Outdoor Humidity & Impact on Cigar Experience

[CeeGarOne]

I am from Northern California so typically, when I smoke outside the humidity has no impact on my smoking experience. However, I cannot say the same for Chicago!

I wandered into a shop out in Prospect Heights and grabbed a Leaf By Oscar and put fire to it with some spills and while the first couple inches was as I remember them, the balance of the smoke was negatively impacted by the humidity. I had to re-light a couple of times. Overall, this as a totally different smoking experience for me.

This got me to wondering, how do you brothers from the Midwest & South contend with these conditions when smoking outdoors.

 

[luckysaturn13]

I know exactly what your talking about! I just tough it out or smoke in the car with the ac on and the window cracked

 

[clickbangdead]

Drybox is your friend. I smoke outside only, and the summer months here on the west coast of Florida are pretty muggy. I normally store around 65% and drybox and have found this to work pretty well for me.

 

[THEMISCHMAN]

The outside humidity can have an impact on cigars from my experience. It could also have been the RH in the humidor at the B&M.

 

[SailorAg]

In my experience, most B&Ms keep their humidors slightly too humid.

 

[Ga Gator]

I don't smoke Lanceros from mid May to mid September. I find that they are the most affected by outdoor high RH. They don't taste the same. I also think at 80 degrees they smoke 'hot' and can get bitter or have a metallic taste even if the RH is below 70%

 

[Merovius]

I smoke more habanos when it's rainy or high humidity. Because they're rolled entubar and have thinner wrappers I rarely get combustion issues or a tunnel.

If that's not an option just pass on the maduro that day.

 

[HollyVVOOD]

I recently noticed this issue. It's been very humid here in south Florida this summer. My humidor is at a steady 69%.

When I go outside and light it up its fine, perfect no issues. 5-10 mins in it starts to plug up and doesn't let up till about mid way when it begins to burn a little hotter.

You guys think this is an issue from a drastic change in humidity? Or something else? It doesn't happen all the time, but most.

 

[W.B.]

I know exactly what your talking about! I just tough it out or smoke in the car with the ac on and the window cracked

Yeah same here, I do that as well occasionally when I want one and the humidity is high. I'll still smoke in the evening outside when the humidity rises and am getting together, but try to limit it as the cigar enjoyment goes beneath what I'd prefer on those humid Chicagoland evenings.

 

[danmdevries]

It was likely more overhumidification by the shop than the weather.
Started keeping mine at 62-65% and haven't had an issue since. No burn issues in the summer, no cracking in the winter.
When I was keeping higher than 65, it was a problem. Constantly cracking in the winter, burn issues in the summer.
Just like anything else, gotta adapt to regional conditions. I suspect there may be some detriment to long term storage as I've read for best aging to keep a bit wetter. Dunno, don't really have humidor space for real long term aging.

 

[ZippoGeek]

don't really have humidor space for real long term aging.

That's a good way to get a wineador dropped on your head...

 

[apaniagua]

Coming from the DR, where humidity is always above 90%...yes, outside humidity ALWAYS affects cigars. That's why I keep mines at 65%.

 

[HollyVVOOD]

Coming from the DR, where humidity is always above 90%...yes, outside humidity ALWAYS affects cigars. That's why I keep mines at 65%.

What does this do exactly? Wouldn't you want to keep the humidor RH closer to the outside RH so there's not much of a drastic change? That's just my thought process but I have no idea what I'm talking about.

 

[icehog3]

If you kept cigars anywhere near 90% RH in your humidor, you would end up with more mold than cigars.

 

[danmdevries]

That's a good way to get a wineador dropped on your head...

No need for one.
Basement is 54-64 year round.

 

[danmdevries]

What does this do exactly? Wouldn't you want to keep the humidor RH closer to the outside RH so there's not much of a drastic change? That's just my thought process but I have no idea what I'm talking about.

In my experience it's only been an issue taking a cigar from a 70/70 environment in the humidor (how I used to keep em) and then taking to a 20 degree zero humidity to smoke. Most cracked within minutes.

As far as taking from a 62% 60 degree humidor out to a 90% 80 degree day to smoke, haven't had a problem. Nor have I had the problem of splitting in the winter since I moved the humidors downstairs and cut back on humidity level. Swelling/ plugging on humid days was a problem when I started at 70% (or more) but not once I backed it down

Some more delicate wrappers will still reliably split with major temp and humidity changes (like going to a 0 degree zero humidity) but for the most part, starting lower will reduce the swelling of the tobacco leaf as it's heated, which is the main cause for splitting. The internal environment of your cigar has a much bigger effect on splitting than the outside, though the extremes will still have an effect.

 

[apaniagua]

What does this do exactly? Wouldn't you want to keep the humidor RH closer to the outside RH so there's not much of a drastic change? That's just my thought process but I have no idea what I'm talking about.

The change from 65% to 90% doesn't affect the cigar on short-term. Usually affects them by the end of my smoke (turning off constantly). But storing them in 70% to then take them out to 90% created more tar, and more wet cigars...at least for me.

The beauty of smoking in the DR is that temp and humidity wise there's a constant. So any day is a perfect day for smoking. But storing them should be done in a wineador for better aging and to keep them healthy.