America's #1 Online Cigar Auction
first, best, biggest!

Last post 4 years ago by USNGunner. 32 replies replies.
Rehydrating Cigars
mudbug65 Offline
#1 Posted:
Joined: 06-03-2008
Posts: 3
Had a buddy give me a half dozen cigars wrapped in plastic wrap. I dropped in my humidor, got busy and forgot about them. Its been a couple of weeks (I just remembered about them). Are they lost or if I unwrap them is there a way to bring them back to life?
opelmanta1900 Offline
#2 Posted:
Joined: 01-10-2012
Posts: 13,954
Plastic wrap? Like Reynolds wrap?

You put them in your humidor, right? Is the humidor not maintained? Having a hard time following you on this one...

Also, it's been almost 12 years...
mudbug65 Offline
#3 Posted:
Joined: 06-03-2008
Posts: 3
Opel, Yes it is plastic wrap like Reynolds wrap. I do maintain a small box still humidor. Sorry for any confusion.
I don't want to unwrap them until I have a firm plan of attack if they are dry. I want to be able to move quick to re-hydrate if that is possible.
KingoftheCove Offline
#4 Posted:
Joined: 10-08-2011
Posts: 7,603
No such thing as rehydrating “quick”.
You’re looking at a few months most likely.
Also, cigars can sometimes get to the point of no return.
Finally, dad is not happy with you....
dstieger Offline
#5 Posted:
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
What was their history before you got your wrapped package?
When's the last time they were properly cared for?
What kind of cigars?
They're in the humidor....just unwrap them alread
ZRX1200 Offline
#6 Posted:
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,477
Wrap them in Romain lettuce immediately!
mudbug65 Offline
#7 Posted:
Joined: 06-03-2008
Posts: 3
dstieger wrote:
What was their history before you got your wrapped package?
When's the last time they were properly cared for?
What kind of cigars?
They're in the humidor....just unwrap them alread


Unknown history/Kind of cigars - My buddy is an avid Cigar fan and has several brands he likes, was giving me some to try.
Cared for last - 2 weeks ago

Thank you. I will do that this evening and see what condition we are working with.
Hopefully not a complete loss.
clintCigar Offline
#8 Posted:
Joined: 05-14-2019
Posts: 4,682
and submerge in 5 gallon bucket for at least 10min before smoking.
dstieger Offline
#9 Posted:
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
mudbug65 wrote:
Unknown history/Kind of cigars - My buddy is an avid Cigar fan and has several brands he likes, was giving me some to try.
Cared for last - 2 weeks ago

Thank you. I will do that this evening and see what condition we are working with.
Hopefully not a complete loss.


I only ask what kind, because a half dozen 2 dollar cigars isn't really worth a whole lot of time and effort.

A half dozen unicorns might warrant a little more concern/effort
deadeyedick Offline
#10 Posted:
Joined: 03-13-2003
Posts: 16,961
KingoftheCove wrote:
No such thing as rehydrating “quick”.
You’re looking at a few months most likely.
Also, cigars can sometimes get to the point of no return.
Finally, dad is not happy with you....


This is correct advice but you could use the express method: Put the cigars and one head of lettuce in the microwave for 60 seconds on the popcorn setting.
dstieger Offline
#11 Posted:
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
Not going to be months if they were only out of the humidor for two weeks and wrapped well. I've got new cigars that have been enroute from about 300 miles away for the last three weeks. I expect they'll be smokeable in two weeks, if that
frankj1 Offline
#12 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
KingoftheCove wrote:
No such thing as rehydrating “quick”.
You’re looking at a few months most likely.
Also, cigars can sometimes get to the point of no return.
Finally, dad is not happy with you....

I was hoping to let this one slide
KingoftheCove Offline
#13 Posted:
Joined: 10-08-2011
Posts: 7,603
deadeyedick wrote:
This is correct advice but you could use the express method: Put the cigars and one head of lettuce in the microwave for 60 seconds on the popcorn setting.

what da............

Et tu Brute.....
delta1 Offline
#14 Posted:
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,754
yah...microwaves and cigars do not play well...
USNGunner Offline
#15 Posted:
Joined: 05-17-2019
Posts: 4,402
delta1 wrote:
yah...microwaves and cigars do not play well...


Ah, the lettuce is the key though. Romaine is best. Whistle
Pudding Mittens Offline
#16 Posted:
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
delta1 wrote:
yah...microwaves and cigars do not play well...

Saw a thread once about using a microwave to remove moisture from a too-moist cigar quickly, so you can smoke it right now instead of waiting a long time for it to shed the excess moisture.

I think it was cutting, then nuking 10 seconds on high, then blowing OUT (never IN!) through the cigar which causes visible steam to leave the foot (that's moisture leaving!). Let cool a few minutes. Repeat until no visible steam comes out. Then wait a few more minutes, light and smoke.

I tried it on too-moist sticks. It does seem to work, they smoked more easily and drier, which is pretty cool.

