Cigar Collection

[Dshift]

Besides pipes, I've been interested in cigars too and I was just offered a whole collection, on which I pulled the trigger and part 1 of 3 just arrived. This being said I have no idea if the cigars I got are cheap, expensive, or even still good to smoke... there are a few boxes from the 70s... All I did for now is clean the two humidors, slice the cellophane wraps and set the cigars inside.
Any beginner tips would be very much appreciated!

 

[daveinlax]

Assuming the cigars are dry rehydrate them very, very slowly in a bag with a Bovida.

 

[Dshift]

Assuming the cigars are dry rehydrate them very, very slowly in a bag with a Bovida.

Most of them are not too too dry, but I shouldn't rehydrate them in the humidors?

 

[Brad H]

Besides pipes, I've been interested in cigars too and I was just offered a whole collection, on which I pulled the trigger and part 1 of 3 just arrived. This being said I have no idea if the cigars I got are cheap, expensive, or even still good to smoke... there are a few boxes from the 70s... All I did for now is clean the two humidors, slice the cellophane wraps and set the cigars inside.
Any beginner tips would be very much appreciated!

View attachment 423191View attachment 423192View attachment 423193View attachment 423194

Those are perfect if you soak them and put them
In a dry tin of pipe tobacco.

 

[daveinlax]

Most of them are not too too dry, but I shouldn't rehydrate them in the humidors?

You can but most of those humidors aren’t reliable. I keep my cigars in a well seasoning coolidor and keep the desktop humidors for display. It might take months to slowly bring them back and they will never be the same but they might be ok if they don’t unravel.

 

[kcmontie]

You can but most of those humidors aren’t reliable. I keep my cigars in a well seasoning coolidor and keep the desktop humidors for display. It might take months to slowly bring them back and they will never be the same but they might be ok if they don’t unravel.

This. Get yourself some tuperware. Also i would buy some humi packs and slowly go up in %. Like start at 50% for a month or 2 than 55% for a month. And so on till you get to 68-70.
To do it right you have to go slow.

 

[BenMN]

Besides pipes, I've been interested in cigars too and I was just offered a whole collection, on which I pulled the trigger and part 1 of 3 just arrived. This being said I have no idea if the cigars I got are cheap, expensive, or even still good to smoke... there are a few boxes from the 70s... All I did for now is clean the two humidors, slice the cellophane wraps and set the cigars inside.
Any beginner tips would be very much appreciated!

View attachment 423191View attachment 423192View attachment 423193View attachment 423194

I have a lot of questions, but will limit to 1 for now-

How were the cigars stored prior to your custody? Were they in operational (seasoned and humidified) wood humidors?

*that counts as a single question

Welcome to the fun, sometimes frustrating, much more expensive than pipe tobacco world of cigars

 

[Dshift]

I can already see that this is a lot more complicated than pipes, which is a minus in my book.
When I buy someone else's tobacco, pipes and now cigars, i tend to ignore everything they tell me about how these items were taken care of and rely on my own experience, which unfortunately for me, when it comes to cigars is really limited...
90% of the cigars were allegedly kept in a big operational humidor. This was the case up to a month ago, when they were moved and handled. I am getting the big humidor next week and the next batch of cigars.
There were some very dry and crumbly, cheap cigars, which were kept outside of the humidor and were thrown away per my request.
The challenges that I face right now are:
1 - properly determining the moisture level of the cigars - so far I believe that most of them are above 60% with just some of them being a bit under
2 - how can I trust the moisture meters if they show different values and is there a proper way to calibrate them
3 - should i be dividing and separating the cigars and if yes what factors play a role here.

 

[Sig]

Lots to unpack due to not knowing the condition of the cigars. As far as if they are "good" cigars? Maybe.
Thats like asking if a pipe blend is good. There are absolutely fantastic $3 cigars, and some horrible $30 cigars.....to me. One of my favorite cigars were Indian Tabac made by Rocky Patel. About a decade ago he dropped the Indian Tabac name and just sold everything as Rocky Patel.
Anyways, they were ultra cheap cigars that came in boxes of 25 for $30. But they were great, and had a cult following.
As others mentioned, rehydrate slowly. They will be smokeable but maybe not what they once were.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

The humidor is fine, much better than Tupperware it will breathe. Add the humidification device below. If you have enough Cigars, coolerdors are great. Just leave the plug open so it will breath. Get some humidor solution to add occasionally.

