humidity level vs. taste question
newbiesmoker24
Posts: 94
in Cigar 101
I had a Gurkha triple ligero last night for the first time. Before lighting it smelled very aromatic on both head and foot. It was a little on the firm side but nothing was cracking. When I cut it (using $3 single blade cutters) it was clean but the cut off piece kind of crumbled as it was cut. I just pulled it from my newer humidor that was consistent at 65%rh for about a week. It had been sitting for about two weeks since I received it from ccom.
My question is when I smoke certain cigars I feel like some taste "dryer" than others. At first I thought it was just certain medium bodied habano wrappers; but this is a honduran maduro and it had that same flavor. I am a new cigar smoker so am I making this up or is it possible that the 65%rh is a little low for my liking and I should try to keep a higher humidity?
Also note that the cigar got softer and a little more flavorful a few inches in but there is a certain taste that is hard for me to describe that I get on certain cigars.
Thanks!
My question is when I smoke certain cigars I feel like some taste "dryer" than others. At first I thought it was just certain medium bodied habano wrappers; but this is a honduran maduro and it had that same flavor. I am a new cigar smoker so am I making this up or is it possible that the 65%rh is a little low for my liking and I should try to keep a higher humidity?
Also note that the cigar got softer and a little more flavorful a few inches in but there is a certain taste that is hard for me to describe that I get on certain cigars.
Thanks!
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Comments
But one thing's for certain. Upgrade to a better cutter :P Single blade cutters work well within the first few cuts, but in the end, it'll crush your cigars, not cut them. Double guillotine cutters are the way to go.
Yeah I have the xikar slim cutter/lighter combo on my Christmas list!!!
When I lit up I definitely had alot of pepper on the first inch, then there was more earthy and not pepper but spicy in the middle of the cigar... then the end of the cigar tasted a little sweeter... but that could have been a combination of the balvernie doublewood single malt I was drinking with it. I take sips of melted ice to clear the palate in between puffs.
I think I am going to try and throw a humi-pak in with my drymistat tube to see if I can bring the humidity to the higher 60's 70 ish and see if that helps.
Just some thoughts from another newb
I've had the Gurkha TM and found it to be on the dry side, myself. However, if you're noticing more dry tasting cigars from your humi, you need to do some maintenance.
Calibrate your digital hygrometer (you ARE using digital, right? If not, then ditch the analog and get one. STAT.) Boveda makes a good calibration kit. I would also re-season your humi. Boveda Seasoning Packs are the best, IMHO. Then make sure you have the right ratio of beads for the size of your humi. If you have a 250 ct or less humi, then beads are fine. Anything over that, I'd look into an electric or battery powered unit of some sort. A lot easier to maintain.
I will just keep smoking more cigars and see what happens. I have a feeling I just didn't care for the Gurkha Triple Ligero as much as other cigars. I hope the other Gurkhas I bought are a little more impressive!!!
"If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." -- Mark Twain
if i puff on a cigar and it drys my mouth out thats one thing. thats just a "quality of the smoke" ( i mean i wouldnt call it "quality" being that all my favorite cigars make my mouth water)
but i find that when cigars are kept in too low RH (dry) they develop a taste that i dont like. i can taste if my humidor is low. to me its a burnt leaf taste. fey bland, flat and harsh. the smell you get from burning autumn leaves is the taste that is left in your mouth.
Kuzi that is what I am referring to. And, it doesn't have to be a COMPLETELY dried out cigar. But if the cigar reaches a certain dryness it seems like it starts to develop that taste.
I have since put a humi-pak in my humidor. I had a few cigars yesterday and the "dry" taste seemed to be less present. I think I just may prefer my cigars at a 67-70%rh compared to some people who like it at a 65%. Let me know if anyone else has a similar experience. Thanks!
i used to keep my humidor there because the burn was so much better. i just cant do it any more because if the RH slips i can really tell a difference. i now keep the cigars at 67-68.