Moist Air

[ccdeere]

Question that I hope you all can help me out with. Let me preface this...I live in the desert. Recently it has been storming a lot, a great deal more moisture in the air. I have noted that my tobacco tastes different now and feels steamier. Is this common occurrence that weather changes affect flavor and burning of tobacco? Thanks.

 

[mcitinner1]

I've never noticed anything like what you describe, but your climate is much different than Missouri where the humidity never gets as low.

 

[jazz]

Is my experience this is most definitely true. Temperature and humidity certainly changes the way a blend smokes for me. It certainly does if you do not store your tobacco in air tight containers as the leaf either dries or takes on moisture from the air.
I'm sure there are guys here who can explain the science of how humidity and temp levels effect a blend as you smoke it far better than I and so will leave it to them. There a many variables with this.
The tobacco losing and gaining moisture in an unsealed container part is fairly self explanatory though.

 

[wilson]

I have noticed some difference due to weather. When summer gets into full swing in the Northeast and we get long stretches of very humid days, I find that the pipe handles differently. High humidity will produce a similar effect as smoking tobacco with a higher moisture content. There is moisture in the tobacco (typically around 12%, but varies depending on the blend and how you store it and whether you dry your tobacco, etc). That moisture, along with any water vapor formed as a combustion product, and any moisture already in the air, winds up in your "smoke." If you don't store your tobacco in air-tight containers, the tobacco will readily pick up additional moisture from the humid air and make the differences even more pronounced.

 

[calabashed]

I also notice a difference in taste and burn, I feel like I sometimes get more taste out of several blends when the air is drier, and on the flip side I've always thought cigars tasted better with a bit of humidity.

 

[cobguy]

Let me preface this...I live in the desert.

Me too ... hope to see you at Fox Cigar Bar next weekend! ::
You and I are used to setting moist tobacco out and having it dry in under 15 minutes.

Now that it's becoming more humid, I give my more moist tobaccos a 10 second "zap" in the microwave on a paper towel.
It works really well and smells great while "cooking"!

 

[settersbrace]

It was humid where I live yesterday and I had a steamy moist smoke in an otherwise reliably good and dry smoking pipe that I rarely have to swab out while smoking. My tobacco didn't seem overly moist but the entire bowl was just "off". Today was a little less humid and all seemed right with the world again. I'd mention that these were lat blends and perhaps yesterday would have been a good day to burn some Virginias. I've experienced this phenomenon a few times while smoking out in the heat.

 

[shanelktown]

mmm steamy!

 

[ccdeere]

Thank you all...humidity dropped and things seem to be returning to normal...interesting!