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Heat/shipping issues

BamablowsBamablows Posts: 338 ✭
in Cigar 101
I recently purchaced a few 5packs, and the package sat in the mailbox over the weekend in the heat :( So like most of us are guilty of, I smoked one from each 5er within a few days of receiving them in the mail, and they all had the same crappy flavor... something down the line of battery acid. I have never experienced this before, and i always smoke atleast one out of a 5 pack as soon as i get them just out of curiosity and it has never backfired on me before until now. To my knowledge, it didn't rain on the box, and the box didn't get any type of moisture from dew or anything. But my question is why am i tasting this "moldy/battery acid" foul taste in all of my cigars out of that package? Since i purchased them I let them rest for about a week, and as my curiosity grew i had to try another just in case i got a fluke and the same story. I have now had these smokes for about a month now and have been letting them rest ever since. Are they ruined from the heat they had to go through sitting in the mailbox for that period of time?

Comments

  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,033 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Could be almost anything, down to what you drank with them. We're the 5 paks individually wrapped or all bundled together. Or they could just need more rest time. Let them sit another month then try again.
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,734 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I don't have a good answer for you but I would guess that mailbox heat and then overnight cool and then more heat the next day would play havoc on cigars. It's one thing to have them sitting over the weekend in some post office warehouse but a mailbox exposed to sunlight and Alabama heat in July would provide a much, much more dramatically harsh environment. I'm looking forward to some of the answers you'll get from the more experienced members. Maybe they can provide more real answers. However one suggestion would be to get your cigars delivered where you work. That is, assuming that there's not a cigar baking black mailbox to contend with at work also.
  • BamablowsBamablows Posts: 338 ✭
    The reason i was curious about this issue is they all tasted the EXACT SAME. I had some MOW, Nub, and alec bradley. And they all had the exact same weird taste. And yes they were all individually wrapped, this is why i am worried that they are all ruined.
  • Lee.mcglynnLee.mcglynn Posts: 5,960 ✭✭✭✭
    My guess would be the heat sped up the aging process and what you have is ammonia. That's all I can think of at this time in the morning lol
    Money can't buy taste
  • Amos_UmwhatAmos_Umwhat Posts: 8,837 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Lee.mcglynn:
    My guess would be the heat sped up the aging process and what you have is ammonia. That's all I can think of at this time in the morning lol
    this is a maybe. I'd freeze them, give them about 6 weeks in the humi and see what develops.
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  • edelrionycedelrionyc Posts: 361 ✭✭✭
    If there were all different cigars but tasted the same i would think your palate was out of wack. I don't see how different cigars individually wrapped can taste the same. Have you been smoking alot recently. Maybe you need to let your palate reset.
  • VisionVision Posts: 8,486 ✭✭✭✭✭
    They will most likely benefit from a month or so of rest. I would worry more about beetles
  • kos22uskos22us Posts: 47 ✭
    this shipping stuff drives me crazy, im in PA and a few of the bigger online retailers are just a couple hours away so you would think i would encounter a low amount of transit time, not always the case as most ship ups which i dont how it is nationally but around here my ups has contracts with usps for small packages, ordered a couple things this past friday night from a PA based company went through all the destinations and it arrived at my local ups yesterday morning (Tuesday), tracking update did not say "out for delivery" just said "on truck", about 3 pm yesterday the ups truck w/ my package on board not only literally drove right by house but delivered a package to my next door neighbor then drove the 5 miles down the road and dropped it at usps, the tracking # then was updated to dropped to usps expect 1-2 days for delivery ?! luckily my parents work @ the post office and i just drove down to get it yesterday but ... sheesh
  • BigshizzaBigshizza Posts: 15,659 ✭✭✭✭✭
    kos22us:
    this shipping stuff drives me crazy, im in PA and a few of the bigger online retailers are just a couple hours away so you would think i would encounter a low amount of transit time, not always the case as most ship ups which i dont how it is nationally but around here my ups has contracts with usps for small packages, ordered a couple things this past friday night from a PA based company went through all the destinations and it arrived at my local ups yesterday morning (Tuesday), tracking update did not say "out for delivery" just said "on truck", about 3 pm yesterday the ups truck w/ my package on board not only literally drove right by house but delivered a package to my next door neighbor then drove the 5 miles down the road and dropped it at usps, the tracking # then was updated to dropped to usps expect 1-2 days for delivery ?! luckily my parents work @ the post office and i just drove down to get it yesterday but ... sheesh
