If they weren't removed from the RUSH job box they were put in, wouldn't they taste like paint.
Pete Johnson wrote:
The cigars were finished months ago but the box maker in Nicaragua was delayed and was not able to finish both the Drac and Boris boxes until right before the release. Unfortunately for us, this is a themed cigar that needed to arrive at the retailers before October 31st. We in no way were trying to rush production just to move product. A Halloween cigar released after October 31st doesn't make much sense. Due to the late production of the boxes, the boxes had very little time to air out the paint smell that comes with any lacquered cigar box. Once the cigars were packed, wrapped in cellophane and shipped to our office in California, the box locked in that smell. The boxes were dry but still contained the smell of fresh paint. The only way to avoid this is let the box sit open for a few weeks before packing the cigars in the box. As long as the cigars are out of the box the smell will dissipate and will not affect the flavor of the cigar.
I recommend to everyone that was able to acquire a box to remove the cigars and store them in your humidor. The box should be left out of the humidor for a couple weeks to air out. This smell will go away. I understand that some people want to keep their boxes intact but this is the best way to resolve any questions or concerns about the smell.
With that being said I would be afraid of what the paint odor has done to the flavor of the cigar. IMHO the Drac is a very good cigar but I don't know if I could rush out and buy a box due to this.
