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Restoring a dried out batch.......

lilwing88lilwing88 Posts: 2,812 ✭✭✭
in Cigar 101
Anyone have any luck re-humidifying a dried up bunch of cigars? I'm in the process right now and I'm wondering if I'm just spinning my wheels? I know they'll never be 100%, but will it be worth the wait? I got about $150 dollars worth of dried up cigars. All kinds. Oliva, Cohiba, Partagas, Macanudo, R y J, Acid, atc......

Any success stories out there to boost my morale?????
Guns don't kill people, Daddies with pretty daughters do…..

Comments

  • TatuajeVITatuajeVI Posts: 2,378 ✭
    How bad are we talking? When I was a nOOb, I didn't test my analog hygrometer for almost an entire year - after a really hot summer I realized my hygrometer was way off and my cigars had been sitting in 50% rH for a long, long time. I slowly brought them back to life and I was surprised to find 75% of them ended up tasting like normal again. I waited a solid three months before smoking any of them. Not sure that is the "correct" way to restore them, but it seemed to work.
  • ejenne87ejenne87 Posts: 1,925 ✭✭
    how long have they been out of a humidor? If they have been out long enough for the tobacco to loose the oils then it is not worth it, but if they still have the oils you will be fine. Just let them sit for about 6 months or a little more and try them out. I have a bunch of cigars that I had out of a humidor for about 2 or 3 weeks and they are coming along nicely. It has been about 2 months and they are just about ready again.
  • camgfscamgfs Posts: 968 ✭

    Damn.....how did they get that dried out...if you don't mind my asking?


    Don't give up on them because they CAN be saved!

    When you put them into a humidor, don't try to over humidify them. It will be fine if you start at 60% for even a month, then up the humidity a little at a time. Depending on how dried out the sticks are, it may take several months to re-humidify them. Just don't try to rush it and get them back in shape too fast, or they will split and even seem sogggy.

    Sounds like you have a nice collection of cigars. Try one or 2 every month to see how they are doing and you will know when they have recovered. Good Luck.......but if you ever decide it's not worth your time, I's SURE THERE ARE SOME OF US WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE THOSE OFF YOUR HANDS FOR YOU, LOL. I'd even offer to pay the shipping, heheheahhahahahhehehehehahhaha



  • lilwing88lilwing88 Posts: 2,812 ✭✭✭
    My local tobacconist says they're not too bad. At least a month before I can try 'em. I'm a Newbie myself, so I knew nothing about what I was doing at first. So, my smokes were sitting in about 55% for a couple months. But I made a few simple changes: digital hygrometer, Cigar mechanic beads, and regular seasoning of my humidor........

    I'm a slow learner.
    Guns don't kill people, Daddies with pretty daughters do…..
  • lilwing88lilwing88 Posts: 2,812 ✭✭✭
    Not completely dried out. I'm letting local stogie expert walk me through the process, so hopefully I'm in good hands.

    I appreciate the offer on taking them off my hands. If they blow up on me, then they're all yours!! LOL!
    Guns don't kill people, Daddies with pretty daughters do…..
  • One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583 ✭
    If they were only at 55% humidity I doubt they are that bad off. Personally, I would give them a month at 60% then a couple months at 65% then maybe bring them up closer to 70% depending on how you like your sticks. They should come back about 95% eventually, IMO. Just don't rush it and be more careful with new sticks. And welcome to the Ccom forums.
  • nightmaremike31nightmaremike31 Posts: 718 ✭✭✭
    I "may or may not" have some "foreign" cigars in tubes that were given to me by a guy from work who knew absolutely nothing about cigars, but knew I liked cigars since I look through my C.Com catalog every day at work like it was my dads playboys. These cigars were dry to the bone, but I was advised from Tim Blythe, to gradually restore them by (just like the fellas are sayin) slowly re-introducing them back to regular operating humidity in my humidor.

    When I first got them, I placed them in a plastic bag still inside their tubos with the caps on inside of another plastic bag with a water pillow for a few weeks (5 or 6). Then for another couple weeks, I placed them in the humi as far away as possible from the humi beads still in their tubos with the caps on. Then, this was the one and only situation that I removed the caps of any tubos I've had (just my personal preference) and then every few weeks after, I would move them a little closer to the humi beads.

