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

Normally, cigars I receive from Cbid are above 65 and usually closer to 70. In my last order however, a few boxes of sticks were reading 57-60 using my cigarmedic device which has been accurate (have 2 of them). Boxes of Undercrown Toro's and Diesel Whiskey Sherry Toro's were 57-59.

Tried the Diesel and it split almost immediately and tasted off. The Undercrown didn't split but tasted somewhat bitter and I've had at least 100+ of these cigars in the past. The Oliva Masterblend Churchills, 2 10 packs were also around there. All the other cigars about 60 of them were okay at 67-70. Would rather get them a little wet and have them sit as opposed to dry. Not going to complain to them unless it happens again.

Nah...they were low bud. Feel it as well....like a rock. I smoke indoors. Have a small isolated room in my basement where its about 68 degrees and currently 50% or so RH. Sorry to wreck your thesis.

Not sure how true this is but I have heard the only accurate cigar humidity testers are the ones that cost thousands and require the entire cigar to be placed in a machine. The "probe" testers are simply hygrometers with a probe so the ambient humidity will affect the reading.

You're best bet is to just rest everything for a month. That's enough time for the cigar to reach the humidity setting in your humidor. Even if they went in at 57-60%, they'll be fine. They're actually fine to smoke at that range, some ppl keep their cigars at 60%.

If the roll feels hard as a rock, it's wet.

If it's splitting when trying to smoke it, it's wet.

If you're getting bitter sour flavors, it's wet.

I prefer to smoke in the low 60's range to avoid those two issues. 58-62 is perfect.

The reason your probe device is reading dry is the foot probably is dry, it's going to dry out faster than the rest of the cigar. It's reading higher on the ones you pulled from storage because they've equalized in storage. Cut the cigar in half and probe the middle.

This is a great example of why it's not recommended to smoke ROTT. Let them rest and acclimate to your preferred storage/smoking conditions for a month or three.

Yes, but if what I heard was true that statement would only be true if you tested all the cigars when the ambient humidity was exactly the same which I doubt.

I agree that smoking them as soon as they arrive is just not going to give you good results. Too often, it's wasting a cigar that I might have otherwise enjoyed. I consider ROTT anything that I've had less than two weeks, and I rarely ever smoke ROTT.

I bought a box of AF Cuban Belicosos, froze them, and put them in storage in early February. I'm not even going to try one until late April. That first one will still not be as good as the ones that I smoke this summer.

Far from the bench test equipment you guys are discussing…but from the big A shopping site, I love these tiny things:

TASOGEN 12 Pack Mini Digital Thermometer Hygrometer Indoor Temperature and Humidity Gauge Meter Monitor Fahrenheit (℉) for Humidor,Greenhouse,Reptile Tank,Home,Jars

Had some other sticks from this shipment that tested okay and they taste fine and as they normally do. The cigars that were dry will in fact come back to normal RH although most of the oils have likely been depleted and they'll never taste the same as well maintained cigars. They burned fast and tasted off. Smoking a New World now which tested at 68 and its fine, tastes like they always do with that "infused nicotine flavor" and burning great. I'll try a few of the dried out sticks in a few weeks after sitting at 65-68 and post my findings.

PS I know it may sound anal, but I put little 3/8" x 1/2" stick-on labels on everything when I receive it, noting the month and year I bought them. Once I open a 5 pack, I label each individual stick. With about 500 sticks, it gets easy to lose track of what is old and new. I believe in the redeeming quality of aging all but mild cigars.

Funny you should mention a ledger. I started a WORD document with the relevant data (brand, blend, date bought, quantity, length & ring gauge) and what humidor or humidor drawer they are located in. All I need is the discipline to update deposits and withdrawals. It's better than digging through everything because you forgot what you have.

not "anal" I guess. I have accumulated about a dozen 50-count boxes and 4 - 100 boxes. I simply set aside a empty humidor or two and store everything I score for that month in that box and scotch tape a small note on it with the month and year on it. After A while when the stick count is winding down I move them to one of the big boxes that has 1,2,, maybe 3 of each blend and let them keep aging. I can store different blends together because I leave the cello on by pushing the stick down to the open end of the cello then and clipping off the closed end. Keeps the wrapper covered while opening both ends to allow for perfect aging.