Tunneling Burn?

fishndude3

Ive noticed on 3 or 4 recent 1st try cigars that the burn seemed to be tunneling down the middle? A couple have been cheapies, and a couple have been mid range sticks, all new to me brands. I am not sure if its something im doing, or just a bad stick or two? Most of these have been resting for at least a month or so. One in particular not only tunneled but pretty much started falling apart as soon as I unwrapped the large paper style fancy wrap that it came out of the cello with. ( Romeo & Juliet Freebie ) Any thoughts?

curtpick

fishndude3:

Ive noticed on 3 or 4 recent 1st try cigars that the burn seemed to be tunneling down the middle? A couple have been cheapies, and a couple have been mid range sticks, all new to me brands. I am not sure if its something im doing, or just a bad stick or two? Most of these have been resting for at least a month or so. One in particular not only tunneled but pretty much started falling apart as soon as I unwrapped the large paper style fancy wrap that it came out of the cello with. ( Romeo & Juliet Freebie ) Any thoughts?

90% of time its a humidity problem. Could be humidor could be ambient condtions.

Echambers

I agree with curtpick. If it is that consistent it is either a problem with your humidor (try re-calibrating) or it's really bad luck.

fishndude3

Well i have a several professional hygrometers i use in my trades daily. I periodically double check my humi and cooler to make sure there accurate. For the most part they are dang close. An added note is that the other sticks i smoke regularly are not doing this. It just seems to be the new ones im trying. Couple have been freebies and a couple ive purchased or recieved in samplers. Ive made sure to let them rest a bit before sampleing as well. If it is humidity issue does that mean its to high or to low? Also what kind of burn should i be experiencing hi versus low humidity? Thanks for the help.

jlmarta

Ive found that if your humidity is too high the outer portion of the cigar can be more moist than the inner portion, causing the inner portion to burn faster than the outer portion and hence; tunneling. Did that make any sense?? Lol

The same thing can happen if you're smoking outside under a patio, for example, while it's raining or overly humid. I've had a couple sticks swell up and burst the wrapper while smoking outside under my patio cover. Hope this helps.....

allsmokedup

Leave your new cigars in the humidor longer. If it happened to 3-4+, then the wrapper is usually moister than the filler, leading to the filler combusting faster than the wrapper.
The other possibility is the construction of the stick. 3-4 is an awfully high number for it to be construction (unless it's a super budget stick).

curtpick

What where the conditions weather wise ? Were they in a damp eviroment and did you take them to a dryer or vise versa ? Was it the same sticks or different sticks ? Hard to say with the info given.

kuzi16

also, speed up your smoking style. extremely slow smokers will have a tendency to tunnel more often than than those who smoke quicker.

fishndude3

This does make sense. The Romeo was smoked on the boat in 100% humidity conditions ( it litarally came apart at the seams. ) The others I would say have been under much more normal conditions. I will keep experimenting with this, as I still consider myself a newb, my collection is nearing 200 sticks, with many that I have yet to try? I dont mind when a freebie or a $5 stick smokes in less than desirable fashion, but when a more $ one does it I put it on the DONT list, even if it taistes good. Not sure if I am selling them short? I have 2 50ct Humi's & now a coolidor. I tend to put the sticks Im bound to smoke next in the first Humi I set up because I trust it more. Sometimes I try them right off the truck? Sometimes it works & sometimes not. The learning curve is much bigger than I figured originally. Thanks for all the help guys, this place rocks!

fishndude3

Alrght then. I am getting a little antsy. I just lit a Perdoma Habana ( a new to me stick from a 5 pack purchased over a month ago ) Lit it, draw was decent but not great. taiste good, only med smoke. After a few minutes It took double huffing to try and creat a little more smoke. Being a little impatient. Decided at Half a cigar that was enough. I cut behind the ash, definately tunneling. I cut a little farther back, same thing, little farther back, same. Seems to have tunnelled about an inch. This morning I dbl checked both Humi's & Cooler, all gauges seem to be on, according to two different commercial Hygrometers. The Humi that I keep my soon to be smoked sticks, has been around the 65% last week or two. Today I adjusted 1% to read the 64% @ it should have been. Temp 58 Deg. Do I need to take the sticks out and let them acclimate, or dry down, ?? I am getting a little bummed Im having troubles with so many cigars. ( this stick I purposefully took from the bottom of the Humi, the others have been from throught the box? What The Heck?? Im not sure what to do?

