Bitter sticks...

beardedcanadian

Just wondering if anyone has experienced bitter cigars. I mean REALLY bitter. I have a box of 5 Vegas Gold and they are generally a very mild cigar. The last two that I have had were almost unbearably bitter. Has anyone had this happen to their cigars.

camgfs

I've had a couple bitter sticks in the past. The CAO Black comes to mind, yet others say it is a good stick. I've only had one of them, and won't buy more because of the very bitter taste. I can't remember what the other bitter one was, but I think it might have been a Padilla Obsidian, which should have been a good smoke. I don't know what happens to make them bitter when all the other sticks in the same humidor are fine.

This makes me nervous, because I'm waiting for a 5 pack of 5 Vegas Gold that should arrive any day now!

kuzi16

camgfs
fear not. the 5 vegas is not bitter IMHO

if your sticks start turning bitter it could just mean you are smoking too fast.

bacon.jay

camgfs:

I've had a couple bitter sticks in the past. The CAO Black comes to mind, yet others say it is a good stick. I've only had one of them, and won't buy more because of the very bitter taste. I can't remember what the other bitter one was, but I think it might have been a Padilla Obsidian, which should have been a good smoke. I don't know what happens to make them bitter when all the other sticks in the same humidor are fine.

This makes me nervous, because I'm waiting for a 5 pack of 5 Vegas Gold that should arrive any day now!

I had the same experience with the CAO Black, and will NEVER buy it again. I thought it was terrible. I love the Padilla Obsidian though.

beardedcanadian

camgfs...I have had about six of them before I got the two bitter ones...so hopefully yours won't be bitter. Also I don't think I am smoking them too fast, but the next one I will make a concious effort to go slow. Like I said, they were great, smooth and mild but the last two were awful...maybe they hate the Christmas season.

Or are bitter because they didn't get any gifts.

Krieg

beardedcanadian:

Just wondering if anyone has experienced bitter cigars. I mean REALLY bitter. I have a box of 5 Vegas Gold and they are generally a very mild cigar. The last two that I have had were almost unbearably bitter. Has anyone had this happen to their cigars.

Might wanna try slowing down your smoke, faster you smoke the hotter your cigar will get. Also, if you were smoking on a windy day, that might have contributed to the bitterness.

Krieg

kuzi16:

camgfs
fear not. the 5 vegas is not bitter IMHO

if your sticks start turning bitter it could just mean you are smoking too fast.

Yeah, what he said.

beardedcanadian

I really wish it was smoking to fast, but I don't think it was, and there was no wind. Maybe I got spoiled with the smooth and sweet draw of Swisher Sweets. :-)

camgfs

I think the Padilla obsidian I had was just a bad stick. It came in the same sample pack from ccom with the CAO Black. All the other smokes were very good, but the Padilla had an awfull draw (too tight, almost plugged) and the ash was horrible...flaky and falling off constantly....and the taste was almost as bitter as the CAO Black. It has great reviews, and I really wanted to like that stick. I may try the obsidial again some day in case it was just a bad stick.

I don't know what makes some sticks bitter like that when all the others I smoke are not.

beardedcanadian

camgfs:

I think the Padilla obsidian I had was just a bad stick. It came in the same sample pack from ccom with the CAO Black. All the other smokes were very good, but the Padilla had an awfull draw (too tight, almost plugged) and the ash was horrible...flaky and falling off constantly....and the taste was almost as bitter as the CAO Black. It has great reviews, and I really wanted to like that stick. I may try the obsidial again some day in case it was just a bad stick.

I don't know what makes some sticks bitter like that when all the others I smoke are not.

That is strange because I had a Padilla Obsidians and the exact same thing happened. Then I had a Padilla Limitado Edicion Especial 2006 and I went blue in the face trying to get a decent draw off it...I liked the flavor of it, when I got any, but it was very unenjoyable to smoke...I actually emailed CCOM about that one (it's where I bought it from) and they told me quote "It is normal with this particular cigar. Try leaving one out of the humidor for a day and they give it a short it will allow the filler to shrink slightly and open the paths for the smoke to travel.". Well, I didn't have any of the Padilla Limitado Edicion Especial 2006 left. but I did have one Obsidian left and I tried that, and all it still drew hard.

camgfs

Thanks bearded....maybe the Padillas just aren't for us Canadians? lol

TatuajeVI

I've heard similar things about the Obsidian here. I didn't have an issue when I smoked one this summer. I think I still have one left...

leonard

Every Obsidian Ive smoked has had burn or draw issues.

clearlysuspect

I have 3 of them sitting in the humi and that's where they will stay for the next 6 months to a year. I've heard they suck unless they get some serious rest on them so I'm gonna try to be patient.

