humidity level vs. taste question

newbiesmoker24 · November 2010

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!

wwhwang · November 2010

You'll find all sorts of opinions on this matter. Some guys like their sticks around 65, or even 62 rh. Me? I prefer 68 to 70 rh. I've found that some of my favorite sticks tend to be juicier-tasting around there. Is it possible that the "dry" taste is just pepper? Pepper sometimes leaves a dry finish in the mouth if it's really strong.

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.

newbiesmoker24 · November 2010

wwhwang:
You'll find all sorts of opinions on this matter. Some guys like their sticks around 65, or even 62 rh. Me? I prefer 68 to 70 rh. I've found that some of my favorite sticks tend to be juicier-tasting around there. Is it possible that the "dry" taste is just pepper? Pepper sometimes leaves a dry finish in the mouth if it's really strong.

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.

RaschNuts · November 2010

newbiesmoker24:
wwhwang:
You'll find all sorts of opinions on this matter. Some guys like their sticks around 65, or even 62 rh. Me? I prefer 68 to 70 rh. I've found that some of my favorite sticks tend to be juicier-tasting around there. Is it possible that the "dry" taste is just pepper? Pepper sometimes leaves a dry finish in the mouth if it's really strong.

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.

I could be wrong in this statement. But i know i have heard people reference certain cigars tasting dry and drying out their mouth. Could you be experiencing this. maybe its not the wrapper but the binder or something in the filler?

Just some thoughts from another newb

lilwing88 · November 2010

This could be a humidor issue or a cigar issue. Hard to say.....

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.

newbiesmoker24 · November 2010

lilwing88:
This could be a humidor issue or a cigar issue. Hard to say.....

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.

This was the first stick I had while from that humidor... I just finished seasoning it about two weeks ago. It is the ccom 20 ct. humidor and I have one drymistat tube in it. I have a two caliber III digital hygrometers and I just bought them and they are never more than +/-1% from each other. They are reading 65%rh consistently. I don't think they need to be calibrated yet. Every stick before this I either received and smoked within a week or bought it from local B&M.
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!!!

Nick2021 · November 2010

newbiesmoker24:
lilwing88:
This could be a humidor issue or a cigar issue. Hard to say.....

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.
This was the first stick I had while from that humidor... I just finished seasoning it about two weeks ago. It is the ccom 20 ct. humidor and I have one drymistat tube in it. I have a two caliber III digital hygrometers and I just bought them and they are never more than +/-1% from each other. They are reading 65%rh consistently. I don't think they need to be calibrated yet. Every stick before this I either received and smoked within a week or bought it from local B&M.
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!!!

I actually went on a Gurkha "frenzy" while on my deployment...marketing definitely got me on the Gurkhas and my wife was wondering what the heck was going on with Gurkhas as I had a ton of them sent to my home address lol! I will end up selling all of the bundles I have when I return home next week as there are a lot of BOTLs who enjoy this brand, unfortunately, it's not for me. However, I did enjoy the Gurkha TL and Gran Envoy. Just keep trying cigars and see what's right for you...everybody has different tastes.

Amos_Umwhat · November 2010

How long have you had this cigar? Depending on what it went through before it got to you, time can be a very important factor.

kaspera79 · November 2010

I don't know abpout a dry "taste" but I have had dry mouth feel. As opposed to smoke that gives what I would call a creamy mouth feel, or one that seems to cling to your tongue. Dry to me often causes a burning sensation in the nose and throat, and will cause many burn issues, cracking and unravelling.. I have a Gurkha Triple that I should try to see what it is your are experiencing. This one has a ton of age on it though I may not duplicate what happened with yours

kuzi16 · November 2010

kaspera79:
I don't know abpout a dry "taste" but I have had dry mouth feel. As opposed to smoke that gives what I would call a creamy mouth feel, or one that seems to cling to your tongue. Dry to me often causes a burning sensation in the nose and throat, and will cause many burn issues, cracking and unravelling.. I have a Gurkha Triple that I should try to see what it is your are experiencing. This one has a ton of age on it though I may not duplicate what happened with yours

dry mouth feel and dry taste are two very different things to me.
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.

newbiesmoker24 · November 2010

kuzi16:
kaspera79:
I don't know abpout a dry "taste" but I have had dry mouth feel. As opposed to smoke that gives what I would call a creamy mouth feel, or one that seems to cling to your tongue. Dry to me often causes a burning sensation in the nose and throat, and will cause many burn issues, cracking and unravelling.. I have a Gurkha Triple that I should try to see what it is your are experiencing. This one has a ton of age on it though I may not duplicate what happened with yours
dry mouth feel and dry taste are two very different things to me.
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!

kuzi16 · November 2010

newbiesmoker24:

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 get this if the cigars are below 65%.
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.

humidity level vs. taste question

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