 

[Sig]

I can already see that this is a lot more complicated than pipes, which is a minus in my book.
When I buy someone else's tobacco, pipes and now cigars, i tend to ignore everything they tell me about how these items were taken care of and rely on my own experience, which unfortunately for me, when it comes to cigars is really limited...
90% of the cigars were allegedly kept in a big operational humidor. This was the case up to a month ago, when they were moved and handled. I am getting the big humidor next week and the next batch of cigars.
There were some very dry and crumbly, cheap cigars, which were kept outside of the humidor and were thrown away per my request.
The challenges that I face right now are:
1 - properly determining the moisture level of the cigars - so far I believe that most of them are above 60% with just some of them being a bit under
2 - how can I trust the moisture meters if they show different values and is there a proper way to calibrate them
3 - should i be dividing and separating the cigars and if yes what factors play a role here.

Use Boveda packs or humidity beads. They will automatically bring your cigars up to the desired humidity.
If they truly are at 60% now, you have no issues. Lots of guys smoke them at 60%. If they have been left without a humidity source for more than a few hours, the humidity will drop fast. Caring for cigars is not difficult these days. With the invention of Boveda and beads, its kinda foolproof. If you're not going to spring for a good humidor, the Tupperware or a cooler is a great idea. Many cheaper humidors dont hold humidity very well. I have had multiple humidors going for 3 decades and spend maybe 10 minutes a month taking care of them. I personally prefer beads to Boveda, but that's a personal choice.
If you go the bead route, get good ones. They are expensive but buy once, cry once. Ive had the same beads going for 15+ years. I get mine at Heartfelt Industries, but im not sure they are still in business. In my experience the beads are better at keeping the humidity level. Boveda are great at MAKING humidity, but not as good at REMOVING humidity.

 

[Egg Shen]

They don’t look far gone. I’d try smoking one now and see if it tastes good, or if it’s burning too fast and hot from dryness. You probably got a good deal.

 

[Dshift]

They don’t look far gone. I’d try smoking one now and see if it tastes good, or if it’s burning too fast and hot from dryness. You probably got a good deal.

That's exactly what I did - i already smoked two different ones and the taste was great on both of them. The one I i see as being in the "worst condition" did not smoke too hot but I think it burned a bit too fast. I have yet to try one of the 50 years old ones though. People keep telling me that these in particular are the ones I have to be most excited about.
About how good of a deal this lot is I am also not really sure, but I think I am safe since I am paying in pipe restorations and valuations.

 

[Egg Shen]

That's exactly what I did - i already smoked two different ones and the taste was great on both of them. The one I i see as being in the "worst condition" did not smoke too hot but I think it burned a bit too fast. I have yet to try one of the 50 years old ones though. People keep telling me that these in particular are the ones I have to be most excited about. View attachment 423232
About how good of a deal this lot is I am also not really sure, but I think I am safe since I am paying in pipe restorations and valuations.

I’d be excited about all the old stock too. Those ones from Manila are especially intriguing…I’ve never encountered a Phillipines produced cigar.

 

[BenMN]

I can already see that this is a lot more complicated than pipes, which is a minus in my book.
When I buy someone else's tobacco, pipes and now cigars, i tend to ignore everything they tell me about how these items were taken care of and rely on my own experience, which unfortunately for me, when it comes to cigars is really limited...
90% of the cigars were allegedly kept in a big operational humidor. This was the case up to a month ago, when they were moved and handled. I am getting the big humidor next week and the next batch of cigars.
There were some very dry and crumbly, cheap cigars, which were kept outside of the humidor and were thrown away per my request.
The challenges that I face right now are:
1 - properly determining the moisture level of the cigars - so far I believe that most of them are above 60% with just some of them being a bit under
2 - how can I trust the moisture meters if they show different values and is there a proper way to calibrate them
3 - should i be dividing and separating the cigars and if yes what factors play a role here.

Thanks for expanding

Maybe it's more complicated, I dunno. Sounds like you've enjoyed a few cigars though so maybe it's all worth it?

1: I don't think you need to

2: smart, you shouldn't trust 'em. Boveda makes a Calibration kit

3: short version- no, unless (artificially) flavored or fire cured