    Yep those contracts are a PIA.and totally inefficient....actually my UPS stuff seems to be getting here a day earlier than originally stated, which screws up my ability to intercept the package before the wife sees it..
  • CigaryCigary Posts: 630 ✭
    In the summer this is one of those things that a lot of BOTL complain about and it's a justified complaint because of what goes on chemistry-wise when our cigars are sent from places that are a few thousand miles away. Heat tends to cause these types of problems and when they are in transit they invariably go through instances of extreme heat sitting in the back of a delivery truck or going from transit to truck to transit and then delivery. It's always a good idea to let your cigars marinate in your humidor for at least 30 days ( yes...I know it requires patience but when you taste that acrid taste you talked about it's a combo of ammonia and the cigar trying to ferment which gives off that crappy taste ) This is what is called the "sick period" but it's usually after you receive your cigars. In this type of weather extremes the tobacco is being put under intense temps. back and forth and it needs rest to let it settle in an environment that is stable....or static. I'm one of those who wants to try a cigar from the 5 paks I order esp. when it's a newer one that I read reviews on...example...Turei Cigars which are touted to be as good as an Opus. I want to try one ROTT but know better so when they get here they will go into hibernation. The second part of your question....no, they aren't ruined at all but for them to get back to their regular taste a good month is good so you can fire it up and note the difference. I pretty much stay with my routine....first cigar after 30 days...2nd after 90 days...3rd after 5 months and 4th after 9 and the last one at a year. This gives me time to really see how the cigar changes and how balanced it is....some cigars really change after 9 months to a year. This is hard to do esp. if you have a slim inventory because waiting is not what you want to do...as you build inventory it's a lot easier for you to be able to smoke your cigars at a time they are at their very best.
  • BamablowsBamablows Posts: 338 ✭
    Cigary:
    In the summer this is one of those things that a lot of BOTL complain about and it's a justified complaint because of what goes on chemistry-wise when our cigars are sent from places that are a few thousand miles away. Heat tends to cause these types of problems and when they are in transit they invariably go through instances of extreme heat sitting in the back of a delivery truck or going from transit to truck to transit and then delivery. It's always a good idea to let your cigars marinate in your humidor for at least 30 days ( yes...I know it requires patience but when you taste that acrid taste you talked about it's a combo of ammonia and the cigar trying to ferment which gives off that crappy taste ) This is what is called the "sick period" but it's usually after you receive your cigars. In this type of weather extremes the tobacco is being put under intense temps. back and forth and it needs rest to let it settle in an environment that is stable....or static. I'm one of those who wants to try a cigar from the 5 paks I order esp. when it's a newer one that I read reviews on...example...Turei Cigars which are touted to be as good as an Opus. I want to try one ROTT but know better so when they get here they will go into hibernation. The second part of your question....no, they aren't ruined at all but for them to get back to their regular taste a good month is good so you can fire it up and note the difference. I pretty much stay with my routine....first cigar after 30 days...2nd after 90 days...3rd after 5 months and 4th after 9 and the last one at a year. This gives me time to really see how the cigar changes and how balanced it is....some cigars really change after 9 months to a year. This is hard to do esp. if you have a slim inventory because waiting is not what you want to do...as you build inventory it's a lot easier for you to be able to smoke your cigars at a time they are at their very best.
    If my sticks could talk, they would tell me that your diagnosis of their sickness was NAIL ON HEAD. I taste fermentation. Plain and simple.
  • CigaryCigary Posts: 630 ✭
    I know a lot of good BOTL who don't order in the summer because of this exact thing...they are fair weather cigar ordering brothers. I tend to buy ( online ) if I see a great deal and no matter what the weather I'll deal with the extreme temps by putting them to bed when received. You can hold the cigar and feel to the touch how warm they are..almost like when bread comes out of the oven type heat and I can remember taking one out...lighting it and thought they sent me some fake cigars with the right bands. I called the B&M and told them what was going on and the guy just laughed and told me not to worry and told me everything I posted earlier...as they say...A word to the wise is sufficient.
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,734 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Bumping 

    a good thread on this subject. Everybody needs to know, or be reminded of this short term, negative outcome aspect of the mail-order cigar situation with summer heat factored into the equation. 

    Worst case scenario: Maybe the cigars are left over the weekend in a truck, near the top of the pile inside the truck, with nighttime to daytime temperature swings, then if that wasn't bad enough, they sit in a black mailbox under the hot sun all day. Or, for a few days. How bad is it? 

    I think that with enough rest, everything returns to normal. How much rest? I guess it depends. 

