Cigar resurrection? (yo Tim!)

Okay, yeah, I know there's no way to completely resurrect a stale
cigar (and FWIW, it's not mine), but a fellow I know has a few several
month old stogies that hasn't been stored properly. Not that one
couldn't burn it as is, but what can be done to bring an old cigar
back to something approaching freshness?

Joe F.

rb608 wrote:
Okay, yeah, I know there's no way to completely resurrect a stale
cigar (and FWIW, it's not mine), but a fellow I know has a few several
month old stogies that hasn't been stored properly. Not that one
couldn't burn it as is, but what can be done to bring an old cigar
back to something approaching freshness?

Depending on how dry the wrapper got while it was in non-storage, they may
not be salvageable. If they're cheap cigars, I'd use 'em for fertilizer. If
they are higher quality, the best thing to do is put them at the bottom of a
good, nearly-full, activated humidor and be patient. After a few weeks at
the bottom, relocate them to the middle. A few weeks after that, move them
to the top. After another month or so they may be back to life, but I
wouldn't count on them being as flavorful as they should be. I've stored
some of mine that have gotten dry for a year or more and had some good luck.
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

On Feb 10, 11:22*pm, "Tim J."
wrote:
Depending on how dry the wrapper got while it was in non-storage, they may
not be salvageable. If they're cheap cigars, I'd use 'em for fertilizer. If
they are higher quality, the best thing to do is put them at the bottom of a
good, nearly-full, activated humidor and be patient.

AFAIK, they're not too bad and probably smokeable as is. We're
talking about young newbies here, humidor is not an option. Just
looking for a "quick" way to rehydrate them so as to burn a bit
cooler. I used to know a "trick" but can't remember it. (damp paper
towel in a microwave? something like that.)

Tx,
Joe F.

On Feb 11, 12:39*pm, rb608 wrote:
On Feb 10, 11:22*pm, "Tim J."
wrote:

Depending on how dry the wrapper got while it was in non-storage, they may
not be salvageable. If they're cheap cigars, I'd use 'em for fertilizer.. If
they are higher quality, the best thing to do is put them at the bottom of a
good, nearly-full, activated humidor and be patient.

AFAIK, they're not too bad and probably smokeable as is. *We're
talking about young newbies here, humidor is not an option. Just
looking for a "quick" way to rehydrate them so as to burn a bit
cooler. *I used to know a "trick" but can't remember it. *(damp paper
towel in a microwave? *something like that.)

*Tx,
Joe F.

Moist paper towel, put them separately in a ziplock, put it in the
freezer.

The moist towel puts the humidity at 100% in the ziplock, the freezer
causes the cells in the leaves to compromise their cell walls,
allowing the moisture to saturate the internal cell structures.

The wrapper will be extremely fragile after this (think of yellow
cheese that has been frozen), so you will want to be careful as you
smoke it.

--riverman

On Feb 11, 1:44*pm, riverman wrote:
On Feb 11, 12:39*pm, rb608 wrote:





On Feb 10, 11:22*pm, "Tim J."
wrote:

Depending on how dry the wrapper got while it was in non-storage, they may
not be salvageable. If they're cheap cigars, I'd use 'em for fertilizer. If
they are higher quality, the best thing to do is put them at the bottom of a
good, nearly-full, activated humidor and be patient.

AFAIK, they're not too bad and probably smokeable as is. *We're
talking about young newbies here, humidor is not an option. Just
looking for a "quick" way to rehydrate them so as to burn a bit
cooler. *I used to know a "trick" but can't remember it. *(damp paper
towel in a microwave? *something like that.)

*Tx,
Joe F.

Moist paper towel, put them separately in a ziplock, put it in the
freezer.

The moist towel puts the humidity at 100% in the ziplock, the freezer
causes the cells in the leaves to compromise their cell walls,
allowing the moisture to saturate the internal cell structures.

The wrapper will be extremely fragile after this (think of yellow
cheese that has been frozen), so you will want to be careful as you
smoke it.

--riverman- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

OK, I just made that crap up....sounded good and scientific, no? :-)

In reality, the humidity in a freezer (or even a fridge) is far too
low to revitalize a dry cigar. Don;t do it.

This article has some great tricks;
http://www.guideto.com/cigar/reviving-dry-cigars
I especially like the 'bring it into the bathroom when you take a
shower' method.

The bottom line is to introduce humidity slowly, so the cigar does not
swell faster than the wrapper absorbs moisture and split its wrapping.
Another factor to consider is that cigars do not really go
'stale'....they go 'dry'. You can fix 'dry', as the essential oils and
chemicals in the leaves do not dry out until the cigar is extremely
dry. Nonethless, the roundtrip to desertville does have some
deleterious effects on the stogie, so don't expect them to be as good
as new.

That being said, be sure you are not talking about partially smoked
cigars....that's a whole different animal. The heat and residue that
passes through the unsmoked leaf can chemically change the rest of the
cigar, so they can't be salvaged.

Now that we are on the topic, I have an old Romeo&Juliet at home in
its cylinder that is hard as a rock. I might experiment on it tonight.
Results to follow.

--riverman

rb608 wrote:
On Feb 10, 11:22 pm, "Tim J."
wrote:
Depending on how dry the wrapper got while it was in non-storage,
they may not be salvageable. If they're cheap cigars, I'd use 'em
for fertilizer. If they are higher quality, the best thing to do is
put them at the bottom of a good, nearly-full, activated humidor and
be patient.

