Got my last shipment from Cbid and had some Gurkha Black Puro's. Went to fire one up and couldn't get a draw. Took a look around and found this hole. Put my finger over it and it was fine. Must be what a bong is like but I wouldn't know. 😉. As you can see I smoked the cigar and honestly really enjoyed this Puro. Help a noob out?

Looks like a beetle hole.

Every cigar has the potential to contain tobacco beetle eggs. This is totally natural, and should not worry you. However, if the cigars are stored at high temperatures...even 72 degrees...for a long enough period of time, the beetle can and will hatch, and burrow out of the cigar. Of course, the beetle can then tear into your other cigars within the same box or humidor.

This cigar comes from the Torano factory, which is well-known for top-notch quality control. They take the proper steps to ensure quality and dependability with every leaf of tobacco and cigar rolled. Therefore, they take the proper steps to help prevent from tobacco beetles.

If I may ask, when was this specific cigar received, and how was it stored during that time?

That is a beetle hole. I would recommend isolating your other cigars from your last shipment ASAP.

Hi Steve, Thanks for the info. The order was recieved on 1-19-08 - CB0693356. It was in the humidor about 3-5 days before smoking it and the cello was never off. My humi is running at exactly 70 give or take and my temp is 66. I have the three tier/shelf humidor (19" tall)with the glass front door.

Hi

I second the idea of a quarantine for the cigars for the area of infestion if not the entire humidor (especially when the problem has gotten out of hand).

1. I would examine the sticks in the general area first (look at points 4 & 5 below), isolate the cigars around the infested cigar (throw away the infested cigar), and watch them for a few weeks. I would pack the suspect cigars in groups if one to five using plastic zip lock, cbid cigar bags etc.

2.I would also look through the entire humidor and check the contents for a problem every day for a number of weeks just to be sure.

3.If you find another cigar with the whole like the one pictured I would throw it away and follow the steps above. If the infestation is wide spread I would quarenteen the whole Humidor isolating the whole group as in step 1. Keep in mind the problem might not have been due to the cigar pictured.

4. Another good way to know if you might have a problem with a cigar, even if the whole is not present, is to tap the open end of the cigar lightly on the palm of you hand. If you see little grains like saw dust coming out you have might have the same problem. If this happens you should isolate the cigar and wait to see if the bugs appear. I would also isolate the others in the area like the steps above.

5.Check the cello,it serves in part as a barrier against bugs. If there is a whole in it, chances are they got through follow the steps above .

Best

Q

So, this is the new Gurkha flute that I've been hearing so much about.

#5 part 3 I wouldn't throw it away I would smoke all the ones I think might be beetle fodder. I mean really what do you have to lose?

Freeze the rest of the cigars in that humidor and call CS.

Yup, looks like a Yoko Ono to me...Beatle hole.

taste like chicken

Open your box,

Open your box,

Open your trousers,

Open your thighs,

Open your legs,

Open, open, open, open, oooh.

Open, open, open, open,

Open your legs,

Open your flies,

Open your ears,

Open your nose,

Open your mouth,

Open, open, open, open, oooh.

Open.

Open your cold feet,

Open, open,

Open, open, open, let's open, let's open the cities.

Open the cities,

Open, open, open the world,

Open, let's open the world.

Open, open, oooh -

Open, open, ooh!

-Yoko Ono

LOL @ #6

This one time, as an intern, at band camp....

Spent about an hour or two last night going thru the other sticks in my humi. Doesn't looke like anything else was affected from what I can see but some of you have me worried now 😉 I'll for sure keep an eye on things although a day doesn't go by that I don't check my humi just because it smells great! Strange that that stick passed a draw test.

"My humi is running at exactly 70 give or take..."

Leave it to me to notice this stuff. 😉

I was wondering who would see that. I MEANT it states 70 on a consistant basis but i'm sure the hydrometers off 1-2 degrees either direction. Damn!

Hi

The question is have you ever smoked a bug infested cigar. It is not worth it trust me.

Q

Just smoke all of your cigars faster than the beetles can eat them.

We'll I tried to get some last minute advise from Cbid customer service thru e-mail on this issue but never heard back. If anyone has some final advise please let me know. As you can see from an earlier post I spent some time going thru my Humi to verify the other sticks are ok for now. If this is sufficient then fine if I should take other precautions please advise. And yes I am trying to smoke them as fast as possible. 😉 Problem is I keep buying more. Guess i'll just need to check my Cbid orders before placing them in my humi.

I've read of putting suspected sticks in the freezer.

Hi

I would isolate the cigars in groups and check them for the next few weeks. Do not panic chances are if this is the only one with the problem the issue is local to the area where this cigar had been originally placed.

Best

Q