Storing fake cigars

**nein** · 02-12-2007, 09:06 PM

I had asked my colleague to pick me up some dominican cigars while she was down there and gave her a list of some stuff to look for. Unfortunatley she picked up some fake cuban montecristo's (i know :( ). I am 99% sure they are fake, but I'm trying to find references to look. Meanwhile, I need to figure out what to do with these things therefore I was wondering will storing these with the rest of my cigars effect flavor and/or ruin the good ones?

Thanks

bigpoppapuff · 02-12-2007, 09:12 PM

double post

bigpoppapuff · 02-12-2007, 09:18 PM

store them with your other cigars...nothing to worry about....you could freeze 'em first if you're concerned about beetles...

**nein** · 02-12-2007, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by bigpoppapuff

store them with your other cigars...nothing to worry about....you could freeze 'em first if you're concerned about beetles...

Ah sarcasm, where would we be without it. I just assumed a cigar is a cigar, but now that you mention beetles etc. probably not the best idea.

**Shelby07** · 02-12-2007, 11:33 PM

He's not being sarcastic. He answered your question correctly. If your humi stays below 80-85 degrees or so, there is no need to worry about beetles, but if you're paranoid then put them in a plastic baggie and freeze them for 3 days or so to kill any eggs. Then stick them in your humi.

bigpoppapuff · 02-13-2007, 12:02 AM

no sarcasm at all,putz...you just stepped on your dick,though...

**Kass** · 02-13-2007, 12:06 AM

Is there any way to tell that there might be beetle eggs?

**CoventryCat86** · 02-13-2007, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by nein

Ah sarcasm, where would we be without it. I just assumed a cigar is a cigar, but now that you mention beetles etc. probably not the best idea.

Okay, please explain the "sarcasm" because I don't see it....

bigpoppapuff · 02-13-2007, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by Kass

Is there any way to tell that there might be beetle eggs?

no...but the factories that make fakes won't freeze their cigars as many of the better (if not all) will....

**Bkcloud114** · 02-13-2007, 12:27 AM

Originally Posted by nein

Ah sarcasm, where would we be without it. I just assumed a cigar is a cigar, but now that you mention beetles etc. probably not the best idea.

Where the fuck was the sarcasm ???...... think before you type

**Kass** · 02-13-2007, 12:28 AM

Thanks.
If you freeze them, how long should they sit in the humidor before smoking?
Sorry for hijacking the thread.

bigpoppapuff · 02-13-2007, 12:48 AM

TOBACCO BEETLES

Since it's the hot month of August, it's a good time to discuss the dreaded tobacco beetle. These little monsters are unfortunately a fact of life for manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike, but they can be controlled.

To defeat this enemy, you must first understand him. No bigger than the size of a pinhead, just the mention of this little l'Enfant Terrible is enough to send cigar lovers into a tizzy. In the worst case, it can invade your humidor at home and render it into a pile of dust. These suckers eat like pigs, spread like wildfire, and lives for two things: tobacco and heat. Adult beetles measure about two to three millimeters long and live only 2 to 4 weeks, and thrive in humid climates and hot temperatures above 74 degrees.

Tobacco beetles have a life cycle - egg, larva, pupa and adult - that lasts about 10 to 12 weeks total. The female adult can chew its way through paper or tobacco leaf, and finds in cigars a suitably warm environment to lay its eggs, small white ovals that are too small for the human eye to detect. The eggs, up to 100 per birth cycle, hatch within six to 10 days, giving birth to the larvae. The larvae are what actually eat the tobacco to live and grow.

Once cigars have been brought home, consumers should inspect their humidors every few days, especially if they live in a hot or humid climate, or purchase cigars more than once a week. A telltale sign is a pinhole-sized circle in your cigar. If you see a beetle, don't panic; most of your cigars are probably salvageable.

Even though manufacturers and retailers take precautions against beetles, it's not impossible for a few to sneak through into your cigars. So, if you see signs of damage, act immediately. Put all the cigars from an infected humidor in a zipped plastic bag and place them in your freezer for three days. If the cigars are still in their box, put the whole box into the freezer. Treat all of your cigars, because if you have one damaged cigar, you have to assume they're all at risk. Freezing infested cigars kills any beetles or eggs inside, preventing your beetle problem from spreading. After three days in the deep freeze, move the cigars into your refrigerator to avoid shocking the smokes from the temperature change, which could split their wrappers. In the meantime, wipe your empty humidor clean with a damp cloth. Don't use any type of cleaner or disinfectant - it will ruin the wood and leave an odor that will taint your cigars. After one day in the refrigerator, the cigars can be returned to the humidor. Include some strips of cedar to absorb the excess moisture being released.

Now it's time to address the source of the problem - what caused the beetles to hatch. Your humidor was probably too moist or too hot. Use a digital hygrometer thermometer to get an accurate reading, and consider whether the room that houses your humidor isn't subject to temperature extremes when you're not around. Get it away from heaters, make sure the box is not in direct sunlight, and check your humidification system.

**Shelby07** · 02-13-2007, 01:53 AM

By the way... they aren't fake cigars, they are real cigars so you can treat them just like any other cigar. They just aren't authentic Cuban cigars.

There is a lot of info on the internet. Just google "fake cuban cigars"

**heftysmokes** · 02-13-2007, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by Shelby07

By the way... they aren't fake cigars, they are real cigars so you can treat them just like any other cigar. They just aren't authentic Cuban cigars.

