Rinsing/dampening cigars before you smoke them

[c.ortiz108]

Being a desert dweller, I'm definitely going to try this. Especially with thin wrappers like cameroon. I've had my fair share of splits and couldn't figure out why. I think it may have to do with sudden shift from 65% humidor to pretty much 0% sometimes. Maybe leaving it out for a day after wetting is the answer.

 

[Daven]

Being a desert dweller, I'm definitely going to try this. Especially with thin wrappers like cameroon. I've had my fair share of splits and couldn't figure out why. I think it may have to do with sudden shift from 65% humidor to pretty much 0% sometimes. Maybe leaving it out for a day after wetting is the answer.

I am in phx, and it was 81 degrees at 10pm last night with about 7% humidty outside. I gave it ~2 minutes after shaking it off and gently rolling on a micro fiber cloth, which I don't think did anything, it was just there... The only thing it did was cause the ash to fall a lot sooner naturally. No funky flavors at all, just brought to the surface a few other flavors previously unnoticed.

 

[StogieNinja]

@Cigary43 you still doing this?

 

[deadrift]

sudden shift from 65% humidor to pretty much 0% sometimes.

That's exactly what I have been thinking as well. Looking forward to trying this out with my next siglo.

 

[Cigary43]

@Cigary43 you still doing this?

I do...and it still works like a charm as they smoke almost like a freshly rolled cigar. Remember how a freshly rolled cigar smells....run it under your nose and that scent of tobacco fills your nostrils....ahhhhhhhhhh. I usually smoke it the next day or the day after.
I went back and read the whole thread again and I see a few that tried it...one of the brothers talked about what I found is that it's like "refreshing" the cigar all over again where the wrapper is what is taking on the moisture content. I don't wet any cigars that I keep at 70%...just the ones that are at 65 and under as the wrappers tend to get a little stale over time esp. with some that I have that are 2 years and older. Just that little process of 'wetting' makes the wrapper "pop" with a good taste when you light it the next day. I don't use DW on it....I just put it under the faucet for about 3-5 seconds and rub the water over the wrapper....then lay it on a paper towel and roll it until all excess moisture is gone and then pop it in a cigar savor....the plastic ones. A day or two in the enclosed saver tends to keep that tobacco scent alive and fresh.

As the other brother mentioned....this has no effect on the filler/binder...just the wrapper but it's enough to make a difference to me personally and looks like a few others notice it as well.

 

[redneck_toy]

Ok, so I read this thread today and thought I'd give it a whirl. I went to a friend's diaper party about two months ago, and during the herf, a guy busts out a box of Sons of Anarchy that he'd bought for a poker party God knows how long before. Zero humidification. Kindling comes to mind. Anyway, he was adamant that I take one, so after two months in the recesses of my 65% humi, It started showing some (and I mean a little) pliability. Grabbed it today, and ran it under the sink for a few seconds, wiped it down, then dried it off. Fired it up, and to my surprise, it's smoking slow and wonderfully with just the slightest uneven burn. This is definately a useful trick

I didn't have the heart to tell the guy he's storing them wrong. Lol
EDIT: this is 45 minutes in.

 

[Griz]

I had to try this so I did one last night and another one today... What a difference, NO harsh taste at all, that really made a difference in taste and no wrapper blow explosions either.

 

[jannskee]

I will be giving this a try. seems like it is giving good results.

 

[atllogix]

I think I might be in a part of the country that wouldn't really need this, but it's a good thing to read, never heard of this before. I may possibly have to do this one day if I end up somewhere else.

 

[Griz]

I think I might be in a part of the country that wouldn't really need this, but it's a good thing to read, never heard of this before. I may possibly have to do this one day if I end up somewhere else.

try it anyway, I shouldn't need it where I live but what a difference it made. I grabbed on this morning out of the stash at work, didn't take time to wet it and while I was mowing, the darn thing exploded, I almost had to toss it. The 3 I had over the weekend that I wet, NO problem at all.

 

[Cigary43]

try it anyway, I shouldn't need it where I live but what a difference it made. I grabbed on this morning out of the stash at work, didn't take time to wet it and while I was mowing, the darn thing exploded, I almost had to toss it. The 3 I had over the weekend that I wet, NO problem at all.

Hey Griz....you're experiencing what I learned 3 years ago when I started doing this....while I don't do it with every cigar I at least do a 3rd of them and I find that it does what you're finding...it keeps the cigar from overheating ( blowing up) and it enhances the overall taste as it "refreshes" the wrapper where we tend to get quite a bit of taste from in the first place. I've used DW and regular tap water...doesn't seem to matter.

 

[mark_j]

I only do this when a particular batch of cigars has consistent burn and/or splitting problems, which is very rarely at 62-65% storage. It seems to really help though. I had a batch of Rocky's that were only smoke-able when wetted first. I just rinsed them under the tap and dried them with a paper towel and lit em up.

 

[StogieNinja]

So, so weird. Even weirder is that it works.

 

[Griz]

Hey Griz....you're experiencing what I learned 3 years ago when I started doing this....while I don't do it with every cigar I at least do a 3rd of them and I find that it does what you're finding...it keeps the cigar from overheating ( blowing up) and it enhances the overall taste as it "refreshes" the wrapper where we tend to get quite a bit of taste from in the first place. I've used DW and regular tap water...doesn't seem to matter.

Yep, I am starting to do it as much as I can, I love the results.