Question On Restoring Dry Cigars

Hello. I tried to post this earlier and it doesn't seem to have worked (I'm new), but I apologize if this is a duplicate.

I have two boxes of old (but expensive) cigars and I'm wondering if I should restore them or throw them away. I'd appreciate some advice.

One box has been kept in a neglected humidor (about 50-60% humidity) since 2002. The other cigars have lived in their original box (a nice Don Diego Playboy box) since 2003. They have never been inside a humidor.

I've read about different methods of restoring dry cigars, but these are extreme cases, being 9 and 8 years old. In appearance all cigars are great. To the touch they are crispy.

Thoughts?

Thank you for your advice.

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Originally Posted by SgtStryker0331

Hello. I tried to post this earlier and it doesn't seem to have worked (I'm new), but I apologize if this is a duplicate.

I have two boxes of old (but expensive) cigars and I'm wondering if I should restore them or throw them away. I'd appreciate some advice.

One box has been kept in a neglected humidor (about 50-60% humidity) since 2002. The other cigars have lived in their original box (a nice Don Diego Playboy box) since 2003. They have never been inside a humidor.

I've read about different methods of restoring dry cigars, but these are extreme cases, being 9 and 8 years old. In appearance all cigars are great. To the touch they are crispy.

Thoughts?

Thank you for your advice.

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You'll have to bring them back up slowly, or risk cracking the binder / wrapper. Maybe a month or so at each stage starting at 50-60% coming up 5 at a time until you're at about 65-70.

They still will probably never be the same, as a lot of the oils have since evaporated.

Hello from Bitterville.

Will

Hope this can help got this from guideto.com

Restoring dry cigars may depend on the extent of the damage or the condition of the said cigars. It would be good if you find your dry cigars still intact and in good shape on the outside. This means that your dry cigars may still be fit for restoration.

But if you already see some of the dry cigars already cracking with some of the tobacco wrapper beginning to unravel, then (sorry to say) restoration may already be too late to achieve. Broken wrappers in your cigars is a sign that it is time that you discard them.

When trying to restore dry cigars, take note that it is a slow process. Sudden changes in humidity surrounding your cigars may be enough to damage them. Letting your dry cigars absorb moisture to restore them may take from one to nine months, depending on the condition, the size and the age of the cigars.

There are several methods available on how to restore your dry cigars. There is the Quarter Turn method where dry cigars are stored in an open cigar box and placed in a damp location. The dry cigars are made to remain in this damp area for a week or so in order to let them absorb some of the moisture, with extremely dry cigars taking longer exposure.

After that, the dry cigars are then transferred to a humidor with humidity set at 70 percent. Each cigar is then given a quarter turn every two to three days. The restoration process is complete once the cigars have undergone full rotations at least twice in the given conditions.

There is also the Ziplock Bag method of restoring dry cigars where an open box of dry cigars are placed inside a Ziplock bag with little holes on it and then closed. This bag should then be placed in a larger Ziplock bag that contains a slightly damp sponge and then sealed. Every couple of days, the dry cigars are turned and also change its position from top to bottom in order to ensure slow but even moisture absorption.

There is also the Hot Shower method where you take the open box of dry cigars with you to the bathroom. You let it stay inside a dry area in the bathroom as you take a hot shower. After you’re done with your shower, close the box in order to trap the moisture inside.

The dry cigars are then carefully rotated every two to three days as you take your box dry cigars with you every time you take your hot shower for a period of two weeks. You can then place the restored cigars in a well maintained humidor to prevent them from drying up again.

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Originally Posted by BnBTobacco

Hope this can help got this from guideto.com

Restoring dry cigars may depend on the extent of the damage or the condition of the said cigars. It would be good if you find your dry cigars still intact and in good shape on the outside. This means that your dry cigars may still be fit for restoration.

But if you already see some of the dry cigars already cracking with some of the tobacco wrapper beginning to unravel, then (sorry to say) restoration may already be too late to achieve. Broken wrappers in your cigars is a sign that it is time that you discard them.

When trying to restore dry cigars, take note that it is a slow process. Sudden changes in humidity surrounding your cigars may be enough to damage them. Letting your dry cigars absorb moisture to restore them may take from one to nine months, depending on the condition, the size and the age of the cigars.

There are several methods available on how to restore your dry cigars. There is the Quarter Turn method where dry cigars are stored in an open cigar box and placed in a damp location. The dry cigars are made to remain in this damp area for a week or so in order to let them absorb some of the moisture, with extremely dry cigars taking longer exposure.

After that, the dry cigars are then transferred to a humidor with humidity set at 70 percent. Each cigar is then given a quarter turn every two to three days. The restoration process is complete once the cigars have undergone full rotations at least twice in the given conditions.