    And let me tell you, I've been restoring these beauties slow and steady for a almost a year (Feb), and they smell great!! With great patients, I have raised these cigars back from the dead. I haven't tried one yet, but I'm going to for Christmas!!
  • gmill880gmill880 Posts: 5,947 ✭
    Congrats Mike I hope they are great !
  • smbrinksmbrink Posts: 406 ✭
    nightmaremike31:
    I "may or may not" have some "foreign" cigars in tubes that were given to me by a guy from work who knew absolutely nothing about cigars, but knew I liked cigars since I look through my C.Com catalog every day at work like it was my dads playboys. These cigars were dry to the bone, but I was advised from Tim Blythe, to gradually restore them by (just like the fellas are sayin) slowly re-introducing them back to regular operating humidity in my humidor.

    When I first got them, I placed them in a plastic bag still inside their tubos with the caps on inside of another plastic bag with a water pillow for a few weeks (5 or 6). Then for another couple weeks, I placed them in the humi as far away as possible from the humi beads still in their tubos with the caps on. Then, this was the one and only situation that I removed the caps of any tubos I've had (just my personal preference) and then every few weeks after, I would move them a little closer to the humi beads.

    And let me tell you, I've been restoring these beauties slow and steady for a almost a year (Feb), and they smell great!! With great patients, I have raised these cigars back from the dead. I haven't tried one yet, but I'm going to for Christmas!!
    You mean that you would try one of these possibly fictitious cigars if,and I'm sure that it's a mighty big "if"(you being the upstanding American citizen I just know you are) you were in possession of one. ;)
  • lilwing88lilwing88 Posts: 2,812 ✭✭✭
    One2gofst:
    If they were only at 55% humidity I doubt they are that bad off. Personally, I would give them a month at 60% then a couple months at 65% then maybe bring them up closer to 70% depending on how you like your sticks. They should come back about 95% eventually, IMO. Just don't rush it and be more careful with new sticks. And welcome to the Ccom forums.
    Thanks for the welcome.......... I'm gonna give them a couple months, for sure. It just sucks cuz I'm new at this and I'm learning about the whole "patience" thing. Anyways, I think I got my humidor under control. Now it's just wait and see.
    Guns don't kill people, Daddies with pretty daughters do…..
  • nightmaremike31nightmaremike31 Posts: 718 ✭✭✭
    smbrink:
    nightmaremike31:
    I "may or may not" have some "foreign" cigars in tubes that were given to me by a guy from work who knew absolutely nothing about cigars, but knew I liked cigars since I look through my C.Com catalog every day at work like it was my dads playboys. These cigars were dry to the bone, but I was advised from Tim Blythe, to gradually restore them by (just like the fellas are sayin) slowly re-introducing them back to regular operating humidity in my humidor.

    When I first got them, I placed them in a plastic bag still inside their tubos with the caps on inside of another plastic bag with a water pillow for a few weeks (5 or 6). Then for another couple weeks, I placed them in the humi as far away as possible from the humi beads still in their tubos with the caps on. Then, this was the one and only situation that I removed the caps of any tubos I've had (just my personal preference) and then every few weeks after, I would move them a little closer to the humi beads.

    And let me tell you, I've been restoring these beauties slow and steady for a almost a year (Feb), and they smell great!! With great patients, I have raised these cigars back from the dead. I haven't tried one yet, but I'm going to for Christmas!!
    You mean that you would try one of these possibly fictitious cigars if,and I'm sure that it's a mighty big "if"(you being the upstanding American citizen I just know you are) you were in possession of one. ;)

    Ahem, ah yes, how clumsy of me, I must have "miss typed" that. Thank you Mark. I meant, "IF" I had these, I would do the above noted process in "hopes" that they would smell quite delectible and mostly restored, I'm sure they "would" taste great too "IF" I had them...

    gmill880:
    Congrats Mike I hope they are great !

    And thank you Gene and a belated Congrats to you good sir for the new job!!
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