Garen B

I had draw issues with the Obsidians but Mr. Straightened Paperclip took care of that. My solution to smoking slower is smoking with company, it's hard to smoke fast when you have a good conversation going.

fla-gypsy

Garen B:

I had draw issues with the Obsidians but Mr. Straightened Paperclip took care of that. My solution to smoking slower is smoking with company, it's hard to smoke fast when you have a good conversation going.

My prefferred de-plugger is a bamboo skewer, they will do wonders to a tight stick.

beardedcanadian

fla-gypsy:

Garen B:

I had draw issues with the Obsidians but Mr. Straightened Paperclip took care of that. My solution to smoking slower is smoking with company, it's hard to smoke fast when you have a good conversation going.

My prefferred de-plugger is a bamboo skewer, they will do wonders to a tight stick.

Call me picky, but I don't think that I should pay for cigars then have to do construction to get them to smoke...what's next I have to plant my own seeds...??? They should just roll them correctly and be done with it.

I agree smoking with company makes smoking slower easy...but sometimes when you get a good stick, well it is like good chocolate, I want it all NOW....LOL

sandraos

I didnt notice anyone else mention it in the thread or maybe I missed it.
Also over humidification can lead to bitterness.

beardedcanadian

sandraos:

I didnt notice anyone else mention it in the thread or maybe I missed it. Also over humidification can lead to bitterness.

Thanks...it may be over humidification, but I am not sure, I am keeping it pretty even between 68 and 72 percent...is that to high.

kaspera79

beardedcanadian:

sandraos:

I didnt notice anyone else mention it in the thread or maybe I missed it. Also over humidification can lead to bitterness.

Thanks...it may be over humidification, but I am not sure, I am keeping it pretty even between 68 and 72 percent...is that to high.

72 is getting high in my opinion... I aim for 70 max.

beardedcanadian

kaspera79:

beardedcanadian:

sandraos:

I didnt notice anyone else mention it in the thread or maybe I missed it. Also over humidification can lead to bitterness.

Thanks...it may be over humidification, but I am not sure, I am keeping it pretty even between 68 and 72 percent...is that to high.

72 is getting high in my opinion... I aim for 70 max.

what is the best way to keep it under 70 and above 65?

camgfs

Not all humidors are created equal, but most good humidors will hold 'around' the same, but less humid in winter months because the household humidity drops so much. I have never found that my humidor can hold the same number year round, and I have never had a problem with it reading anywhere between a low of 60 and a high of 75.

The 'recommended' level is between 65 and 75%, so IMO 72 is just fine. I have never worried much about a slight variance in humidity. My older humidor is reading 62%. I took a cigar from it and lit it up. It had a perfect draw, perfect razor sharp burn, great ash and no relights. I've had the same results from a humidor with an average of 72%.

Maybe I'm just not an expert, but I think it's possible to worry too much about the humidity. As long as it does not average more than 75%, your sticks should be fine.

Having said that, I like to 'dry box' (I've heard all the jokes on that one already, but fire away if you have something original, lol) some of my sticks (a few hours to a full day) before smoking them. The 5 Vegas Relic, Remidios Don Victor, Gurkha Black Puro or almost any 'oily' maduro seems to smoke a little better after a few hours out of the humidor. Just my opinion, of course.

As for lowering the humidity, try removing your humidification device for a few days, or just leave the lid of the humidor open for a couple of hours, then close it. Check it in a couple days to see if it changed. If not, "rinse, lather, repeat"...only an expression, lol. Don't fill up the humidification device. Let it run low so the humidity drops before adding a little fluid. That could control it.

phobicsquirrel

beardedcanadian:

kaspera79:

beardedcanadian:

sandraos:

I didnt notice anyone else mention it in the thread or maybe I missed it. Also over humidification can lead to bitterness.

Thanks...it may be over humidification, but I am not sure, I am keeping it pretty even between 68 and 72 percent...is that to high.

72 is getting high in my opinion... I aim for 70 max.

what is the best way to keep it under 70 and above 65?

I think Oliva said 70-75.... Mine stays at about 64-68. I don't have any issues. I have a lot of full bodied cigars in that humi so maybe that is good. Perhaps less full bodied cigars do better at a higher RH..?