together in a box and fermenting in their own wonderous funk.

[El Presidente]

Some of my best cigar moments have come from singles long forgotten from the home desktop (located in my office...which I seldom visit).

I wouldn't be overly concerned unless you are constantly rummaging through the desktop. In that case putting the singles in a 10 count or 25 count box makes sense if for nothing more than protection from damage.

[PigFish]

I don't think you are hurting anything. If you are, I am in big trouble.

A couple of years ago I changed from smoking out of many, many boxes to killing whole boxes that are smoking well. What I found is that I had so many open boxes of cigars that I was really wasting a lot of storage space as a result. I was also risking a known good product by putting it away for another day. Now I am going to be a bit philosophical here but I can with a little insight because I came close to dying last year. I live for the day and that includes smoking my best cigars when I want one. I smoke my best cigars day in and day out. Why would I save my best cigars when I could lose them all as the result of an event outside of my control? The best way to not run out of "best" cigars is to buy more, not save more! When I find a good box of cigars, I smoke them until they are gone. I do like variety so as a result I have a lot of lose cigars.

If the cigars are not smoking well and if there is a God and they somehow get better over time I put that box back and bury it. Having a good inventory of cigars gives me that luxury. If the cigars are smoking well and there is less than 15 cigars in the box I dump out the box in a tray, label or index the cigars and replace the box in the humidor with a full one. As a result I have several hundred "lose" cigars.

I smoke daily from those lose cigars and hardly ever go to a box to smoke cigars these days. As long as the trays are in a cigar happy environment I don't think the cigar knows any difference and I believe that you have nothing to lose as a result of this practice.

[jeromeroselli]

Pig,

Enlightening story to go along with the opinion. Thanks for sharing.

This is one of the only places in the world where a group of men are

so willing to open up to each other so often. Haha.

I do understand where Kilroy is coming from. A cigar in a humidor doesn't retain the smell that it does

right out of the box...

To use an analogy to express my opinion on the subject...

A drawer full of dirty socks smells like dirty socks. Some dirty socks on a bedroom floor, and the bedroom still smells like a bedroom, just one that has dirty socks in it. Does this make sense?

[IceChant]

All my cigars are in humidor, no place for boxes.

You only need to be aware that on long time period they'll blend, I use bags to separate few that I want to keep for longer time.

I smoke for two years and don't hold boxes as I got only two humidors, I can't help with thinking what the long time effect will be but mixing up with the cigars that sit near them.

[laficion]

All my cigars are in humidor, no place for boxes.

You only need to be aware that on long time period they'll blend,

I don't believe this thing about loose cigars picking up from the others and blending together.

Each cigar is different and just because they are touching has nothing to do, Just think about It ,

The binder, the filler are going to be reblended becaue the two cigars are touching themselves ?

Come on !! I don't think there's a need to overreact. I think that you only need to separate them

with separators and that would be largely n nuff.

[Stalebread]

I smoke daily from those lose cigars and hardly ever go to a box to smoke cigars these days. As long as the trays are in a cigar happy environment I don't think the cigar knows any difference and I believe that you have nothing to lose as a result of this practice.

Exactly. I'm the same way.

[Stalebread]

I don't believe this thing about loose cigars picking up from the others and blending together. . . .

I think that you only need to separate them with separators and that would be largely n nuff.

I never bought into the blending together thing, either.

Actually, I'm not even sure about having to use some sort of separator. In some cases I do use a sheet of commercial grade, double sided wax-paper or a cedar block from a dress box but I'm not sure it's necessary. For me, it more aesthetic -- keeping things nice-n-neat.

[IceChant]

I don't believe this thing about loose cigars picking up from the others and blending together.

Each cigar is different and just because they are touching has nothing to do, Just think about It ,

The binder, the filler are going to be reblended becaue the two cigars are touching themselves ?

Come on !! I don't think there's a need to overreact. I think that you only need to separate them

with separators and that would be largely n nuff.

Evey material that isn't in food grade level will free aromas, oils and few more things regularly.

Releasing is is the first part adsorption is the second, any material that isn't food grade level will adsorb aromas. oils or whatever from its close environment.

Without going more into chemistry, I'll give example: It's like when cigars aged after they rolled their tobacco will blend. Same happens with cigars that close to each other but it'll take longer time.

[anacostiakat]

Just put an Acid in with your most precious cigars and see what happens.

[Torpo]

Good thoughts, Piggy.

Evey material that isn't in food grade level will free aromas, oils and few more things regularly.

Releasing is is the first part adsorption is the second, any material that isn't food grade level will adsorb aromas. oils or whatever from its close environment.

I'm sure this is true but over what period of time and to what recognizable degree. I mix singles for the short term as well but store most of mine in boxes.

[IceChant]

I'm sure this is true but over what period of time and to what recognizable degree. I mix singles for the short term as well but store most of mine in boxes.

Thermodynamics basic low, higher temperature can make reactions faster.

You should keep in mind that whatever you'll do they'll mix, ok mix isn't the right word to use let's call it "blend" you can only slow it down, what temperature or for how long, I'm not sure and I don't like guessing the only way to be sure is test it in lab.

I got only humidors two (one is for 150 cigar and one is for 20 cigars), I separated my maduro cigars from the lighter wrapper cigars, cigars I want to keep for longer I hold in bags.

[Stalebread]

Just put an Acid in with your most precious cigars and see what happens.

This is an extreme analogy and involves a cigar that contains additives, no less.

[Stalebread]

Evey material that isn't in food grade level will free aromas, oils and few more things regularly.