There is a lot of info on the internet. Just google "fake cuban cigars"

They might even be real Cubans, just not what is written on the box. IIRC, I've read of instances where real Cuban leaf, farm-rolled, is used in countefeits.
So, you might actually have a really nice cigar, just not what is advertised.

Smoke one, if you enjoy it, great. If not, mark it as a lesson learned. Just don't pass try to pass it off for the real thing.

Oh, BTW...

sar·casm (sär'kāz'əm)
n.
A cutting, often ironic remark intended to wound.
A form of wit that is marked by the use of sarcastic language and is intended to make its victim the butt of contempt or ridicule.

Maybe you should look those tricky words up before you try to use them in a sentence... www.dictionary.com is handy

**Bkcloud114** · 02-13-2007, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by heftysmokes

They might even be real Cubans, just not what is written on the box. IIRC, I've read of instances where real Cuban leaf, farm-rolled, is used in countefeits.
So, you might actually have a really nice cigar, just not what is advertised.

Smoke one, if you enjoy it, great. If not, mark it as a lesson learned. Just don't pass try to pass it off for the real thing.

Oh, BTW...

Maybe you should look those tricky words up before you try to use them in a sentence... www.dictionary.com is handy

Yup..... I was given a fake Cohiba.... (anyone remember Vitasea)... I think the conclusion was that it was Farm Rolled tobacco.... pretty good IMO

**CoventryCat86** · 02-13-2007, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by bigpoppapuff

TOBACCO BEETLES

Since it's the hot month of August, it's a good time to discuss the dreaded tobacco beetle. These little monsters are unfortunately a fact of life for manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike, but they can be controlled.

To defeat this enemy, you must first understand him. No bigger than the size of a pinhead, just the mention of this little l'Enfant Terrible is enough to send cigar lovers into a tizzy. In the worst case, it can invade your humidor at home and render it into a pile of dust. These suckers eat like pigs, spread like wildfire, and lives for two things: tobacco and heat. Adult beetles measure about two to three millimeters long and live only 2 to 4 weeks, and thrive in humid climates and hot temperatures above 74 degrees.

Tobacco beetles have a life cycle - egg, larva, pupa and adult - that lasts about 10 to 12 weeks total. The female adult can chew its way through paper or tobacco leaf, and finds in cigars a suitably warm environment to lay its eggs, small white ovals that are too small for the human eye to detect. The eggs, up to 100 per birth cycle, hatch within six to 10 days, giving birth to the larvae. The larvae are what actually eat the tobacco to live and grow.

Once cigars have been brought home, consumers should inspect their humidors every few days, especially if they live in a hot or humid climate, or purchase cigars more than once a week. A telltale sign is a pinhole-sized circle in your cigar. If you see a beetle, don't panic; most of your cigars are probably salvageable.

Even though manufacturers and retailers take precautions against beetles, it's not impossible for a few to sneak through into your cigars. So, if you see signs of damage, act immediately. Put all the cigars from an infected humidor in a zipped plastic bag and place them in your freezer for three days. If the cigars are still in their box, put the whole box into the freezer. Treat all of your cigars, because if you have one damaged cigar, you have to assume they're all at risk. Freezing infested cigars kills any beetles or eggs inside, preventing your beetle problem from spreading. After three days in the deep freeze, move the cigars into your refrigerator to avoid shocking the smokes from the temperature change, which could split their wrappers. In the meantime, wipe your empty humidor clean with a damp cloth. Don't use any type of cleaner or disinfectant - it will ruin the wood and leave an odor that will taint your cigars. After one day in the refrigerator, the cigars can be returned to the humidor. Include some strips of cedar to absorb the excess moisture being released.

Now it's time to address the source of the problem - what caused the beetles to hatch. Your humidor was probably too moist or too hot. Use a digital hygrometer thermometer to get an accurate reading, and consider whether the room that houses your humidor isn't subject to temperature extremes when you're not around. Get it away from heaters, make sure the box is not in direct sunlight, and check your humidification system.

Did you write this yourself?

**basil** · 02-13-2007, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by nein

Ah sarcasm, where would we be without it. I just assumed a cigar is a cigar, but now that you mention beetles etc. probably not the best idea.

Ah social cripples, where would we be without 'em? Bored, probably. BTW, a cigar is a cigar and I don't see that as a bad idea at all, beetles or no.

**nein** · 02-13-2007, 02:22 PM

Unfortunatley I misread the context he used the sentence in. So I apologize. As well freezing is a good idea, I shall try this. Thanks for everyones efforts in this thread.

**aceswired** · 02-13-2007, 03:29 PM

Also, to you and anyone else who reads this - do not go to the Dominican expecting to get a good deal on cigars. Almost everything sold in the tourist areas is counterfeit. Some have suggested that there are in fact no real Cubans on the island, so forget that. And even if you do find the genuine article, you're NOT going to get a deal on it. You'll likely end up paying more than you would through JR or Cigars International.

I've been there several times. I bring cigars with me. It's cheaper, plus I know I'm smoking a genuine article.

**kevin7** · 02-13-2007, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by aceswired

Also, to you and anyone else who reads this - do not go to the Dominican expecting to get a good deal on cigars. Almost everything sold in the tourist areas is counterfeit. Some have suggested that there are in fact no real Cubans on the island, so forget that. And even if you do find the genuine article, you're NOT going to get a deal on it. You'll likely end up paying more than you would through JR or Cigars International.

I've been there several times. I bring cigars with me. It's cheaper, plus I know I'm smoking a genuine article.

Truer words have never been spoken