It's an odd technque, right up there in high oddness level with the technique of "holding it vertically so no water can get in the foot, hold an uncut cigar under running tap water, roll dry on a paper towel, wait a few minutes, then cut, light and smoke." That one's verrrrry interesting and definitely changes the experience, usually for the better, believe it or not.
.
gummy jones Offline
#17 Posted:
Joined: 07-06-2015
Posts: 7,969
I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts they are gone. Once the oils dry up they ain't never coming back
Speyside Offline
#18 Posted:
Joined: 03-16-2015
Posts: 13,106
Darn it Frank, it's your job. The youngens and I are disappointed in your recent lack of parental guidance. Maybe more strict rules and we wouldn't fell the need for safe places, SJWS, and snow flake behavior. I'm begging you, please, oh please think of the youngens. Did we quit when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Did LeBron James quit before he won 7 championships in Miami? Did our military quite before they found all the WOMD in Iraq? I could go on, but you get my point. Please get my point, I don't.
KingoftheCove Offline
#19 Posted:
Joined: 10-08-2011
Posts: 7,603
FrankieT gets lazier with every passing year.....
USNGunner Offline
#20 Posted:
Joined: 05-17-2019
Posts: 4,402
gummy jones wrote:
I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts they are gone. Once the oils dry up they ain't never coming back


I don't think they'd dry up wrapped in plastic in two weeks. I hope not, UPS lost a shipment from the bid and it took that long to get here. d'oh!
delta1 Offline
#21 Posted:
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,754
guess it would depend on how bedbug's friend stored them before he wrapped them up and gave them away...
pacman357 Offline
#22 Posted:
Joined: 02-27-2006
Posts: 42,596
As a long-time overthinker, I have to say you seem to be over-thinking this. Put them in a humidor with proper humidity levels, then leave them there for at least 6 months. If they smoke well, great. If not, give them another 6. If they still don't smoke well after a year, they are probably ruined or weren't great to begin with.

Unless you have an emergency that requires you to smoke them right now, you're probably just wasting your time. If the question is whether you might like to get more before a particular line goes buh-bye, then buy a fiver of that line now and judge based on that, not your rescues.
gummy jones Offline
#23 Posted:
Joined: 07-06-2015
Posts: 7,969
USNGunner wrote:
I don't think they'd dry up wrapped in plastic in two weeks. I hope not, UPS lost a shipment from the bid and it took that long to get here. d'oh!


missed the part where they have only been out 2 weeks

in my head they were old mistreated cigars
gummy jones Offline
#24 Posted:
Joined: 07-06-2015
Posts: 7,969
mudbug65 wrote:
Unknown history/Kind of cigars - My buddy is an avid Cigar fan and has several brands he likes, was giving me some to try.
Cared for last - 2 weeks ago

Thank you. I will do that this evening and see what condition we are working with.
Hopefully not a complete loss.


i change my answer
put them in a humi you maintain ~65 and forget about them for a while

theyll be fine
izonfire Offline
#25 Posted:
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 8,642
mudbug65 wrote:
Had a buddy give me a half dozen cigars wrapped in plastic wrap. I dropped in my humidor, got busy and forgot about them. Its been a couple of weeks (I just remembered about them). Are they lost or if I unwrap them is there a way to bring them back to life?


OK - a little trick I learned when I first started smoking cigars.
With the dry ones, unwrap them and bring them into the shower with you.
Make sure to quickly swipe each single stick under the shower head.
Place them on a window sill for a few days to reach equilibrium.
Voila! Ready to smoke.
____

Also - IMPORTANT - Make sure to keep plenty of desiccant in your humidors. Controls the fluctuations.
delta1 Offline
#26 Posted:
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,754
d'oh!

Shame on you


Not talking
clintCigar Offline
#27 Posted:
Joined: 05-14-2019
Posts: 4,682
Just figured out a better way than submerging.

Fill 5 gal bucket 3/4 full water. Put dehydrated cigars in top of bucket. You should be able to fit at least 12-15 toro's. The dehydrated cigars will float. Let them sit/float until halfway submerged. Take cigars out and lay unsubmerged side down and let rest over night on a paper towel. Next morning get up and smoke away.
USNGunner Offline
#28 Posted:
Joined: 05-17-2019
Posts: 4,402
clintCigar wrote:
Just figured out a better way than submerging.

Fill 5 gal bucket 3/4 full water. Put dehydrated cigars in top of bucket. You should be able to fit at least 12-15 toro's. The dehydrated cigars will float. Let them sit/float until halfway submerged. Take cigars out and lay unsubmerged side down and let rest over night on a paper towel. Next morning get up and smoke away.


Dude! That is epic! Sheer genius utilizing the capillary action inherent in the tobacco, not only the leaf itself but the veins! Sheer brilliance!

Doc Brown would be proud as hell. No matter what time it was! Applause
clintCigar Offline
#29 Posted:
Joined: 05-14-2019
Posts: 4,682
Beer Cool
clickbangdead Offline
#30 Posted:
Joined: 01-31-2009
Posts: 2,214
Two weeks isn't enough time to do much of any damage to them while wrapped, throw them in your humi for a week or two and smoke em. If you're like me and generally smoke at a lower humidity anyway, they may even be fine right now. If you do smoke one and it seems too dry, then just leave in longer.

I actually got a bunch of cigars from someone Inna zip lock that had been sitting for a very long time (about a year) unhumidified, and just threw a 65% boveda in the bag for a month or two and smoked one recently and it was actually very good. So, your mileage may vary, but again, two weeks is no sweat for a cigar to handle.
pacman357 Offline
#31 Posted:
Joined: 02-27-2006
Posts: 42,596
clintCigar wrote:
Just figured out a better way than submerging.

Fill 5 gal bucket 3/4 full water. Put dehydrated cigars in top of bucket. You should be able to fit at least 12-15 toro's. The dehydrated cigars will float. Let them sit/float until halfway submerged. Take cigars out and lay unsubmerged side down and let rest over night on a paper towel. Next morning get up and smoke away.

Has the added benefit of being able to tell you whether any of the cigars are witches.
USNGunner Offline
#32 Posted:
Joined: 05-17-2019
Posts: 4,402
pacman357 wrote:
Has the added benefit of being able to tell you whether any of the cigars are witches.


LOL! Exactly right!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp_l5ntikaU
Users browsing this topic
Guest