Releasing is is the first part adsorption is the second, any material that isn't food grade level will adsorb aromas. oils or whatever from its close environment.

Without going more into chemistry, I'll give example: It's like when cigars aged after they rolled their tobacco will blend. Same happens with cigars that close to each other but it'll take longer time.

Interesting about food grade/chemstry. Can you say more about it? What does food grade mean? My strong cheeses give off aromas. But I don't think they absorb anything. Are they not food grade?

How do we know that cigars that are close to each other really exchange aromas, oils? That is, in anything other than an extreme situation? I'm not convinced that the oils from various leaves of tobacco marrying over time in any given cigar is the same as cigars next to or close to each other exchanging oils, aromas (and flavor?).

Is there actually some kind of controlled experiment that's been done with cigars? Or are we relying on second-hand information and anecdotal evidence?

And, if it does happen, as IceChant says, "over what period of time and to what recognizable degree?" How do we know?

If you store "good" cigars next to "bad" cigars, which way will the transfer go? What makes good cigars go bad? Or is it the other way around -- bad cigars get better? Or do they average out so you end up with a bunch of mediocre smokes? How do we know?

[Torpo]

And, if it does happen, as IceChant says, "over what period of time and to what recognizable degree?" How do we know?

If you store "good" cigars next to "bad" cigars, which way will the transfer go? What makes good cigars go bad? Or is it the other way around -- bad cigars get better? Or do they average out so you end up with a bunch of mediocre smokes? How do we know?

That was me, Stalebread and yes, there are probably useful applications for this knowledge with regards to aging. If I have cigars that I like, I tend to protect their credibility by storing most of them in their own box. However, I let some "mix" with other cigars and the outcome "like the Prez, says", can be very rewarding.

[IceChant]

Interesting about food grade/chemstry. Can you say more about it? What does food grade mean?

Here:

Evey material that isn't in food grade level will free aromas, oils and few more things regularly.

Releasing is is the first part adsorption is the second, any material that isn't food grade level will adsorb aromas. oils or whatever from its close environment.

To add to that to be "food grade" the material are made for it as we're talking about types of plastic.

My strong cheeses give off aromas. But I don't think they absorb anything. Are they not food grade?

Cheese is Natural material, it'll release and adsorb molecules from its environment if it wouldn't do that you wouldn't get the smell and the mold the manufacturer work so hard to create without making it toxic.

Any materials will release and adsorb molecules but with Synthetic materials the process can be with control for the need.

I did search on google for simple explanation, I hope it helps: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/plastics.html

Note that many countries use the FDA guidelines.

How do we know that cigars that are close to each other really exchange aromas, oils? That is, in anything other than an extreme situation? I'm not convinced that the oils from various leaves of tobacco marrying over time in any given cigar is the same as cigars next to or close to each other exchanging oils, aromas (and flavor?).

Look up I said "any material".

Is there actually some kind of controlled experiment that's been done with cigars?

I wish I knew on one.

Or are we relying on second-hand information and anecdotal evidence?

The known rules for the material applies.

And, if it does happen, as IceChant says, "over what period of time and to what recognizable degree?" How do we know?

If you store "good" cigars next to "bad" cigars, which way will the transfer go? What makes good cigars go bad? Or is it the other way around -- bad cigars get better? Or do they average out so you end up with a bunch of mediocre smokes? How do we know?

That was me, Stalebread and yes, there are probably useful applications for this knowledge with regards to aging. If I have cigars that I like, I tend to protect their credibility by storing most of them in their own box. However, I let some "mix" with other cigars and the outcome "like the Prez, says", can be very rewarding.

Here:

Thermodynamics basic low, higher temperature can make reactions faster.

You should keep in mind that whatever you'll do they'll mix, ok mix isn't the right word to use let's call it "blend" you can only slow it down, what temperature or for how long, I'm not sure and I don't like guessing the only way to be sure is test it in lab.

I can say the temperature is the key, lowest the temperature slower the "blending" will be but it'll slow the aging.

Torpo gave you good tip, if you can hold cigars in their boxes but if you can't temperature control and separating them in other means can be useful.

[Colt45]

I don't believe this thing about loose cigars picking up from the others and blending together.

Each cigar is different and just because they are touching has nothing to do, Just think about It ,

The binder, the filler are going to be reblended becaue the two cigars are touching themselves ?

I'm with Guy on this one. I've had cigars loose together for years that never lost their profile / took on the profile of a neighboring cigar.

As Guy has pointed out, a cigar blended with a particular ratio of tobaccos will not magically re-blend itself as the cigar resting against it.

I do agree that cigars tend to lose that "stench" when taken from their box and kept out on their own, but i don't believe it really changes the

smoking experience. Though it may not be the same as a full box, one option is to keep singles within the humidor in ziplocks or tubes.

[kilroy]

I'm with Guy on this one. I've had cigars loose together for years that never lost their profile / took on the profile of a neighboring cigar.

As Guy has pointed out, a cigar blended with a particular ratio of tobaccos will not magically re-blend itself as the cigar resting against it.

I do agree that cigars tend to lose that "stench" when taken from their box and kept out on their own, but i don't believe it really changes the

smoking experience. Though it may not be the same as a full box, one option is to keep singles within the humidor in ziplocks or tubes.

Well good... glad to see we've meandered bank onto the point... I'm not worried about cigars blending.. .I'm worried about a lesser confined area of local atmosphere with oils and smells and chemicals in the air as opposed to a small box with all its friends and no where to go!

I don't marinate a steak in an open roasting tray, I put it all into a zip lock bag and squeeze all the air out! Then I cook, cut and eat the bastard!