Home Cigar 101

Recovering some neglected sticks...

New member here, just looking for a little info - or possibly just confirmation that I've done right.

I'm a relative newb - got a hand-me down 50ct humidor a couple summers back, and I've picked up a few different samplers over the last couple summers (I rarely ever smoke in the winter, too dang cold out there!), and a couple 5-packs here and there if I find something I like (I still tend towards mild/medium blends).

Anyway, I let the humidor get away from me over the winter.  It was stored in my basement, which is a little on the cool side, but not bad (I'd say 60-ish year round).  It's also damp, though not really bad in the winter (I run a dehumidifier from April through October, to keep around 65RH - but I'm honestly not sure what the RH in the basement is like during the winter).  Anyway, I failed to keep up with humidification over the winter.  I filled it back up about a month, maybe month and a half ago (I'm using humi-care gel), rotated the sticks a little bit, but not aggressively - probably turned them every other week or so.

I broke out one yesterday - a Romeo y Julieta Cedros #2 - and it seemed in good shape.  The wrapper was actually a little more oily than I recall them being in the past (an effect of aging?), but there was no sign of any mold or other problems I could recognize.  I lit it up, and it seemed great - burned slow and even and drew nicely, and no harsh taste or anything.

So - I guess I'd ask if I did the right thing to recover the sticks, or did I simply get lucky?

Comments

  • laker1963laker1963 Posts: 5,046
    StratSlinger:

    New member here, just looking for a little info - or possibly just confirmation that I've done right.

    I'm a relative newb - got a hand-me down 50ct humidor a couple summers back, and I've picked up a few different samplers over the last couple summers (I rarely ever smoke in the winter, too dang cold out there!), and a couple 5-packs here and there if I find something I like (I still tend towards mild/medium blends).

    Anyway, I let the humidor get away from me over the winter.  It was stored in my basement, which is a little on the cool side, but not bad (I'd say 60-ish year round).  It's also damp, though not really bad in the winter (I run a dehumidifier from April through October, to keep around 65RH - but I'm honestly not sure what the RH in the basement is like during the winter).  Anyway, I failed to keep up with humidification over the winter.  I filled it back up about a month, maybe month and a half ago (I'm using humi-care gel), rotated the sticks a little bit, but not aggressively - probably turned them every other week or so.

    I broke out one yesterday - a Romeo y Julieta Cedros #2 - and it seemed in good shape.  The wrapper was actually a little more oily than I recall them being in the past (an effect of aging?), but there was no sign of any mold or other problems I could recognize.  I lit it up, and it seemed great - burned slow and even and drew nicely, and no harsh taste or anything.

    So - I guess I'd ask if I did the right thing to recover the sticks, or did I simply get lucky?

    Well since you never mentioned using or looking at a hygromater... you got lucky. You should try to get a hygro inside the humi to see what the RH in there is. Your basement probably kept it in a good range, so yeah, luck did it LMAO.
  • Yeah, I left out the part about my (admittedly cheap) hygrometer crapping the bed.  It's clearly stuck at one specific reading, and won't budge.  Needless to say, a replacement/upgrade is en route.  ;)
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    go digital

    you will not be sorry you paid the extra
  • I ordered the humi-care digital from c.com yesterday, should have it in a couple days!

    Depending on how things go in the next couple weeks, I may need to order another - if I acquire a few more sticks, I'm going to need to set myself up a tupperdor for a little more capacity. ;)

  • As long as the stick performed fine and you enjoyed it, thats all that matters in the end!
  • ljlljl Posts: 819
    Agree you probably got lucky. But it all worked out. Humi gel is OK, personally I think beads rule. I would not recommend the puck that normally comes with a humi, seems like you're always a second away from mold with those. But if you get results you like, that's what matters. That digital hygro will be a real lifesaver.
Sign In or Register to comment.