AFAIK, they're not too bad and probably smokeable as is. We're
talking about young newbies here, humidor is not an option. Just
looking for a "quick" way to rehydrate them so as to burn a bit
cooler. I used to know a "trick" but can't remember it. (damp paper
towel in a microwave? something like that.)

Jeez, Joe. We're all elitist fly fishers here. Here I thought you were
asking how to do it *RIGHT*! Why don't you just dunk 'em in the toliet a few
times and hang 'em on the back clothesline. ;-)

Okay, you cheap bastid:
1) Go to the local cigar store. While you're there, tell all the regulars
there what you're doing - they could probably use a good laugh.
2) Buy a "Humi-pillow" for a buck. Probably costs more than the cigar.
3) Activate it with distilled water. Or dunk it in the toilet - whatever.
4) Stick it (really - I mean it) in a small tupperware container with the
cigars.
5) Let 'em rest for a few weeks.

Did I say "cheap bastid?"
--
TL,
Tim
(who loves ya, Joe?)
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

On Feb 11, 11:22*pm, "Tim J."
wrote:
Jeez, Joe. We're all elitist fly fishers here. Here I thought you were
asking how to do it *RIGHT*! Why don't you just dunk 'em in the toliet a few
times and hang 'em on the back clothesline. ;-)

I feel the need to reiterate - they're not my cigars (and a dunking in
the toilet could quite possibly be an improvement.) I do plan to
forward the slow re-humidification process to their rightful owner,
and they may do with that what they wish.

Me, the minor degradation of quality over a few months doesn't bother
me so much on the occasions I find an old one in the vest long after a
past trip. The smoking of the first inch seems to add enough H2O
through the shaft to prevent an outright inferno, though the taste
tapers off sooner than with a fresh one.

Not sure where I got wind of the paper-towel-in-the-microwave idea.
Then again, it may have been for stale biscuits.

(who loves ya, Joe?)

Not many people, but I know I can count on you. :-)

Joe F.

On Feb 11, 11:22*pm, "Tim J."
wrote:
rb608 wrote:

Buy a "Humi-pillow" for a buck. Probably costs more than the cigar.

Sheesh, you just lost your cheap tag.

Poor man's humidor-

a block of Floral foam, as in the stuff FTD uses for their
arrangements
soak the foam in a solution of 90% distilled water and 10%glycerol
(in the laxative section of your local drug store) and let it drain to
get the excess liquid out. Wrap foam in a paper towel. Insert in
sealable plastic container, (tupperware, rubbermaid, etc). Make sure
to recharge the foam weekly and more importantly open the lid for an
hour or so each day to air things out. Your cigars will be decent
enough in a month or two.

When were relocating from Kansas, my daughter moved my humidor
containing several pre-embargo cubans from the "do not pack" pile to
the pack pile and forgot to put it back. By the time I got the humidor
back from storage and unpacked, it took me almost two years to nurse
those babies back to where I wanted them to be. Hope your friend
doesn't wait as long.

In article , Tim J.
writes
rb608 wrote:
Okay, yeah, I know there's no way to completely resurrect a stale
cigar (and FWIW, it's not mine), but a fellow I know has a few several
month old stogies that hasn't been stored properly. Not that one
couldn't burn it as is, but what can be done to bring an old cigar
back to something approaching freshness?

Depending on how dry the wrapper got while it was in non-storage, they may
not be salvageable. If they're cheap cigars, I'd use 'em for fertilizer. If
they are higher quality, the best thing to do is put them at the bottom of a
good, nearly-full, activated humidor and be patient. After a few weeks at
the bottom, relocate them to the middle. A few weeks after that, move them
to the top. After another month or so they may be back to life, but I
wouldn't count on them being as flavorful as they should be. I've stored
some of mine that have gotten dry for a year or more and had some good luck.

.......by which time you'd have probably kicked the habit :-)
--
Bill Grey

W. D. Grey wrote:
In article , Tim J.
writes
rb608 wrote:
Okay, yeah, I know there's no way to completely resurrect a stale
cigar (and FWIW, it's not mine), but a fellow I know has a few
several month old stogies that hasn't been stored properly. Not
that one couldn't burn it as is, but what can be done to bring an
old cigar back to something approaching freshness?

Depending on how dry the wrapper got while it was in non-storage,
they may not be salvageable. If they're cheap cigars, I'd use 'em
for fertilizer. If they are higher quality, the best thing to do is
put them at the bottom of a good, nearly-full, activated humidor and
be patient. After a few weeks at the bottom, relocate them to the
middle. A few weeks after that, move them to the top. After another
month or so they may be back to life, but I wouldn't count on them
being as flavorful as they should be. I've stored some of mine that
have gotten dry for a year or more and had some good luck.

......by which time you'd have probably kicked the habit :-)

Cigars are not an addiction, at least not for me. They are a pleasure, such
as a fine wine, whisky, or fly rod. Caring for them properly is half the
fun. Besides, I keep plenty around in various humidors, so a few are
always at the ready. Some of the humidors I don't open for weeks at a time,
opening them just to check the temp and humidity, or opening them for
special guests or occasions. As I'm sure Richard, Wayne and others who like
fine cigars can attest, opening a well-seasoned humidor after it has rested
for a few weeks or a month has the most delicious aroma.
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj