Sticks unwrapping

**hed** · 06-09-2011, 02:51 AM

Two weeks ago I moved from Arkansas (high RH @ 1400' ASL) to Montana (low RH @ 4800' ASL). My hygrometer (calibrated 6 weeks ago and again last week) has consistently read 70% at both locations. However, the last several sticks I've smoked have burned poorly and started unwrapping. It seems that they are good when I pull them from my humidor but dry out and start unwrapping before I get half-way through smoking them. My initial thought is to increase humidity. I'm hoping there are some Bozeman, MT members out there that have dialed-in a good temp/RH for this area.

**ashauler** · 06-09-2011, 08:03 AM

There's a guy from Billings on here, but I think he keeps his cigars in his sock drawer.

I would suspect "over" humidification rather than under. If the cigar appears to swell, the wrapper cracks and unravels, then the interior of the cigar is more moist than the wrapper, and when it heats up during smoking it expands and puts pressure on the wrapper.............and, well, there you go.

An under-humidified cigar would burn fast and hot, and unraveling would not be the problem, at least in my experience.

I try to keep my cigars between 60-65 % rh. YMMV

**badwhale** · 06-09-2011, 08:05 AM

They could be Gurkha perfectos...

**ashauler** · 06-09-2011, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by badwhale

They could be Gurkha perfectos...

LOL, or perhaps Argenitinia reverse rolls.

**craig** · 06-09-2011, 08:43 AM

Banded upside down, you mean. ;-)

OP: It could take two or three months for the cigars to adjust to the higher altitude, and you might want a higher RH reading at that altitude as well.

**hed** · 06-09-2011, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by ashauler

There's a guy from Billings on here, but I think he keeps his cigars in his sock drawer.

I would suspect "over" humidification rather than under. If the cigar appears to swell, the wrapper cracks and unravels, then the interior of the cigar is more moist than the wrapper, and when it heats up during smoking it expands and puts pressure on the wrapper.............and, well, there you go.

An under-humidified cigar would burn fast and hot, and unraveling would not be the problem, at least in my experience.

I try to keep my cigars between 60-65 % rh. YMMV

Hmmm, that sounds like a very plausible theory. I don't see any swelling, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. They do seem to be burning slow and cool though.

Another clue is that the only sticks I'm having an issue with are those that have been in the box for more than two or three weeks.

Originally Posted by craig

Banded upside down, you mean. ;-)

OP: It could take two or three months for the cigars to adjust to the higher altitude, and you might want a higher RH reading at that altitude as well.

My original thought was that it was probably an altitude issue. I usually buy online and until they got to me in AR, and now here in MT, they have likely spent their entire lives at or below 400' ASL.

While waiting on the arrival of my Heartfelt beads, I'm thinking I may try taking a couple sticks out of the box a day before smoking and see how they do. I'm assuming they'll all recover once I find the right combination of RH, temp and time. Humidity and temp I can control; altitude, not so easy. If time acclimating to the altitude is the problem, I may have to invest in a small wineador to accomodate a larger stash. I've been considering doing that anyway. Sounds like good rationale to me!

**mrtr33** · 06-09-2011, 04:49 PM

I would think any kind of drastic change in temperature could affect them adversely. I'd personally try to maintain the same humidity (whatever that may be). I also might just buy smokes from a local shop in the mean time, only smoking from the stash every once in a while to see how they were doing.

Is it predominantly one brand/blend of a cigar you're noticing this with?

**hed** · 06-09-2011, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by mrtr33

I would think any kind of drastic change in temperature could affect them adversely. I'd personally try to maintain the same humidity (whatever that may be). I also might just buy smokes from a local shop in the mean time, only smoking from the stash every once in a while to see how they were doing.

Is it predominantly one brand/blend of a cigar you're noticing this with?

Other than one of the days driving (11 days ago) when the temp in my truck was probably in the 90's, I maintain an indoor temp in the low 70's. My everyday-smokes have been in there for about two weeks and have no issues. Since moving, I've tried and had issue with three of the five other brands I have (in the humi for 4-8 weeks). I haven't decided if I want to take the chance of trying the others before employing a possible "fix" to the situation.

Update: My half-smoked everyday stick is unwrapping. So, since moving, I've tried several sticks each of four of the six brands that I have; all with issue.