fishndude3

One other thing. These cigars are out of the cello. Maybe this weekend ill take some of the old favorites with me to football partry. Lets see if they are doing this also? Up to this point I have not noticed any problems with any of them? However I have been smoking mostly new sticks lately that I have aquired and have not tried b4.

dr_frankenstein56

just a shot in the dark........... but maybe your wraps are staying tight while the fillers loose... try freaking your cigar before smoking next time. A nice gentle roll between the fingers up and down a few times might improve the burn by messaging the filler and wrap a bit. Just a guess though.

Aj

fishndude3

Well when Im having the issue I have tried that. I have not did this before smoking though. Never needed to? Im leaning towards the Humidity issues? Just not sure what to do about it?

Lee.mcglynn

Try letting them rest in your humi for a month...then the humidity of the cigar should be closer to even all the way through. If the cigars are new and dryer then your box I can see where you'd have a bunch of issues

fishndude3

Most of these have already rested from 1 to 3 months? If the outside is to moist to burn properly shouldnt I pull them out and let them dry a bit? Like I said previously its 64% & 58Deg. Its been this condition for the entire time? I watch it like hawk.

KCW

jlmarta:

Ive found that if your humidity is too high the outer portion of the cigar can be more moist than the inner portion, causing the inner portion to burn faster than the outer portion and hence; tunneling. Did that make any sense?? Lol

The same thing can happen if you're smoking outside under a patio, for example, while it's raining or overly humid. I've had a couple sticks swell up and burst the wrapper while smoking outside under my patio cover. Hope this helps.....

+1 What he said.......

fishndude3

OK! I get the whole Hi Humidity thing. What is the best thing to do now?

KCW

fishndude3:

OK! I get the whole Hi Humidity thing. What is the best thing to do now?

Get the humidity under control (gradually). Remove the humidification device until it gets to where you need it to be and monitor it. Let your sticks acclimate and enjoy.

fishndude3

Ok. If im at 64% and 58 Deg. Which way do I go? This is the confusing part. Its not like the humidity is 76%. I watch these thing like a hawk. 54% to 58% is where it runs, only fluctuates a little. ( Yes my Hygrometer which I have several is calibrated ) I Keep my Humis at the shop/ office as the conditions here are better than at home, other than the temp wich in the winter is a little cool. 58 Deg. Is it to humid and needs the humidifier removed? Not humid enough? Im lost. ( Conditions seem to be pretty good in my opinion.)

Amos_Umwhat

Maybe I missed it, and not disagreeing with any of the above, but doesn't bunching improperly contribute to this?

fishndude3

Im curious about how they should be situated as well? Im only about 4/5 monthes into this so still have a lot to learn. All the help & opinions are much appreciated. On another note: I/We smooked probly close to a dozen during football party yesterday ( of which only 1 stick was a new to me stick ) and all of the old favorites smoked just fine except 1. (Its a stick I have had issues with previously.) The new stick smoke flawlessly. So that beeing said, I think I need to leave a few of these new sticks Ive just begun trying in the humi for another month or 2 and maybe try them at a later date?.Thats got to be what it is?