There is also the Ziplock Bag method of restoring dry cigars where an open box of dry cigars are placed inside a Ziplock bag with little holes on it and then closed. This bag should then be placed in a larger Ziplock bag that contains a slightly damp sponge and then sealed. Every couple of days, the dry cigars are turned and also change its position from top to bottom in order to ensure slow but even moisture absorption.

There is also the Hot Shower method where you take the open box of dry cigars with you to the bathroom. You let it stay inside a dry area in the bathroom as you take a hot shower. After you’re done with your shower, close the box in order to trap the moisture inside.

The dry cigars are then carefully rotated every two to three days as you take your box dry cigars with you every time you take your hot shower for a period of two weeks. You can then place the restored cigars in a well maintained humidor to prevent them from drying up again.

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This cut and paste has conflicting information. One part says it may take months to restore "said" cigars. Next part says to take them into the bathroom for the steam from a hot shower. I'm no expert, but I would venture you're going to busted binder city with that move.

Will

hey Will, wouldn't your flowery shower gel smell get infused into the cigars? :smiley36:

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Originally Posted by mail man

hey Will, wouldn't your flowery shower gel smell get infused into the cigars? :smiley36:

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You told me it didn't affect your Acids the last time you tried it.

WTF is shower gel? I kick it old school with a bar of ivory soap and a washcloth. You're worrying me with your Beiber knowledge and reference to poofy bath products.

Will - I'm guessing you didn't get a PIF from Keith yet? The extras seem to be bath beads and a loofah.

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Originally Posted by Irish79

Will - I'm guessing you didn't get a PIF from Keith yet? The extras seem to be bath beads and a loofah.

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Is that a complaint, or appreciation? :smiley3:

What's the RH on the bath beads?

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Originally Posted by badwhale

You told me it didn't affect your Acids the last time you tried it.

WTF is shower gel? I kick it old school with a bar of ivory soap and a washcloth. You're worrying me with your Beiber knowledge and reference to poofy bath products.

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Fugger... I am trying to reply to this, and am laughing so hard, I can't even think of a retort.:smiley18:

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Originally Posted by ashauler

Is that a complaint, or appreciation? :smiley3:

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Neither. Consternation that badwhale might have missed out on freebies that can be re-gifted to score points with the wife. :smiley2:

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Originally Posted by Irish79

Neither. Consternation that badwhale might have missed out on freebies that can be re-gifted to score points with the wife. :smiley2:

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Well, if the whale got something in a box that made him smell better, I think he should keep it. And use it. I'll bet that would get him some wifey points. :smiley20:

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Originally Posted by ashauler

Well, if the whale got something in a box that made him smell better, I think he should keep it. And use it. I'll bet that would get him some wifey points. :smiley20:

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Fuck, I'm in such a defecit of points, does it really matter?:smiley36:

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Originally Posted by badwhale

Fuck, I'm in such a defecit of points, does it really matter?:smiley36:

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Hell i almost got out of the negative Saturday " I got the wife a car that she said she liked" but now its a new week:smiley18: and im back to screwing up.

Wait till i get back form a local cigar event tonight and ill be sleeping in my truck :smiley36:

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Originally Posted by Mangyrat

Wait till i get back form a local cigar event tonight and ill be sleeping in my truck :smiley36:

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At least you'll have a few stogies to give you (mostly the illusion of) warmth.

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Originally Posted by badwhale

This cut and paste has conflicting information. One part says it may take months to restore "said" cigars. Next part says to take them into the bathroom for the steam from a hot shower. I'm no expert, but I would venture you're going to busted binder city with that move.

Will

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Please try to comprehend the information I posted you keep on commenting on my post,what is your problem?

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Originally Posted by BnBTobacco

Please try to comprehend the information I posted you keep on commenting on my post,what is your problem?

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Likewise.

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Originally Posted by BnBTobacco

Please try to comprehend the information I posted you keep on commenting on my post,what is your problem?

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Why are you taking his comment personally, especially since it was just on a cut-and-paste job? People are allowed to disagree and make comments. The reader can decide what advice to--and not to--follow.

From what I've gathered, take 'er easy and you'll enjoy your time here better.

And PS: I'm no business guy, but I would guess alienating yourself, with a bad attitude, from potential customers is not a good model.

If you do find yourself with a cracked wrapper, before you chuck it, you can try repairing it with a gelatinous mixture of pectin powder and water.

I had the opposite problem last month where a cigar got wet from an overly-filled humidifier. The filler and binder expanded faster/more than the wrapper and it left a 1 cm by 1 mm crack. After letting it dry out, I just applied the pectin to the wrapper and exposed binder to create a seal and it smoked wonderfully. The crack was near the head and I smoked it to the nub without it unraveling.

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Originally Posted by BnBTobacco

Please try to comprehend the information I posted you keep on commenting on my post,what is your problem?

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Why don't you go one better, Einstein, and read what YOU post a second time before you hit the paste button. Perhaps then you'll avoid making yourself look bad. Wait....