    My summer plan to hopefully avoid as much heat as possible would be to delay shipment as  necessary to avoid a weekend layover and, grab them out of my mailbox as soon as they get here. (I can usually do that.)

    Also, if you can get your cigars shipped to your work, (assuming they bring the mail inside) That could help avoid the hot mailbox situation. 
  • jgibvjgibv Posts: 9,244 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Bob_Luken said:


    I think that with enough rest, everything returns to normal. How much rest? I guess it depends. 
    ya know, @Bob_Luken , i think that's a nice succinct summary right there. 
     
    i mean, think about how far the tobacco travels & how much handling the leaves go through before they're rolled. 

    then think about all the additional transit time they have between the factory>distributor>retailer.....you think they're in a temperature & humidity controlled environment 24/7, that whole time? 
    i'd bet my money that they're not 24/7. 

    so a few extra days spent in a mail truck, or sitting in your mailbox is a drop in the bucket compared to everything else the cigar has gone through. 

    you're right, they'll recover just fine with a little bit of rest.


    * I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *

  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,734 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2015
    jgibv said:
    Bob_Luken said:


    I think that with enough rest, everything returns to normal. How much rest? I guess it depends. 
    ya know, @Bob_Luken , i think that's a nice succinct summary right there. 
     
    i mean, think about how far the tobacco travels & how much handling the leaves go through before they're rolled. 

    then think about all the additional transit time they have between the factory>distributor>retailer.....you think they're in a temperature & humidity controlled environment 24/7, that whole time? 
    i'd bet my money that they're not 24/7. 

    so a few extra days spent in a mail truck, or sitting in your mailbox is a drop in the bucket compared to everything else the cigar has gone through. 

    you're right, they'll recover just fine with a little bit of rest.

    Yeah but, I still have to question things.

    Like, how hot is the tobacco during fermentation? I googled a bit just now but didn't find the answer. Anybody know? Or, how hot before fermentation starts?  

    The fermentation process is supposed to be over and done with in Nicaragua, not re-started in my mailbox. If fermentation is (I'll take a guess) 120 degrees Fahrenheit and, if my mailbox is 120 or more, (another wild guess) that IS something to be avoided, right?.  

    Maybe just one day of high heat wouldn't be a big deal. Maybe it would take many days at these high temps in order to kick off the fermentation process again. 

    I'd like to see some blind taste tests with half a box of cigars exposed to summer mailbox temperatures and smoked side by side with the ones that weren't. Then smoked again after a week of rest and repeat the experiment weekly to see the differences as they get more rest. 
  • peter4jcpeter4jc Posts: 16,507 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That wouldn't be too hard to replicate with an oven, once you had an idea what temp ranges should be focused on.
    "I could've had a Mi Querida!"   Nick Bardis
  • jgibvjgibv Posts: 9,244 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Bob_Luken said:

    Like, how hot is the tobacco during fermentation? I googled a bit just now but didn't find the answer. Anybody know? Or, how hot before fermentation starts?  

    The fermentation process is supposed to be over and done with in Nicaragua, not re-started in my mailbox. If fermentation is (I'll take a guess) 120 degrees Fahrenheit and, if my mailbox is 120 or more, (another wild guess) that IS something to be avoided, right?.  

    Maybe just one day of high heat wouldn't be a big deal. Maybe it would take many days at these high temps in order to kick off the fermentation process again.
    Hmm, interesting ideas.  I've never really put that much thought into it.
    Sorry, can't help ya there -- that's beyond my pay grade.



    Bob_Luken said:

    I'd like to see some blind taste tests with half a box of cigars exposed to summer mailbox temperatures and smoked side by side with the ones that weren't. Then smoked again after a week of rest and repeat the experiment weekly to see the differences as they get more rest. 
    You should put in an order with CCOM and test out your theory B)

    I usually let cigars rest for a week or so in the humi before firing them up. 
    But, on the few occasions that I've fired up a smoke ROTT, I'd guesstimate that 90% of the time they smoked just fine right from the mailbox (even if they were shipped using that B/S surepost service and took a week and a half to get here).

    * I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *

  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,734 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Or an actual mailbox with a nice digital weather thermometer. 

    But, on the other hand, I have smoked cigars two at a time before looking for comparisons. It's not twice the pleasure. 
  • jgibvjgibv Posts: 9,244 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Bob_Luken said:
    Or an actual mailbox with a nice digital weather thermometer. 

    LOL ---- why not just replace your mailbox with a wineador????
    (IDK if that's an approved usps mail receptacle hah)






    * I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *

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