Cigary

Oh the pain of a canoeing/tunneling cigar esp. when you are so frustrated with it and it's one of your favorite brands. It all goes back to the the 70/70 principle and yes, I know about the 70% RH and what everybody says about it. Not many cigars thrive in a 70% environment so that is why most will settle for a 65-67% RH and trying to maintain a 70 degree temperature. Our goal is to mimic the environment a cigar thrives in when it's growing and when we start to get away from that formula...baaaad things happen. Too much RH causes problems as we are talking about and the time frame of how long it actually takes for a cigar to be completely humidified from foot to head is something for experts to debate...I do know it takes more than a couple of weeks esp. when outside/inside sources tend to skew things. Constant RH/Temps are our goal...deviate from this path and you can expect less than perfect conditions and some problems to develop with our cigars. I am one of those who preach 'rest' with any cigar purchase esp. when current climates tend to be abnormal and shipping only makes things worse....temps at 85 degrees plus or temps below 50 can and will cause adverse problems with cigars so the need to rest them in your own humidor is important. Put them into your humidor that has already been proven to be at least 65/70 and don't overfill the humidor....3/4 is the max you want to fill any given humidor. The next thing is to use a media that you are comfortable with that has proven it will provide constant RH inside....outside temps are controlled within your own home settings. A last item which should be one of the first things you need to understand is that your cigars are only as good as the equipment you use.....hygros, RH media, humidor....and let me say it once again...don't be impatient to smoke your cigars..give them some rest so they can acclimate to their new home...at the very least 2-3 weeks and I advocate 1 month. JMHO

Pers Onal

Cigary:

constant RH/Temps are our goal...deviate from this path and you can expect less than perfect conditions and some problems to develop with our cigars. ..don't be impatient to smoke your cigars..give them some rest so they can acclimate to their new home...at the very least 2-3 weeks and I advocate 1 month. JMHO

It takes at least a month of stable RH for cigars to stabilize, IMO. During that period, you need to have the mindset that the indicated humidity is only that of the air, and not the cigar. takes time to stabilize everything in a coolidor or wineador. I have had little issues with tunneling or canoeing with cigars that have been at a stable temp/RH for a month. I had a five pack come in that the initial one I smoked canoed badly. They have been resting a while, I will smoke another and see how they do. Plus, sometimes they are not consistently rolled, and some are more prone to cause issues than others. I'm guessing unstable humidity/temps would magnify such construction issues.

Cigary

Pers Onal:

Cigary:

constant RH/Temps are our goal...deviate from this path and you can expect less than perfect conditions and some problems to develop with our cigars. ..don't be impatient to smoke your cigars..give them some rest so they can acclimate to their new home...at the very least 2-3 weeks and I advocate 1 month. JMHO

It takes at least a month of stable RH for cigars to stabilize, IMO. During that period, you need to have the mindset that the indicated humidity is only that of the air, and not the cigar. takes time to stabilize everything in a coolidor or wineador. I have had little issues with tunneling or canoeing with cigars that have been at a stable temp/RH for a month. I had a five pack come in that the initial one I smoked canoed badly. They have been resting a while, I will smoke another and see how they do. Plus, sometimes they are not consistently rolled, and some are more prone to cause issues than others. I'm guessing unstable humidity/temps would magnify such construction issues.

I think we agree here....2 to 3 weeks is for those who just can't wait to get their hands on that box of cigars they paid hundreds for but as I said before....I advocate at least 1 month and then we have to consider the upcoming "sick" period that cigars go through which can take place from the first month to the second month. Those who have a ready supply of cigars don't have to deal with these issues because they keep enough cigars on hand to justify a longer resting period...those who don't have that ready supply tend to want to smoke their stock early.

You did bring up a good point as to the total humidification process for the cigar...just because the inside environment is at your peak percentage doesn't mean the cigar will be totally humidified .....it does take time to get your cigar in that 'zone' of humidification but not many are really interested in that until they have burn issues.

Pers Onal

Pers Onal:

I had a five pack come in that the initial one I smoked canoed badly. They have been resting a while, I will smoke another and see how they do.

Pulled one out tonight, checked the spreadsheet - it had been resting for right at 90 days. Still did some canoeing, but not nearly as bad as previous stick. Trying to put a number on it, I would say 70% better than the first one 90 days or so ago, which was pretty bad at the time, probably the worst I have seen a lancero do. Slightly annoying to do a couple of corrective relights, but tasted great. Glad it tasted great because I bought a box to put back for a year or two. Was a lancero, so YMMV with another vitola or roller. So, I'm thinking with a year or two of rest, the others should be fine.