Fireproof cigar ?

[Patriotguy]

So I bought a box of 25 of this particular brand of cigar and sometimes ill lay a stick down around mid way to do something and it needs a relight and so I do as needed, the only thing is on a couple of these they refuse to burn when trying to relight .
I thought to my self this is impossible that this thing isn't burning, I even had a buddy try to get it to light again, the results are a charred tip and no smoke. Ive had them at 69%humidity for over a month in my humidor they smell good , and taste good nothing seems abnormal other than the issue I am having. I suppose the best thing to do is stop setting it down but I wondered what someone elses thoughts on this might be or if you've ever encountered one like this.

 

[deluxestogie]

Smoking a cigar increases the moisture content of the filler. Letting the lit cigar go out permits that moisture to be more fully absorbed into the cooling filler leaf, whereas continued smoking keeps the filler warmer, driving the moisture out through the head. If ambient humidity is higher than 69% where the cigar sat, it may have absorbed even more moisture.

Some tobacco varieties (and some batches of the same variety) are more hygroscopic than others, and tend to more easily latch on to ambient humidity. Storing at 69% RH is popular, but a bit on the high side in my estimation.

I know all of that is not a very clear-cut answer, but there are a lot of factors at play. (I keep my whole leaf tobacco in closed bags so that it won't dry out. But I have two particular bags--one is Habano 2000, the other is a burley--that consistently increase their moisture if the bags are left open, even during dry, indoor, winter conditions.)

Bob

 

[CobGuy]

Storing at 69% RH is popular, but a bit on the high side in my estimation.

Agreed … I'm not sure where that 70% rule ever came from.

~Darin

 

[waikikigun]

I've seen and read some things that indicated that 64% is the scientifically indicated sweet spot.

 

[deluxestogie]

No science here, but I've carelessly managed my wash stand cabinet humidor for the past 45 years in such a manner that the RH tends to float around 60-62%. It's sluggish to change (tons of stuff and wood in there), and just kind of stays there no matter what. I've always found the cigars stored in it to be about right, rather than tobacconist-squishy

I suspect that for general commerce, and thoughtless handling by customers, cigars on display in a tobacconist's humidor actually need to be at a higher case, just to avoid damage. [Origin of the "plume" fraud regarding moldy cigars.]

Just having fiddled with whole leaf tobacco in various degrees of case, I would consider 70% RH to be about right for prepping a binder, maybe even a wrapper. But the filler needs to be drier.

As to a single "sweet spot", I would want a drier cigar to smoke in Virginia, or especially in a coastal area, and a more humid cigar to smoke in Arizona (in order to enjoy a desert dessert).

Bob

 

[Rectifier]

Likewise, I keep my cigars and my pipe tobacco as well in the 60-65% range. I agree with Bob that 70% makes a cigar squishy.

As a primarily pipe smoker for years, my motto has always been "better on the dry side". When tobacco is too wet I find it tends to smoke with sour flavours, and require relights or constant tending. I used to keep my pipe tobacco sealed up in jars and my cigars at 70%, until I came across Boveda 62% packs when some were thrown in with an order of other smoking products. I thought it was worth a try to toss them in with my tobacco and see how they did - and 62% was much better than 70%! I found my pipe tobacco was ready to smoke without setting it out to dry first, and my cigars were nice and firm and burned very well.

The 62% packs actually maintain between 62-65% in my experience, and they are better at bringing humidity up than down. If I throw a freshly rolled damp cigar in there it messes it all up, so I age them in a separate little tupperdor.

I personally would set those damp cigars out to dry out for a couple days and put them in with a Boveda 62%.