Can these Cigars be Resurrected from the Dead?

[turbomunkey]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9)

I picked up a nice little walnut humidor with some accessories and what not from a local guy who includes 8-10 cigars with the lot. He suffered a stroke and stopped smoking, and just left the cigars in a travel bag for what I understand to be at least a year. Can they be re humidified and salvaged, or are they a total loss?

 

[seanv]

Re season the humidor first. While re seasoning put the cigars into a Tupperware container or a humidified bag with a Boveda pack. Start with a 64 or 66 % and work your way up to a 69%. Low and slow is the key. Google a few articles online and you should be okay.

 

[turbomunkey]

Re season the humidor first. While re seasoning put the cigars into a Tupperware container or a humidified bag with a Boveda pack. Start with a 64 or 66 % and work your way up to a 69%. Low and slow is the key. Google a few articles online and you should be okay.

Thanks for the response sir. I wiped out and wiped down the inside with distilled water just now. I will throw the sticks in a Tupperware and see if any local shops have boveda packs.

 

[wordheavy]

Exactly as seanv said, "low and slow." Moving too quickly will destroy them, causes them to swell and crack.

 

[jerseysam]

From a 'smokeability' perspective ..ala' reconditioning the cigar so it can physically smoke without cracking/splitting.....sure. As above, get your humidor well-seasoned and then let the cigars sit for a few weeks. But.....the 'good' flavor in cigars is in the oils and they have probably evaporated out. Cigars aren't anywhere near as crazy delicate as lore makes out......but a year without proper humidification is pretty no bueno. Worst to worst, they taste crappy and you toss....but won't bring any harm to letting them reacclimate.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

What makes you certain they need it? Unless the wrapper cracks of from touch, try one. I would think if they're to dry though you could restore then to a reasonable level.

 

[turbomunkey]

What makes you certain they need it? Unless the wrapper cracks of from touch, try one. I would think if they're to dry though you could restore then to a reasonable level.

I am not certain, as I’m new to cigars. I speculated they need to be due to an extended period of time in a leather case with no humidifier present. We are in Chicagoland which is not very humid and does the four season bit as well.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I am not certain, as I’m new to cigars. I speculated they need to be due to an extended period of time in a leather case with no humidifier present. We are in Chicagoland which is not very humid and does the four season bit as well.

Sounds like you won't know the difference then. Just smoke 'em. If they don't fall apart while smoking them they're okay.

 

[turbomunkey]

cigars are in a Tupperware. Humidor is getting re humidified. Comfirming accuracy of the hydrometer via salt in plastic baggie test. May order a few sticks tonight as well when I get home.

 

[pantsBoots]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9)

I picked up a nice little walnut humidor with some accessories and what not from a local guy who includes 8-10 cigars with the lot. He suffered a stroke and stopped smoking, and just left the cigars in a travel bag for what I understand to be at least a year. Can they be re humidified and salvaged, or are they a total loss?

Alright. I'll bite. What cigars are they? A good Havana with appropriate oils in the beginning can easily weather a year or more in a plastic Ziploc in a sock drawer. El Cheapo Gordos, maybe not so much

 

[maduromadness]

The key is in them not cracking. Once they do pretty they're pretty much useless. Tobacco can withstand drying but with cigars the construction needs to be good for them to be smokable. The humidity is there to slow the burning. Ever smoke those dry cured cigarillos? Puff on them vigorously and taste the result. Well humidfied cigars can only be smoked well with good construction and the humidity mimics the environment that tobacco was cured and stored for optimal oil and sugar stability.

 

[turbomunkey]

Alright. I'll bite. What cigars are they? A good Havana with appropriate oils in the beginning can easily weather a year or more in a plastic Ziploc in a sock drawer. El Cheapo Gordos, maybe not so much

They are cheapo cigars. Worst case scenario I junk them all. But from what I read about the profile, I wouldn’t mind smoking them.

 

[turbomunkey]

The key is in them not cracking. Once they do pretty they're pretty much useless. Tobacco can withstand drying but with cigars the construction needs to be good for them to be smokable. The humidity is there to slow the burning. Ever smoke those dry cured cigarillos? Puff on them vigorously and taste the result. Well humidfied cigars can only be smoked well with good construction and the humidity mimics the environment that tobacco was cured and stored for optimal oil and sugar stability.

At least a few are cracked and are probably junk. I’ll just go though the whole process for craps and giggles though.

 

[pantsBoots]

At least a few are cracked and are probably junk. I’ll just go though the whole process for craps and giggles though.

Pectin, mixed with water to a paste could possibly save the cigars if the binder isn't damaged and torn through.

 

[ashdigger]

When my father passed I inherited his cigar collection of roughly sixty cigars. I got busy and forgot to check on the humidor. When I finally did the cigars were dry. Really dry.

Since I know next to nothing about cigars, except where he bought them, I called the cigar store and had an extremely nice conversation with the owner. He invited me to take the cigars to him to inspect them.

I ended up leaving them with him and he put them in his walk in humidor. Roughly a month or so later he called me and I picked them up. We had agreed on a $40 fee for the service. Well worth it.

 

[turbomunkey]

When my father passed I inherited his cigar collection of roughly sixty cigars. I got busy and forgot to check on the humidor. When I finally did the cigars were dry. Really dry.

Since I know next to nothing about cigars, except where he bought them, I called the cigar store and had an extremely nice conversation with the owner. He invited me to take the cigars to him to inspect them.

I ended up leaving them with him and he put them in his walk in humidor. Roughly a month or so later he called me and I picked them up. We had agreed on a $40 fee for the service. Well worth it.

That was a class act by the shop owner.

 

[ashdigger]

That was a class act by the shop owner.

It absolutely was and I also gave him some of the cigars he saved. He said he’d give them to his regulars.

 

[Dio]

What cigar are these? Maybe they are not worth the effort.