Rh for aging

[Burning Man]

I was having a conversation with GoingPostal yesterday and the subject of Aging came up. I know I like smoking my cigars at about 68 to 70 but I have a small separate humi I can use for the CCs I am planning on picking up in the near future. Am I OK aging them at around 70 or is there an Rh people have had better results with or is this yet another matter of personal preference? :chat:

 

[Dave]

Maybe I'm lazy, but I just use 65% for everything; ready-use, short-term, long term, etc.
I have read in multiple places that aging should be done at 70/70. However, I have no seen anything that convinced me that that aging at 70 would be much/any better than 65.

 

[vperlman]

Maybe I'm lazy, but I just use 65% for everything; ready-use, short-term, long term, etc.
I have read in multiple places that aging should be done at 70/70. However, I have no seen anything that convinced me that that aging at 70 would be much/any better than 65.

Ditto. Theoretically, 70% is SUPPOSED to be optimal for long term aging, but who knows? :dunno:

 

[Fox]

Ditto. Theoretically, 70% is SUPPOSED to be optimal for long term aging, but who knows? :dunno:

Exactly. Without a long term experiment, controls, etc., the whole aging thing is anecdotal at best.

 

[gibbleguts]

Maybe I'm lazy, but I just use 65% for everything; ready-use, short-term, long term, etc.
I have read in multiple places that aging should be done at 70/70. However, I have no seen anything that convinced me that that aging at 70 would be much/any better than 65.

Depends on how much and how long you are aging for. I don't like to risk either the temp or the humidity myself so I do 65/65. Mostly because I am not willing to check everybox every month or so.

Posted via Mobile Device

 

[La Chupacabra]

Maybe I'm lazy, but I just use 65% for everything; ready-use, short-term, long term, etc.
I have read in multiple places that aging should be done at 70/70. However, I have no seen anything that convinced me that that aging at 70 would be much/any better than 65.

I'm 65 as well, less chance of mold if the temp drops.

 

[r3db4r0n]

I'm personally a fan of 63-65 my self, I find cigars tend to burn a little better at that humidity and like La Chupacabra and Gibble have alluded too, I'd be more comfortable aging at a lower RH/temp to reduce danger of mold, beetles etc. Specifically if you aren't going to be checking these cigars on a regular basis.

 

[Clint]

Cuban Cigars approaching 10 years of age should be wrapped in wax paper and kept at a lower RH....Like 64% max.
There is an awesome thread in here somewhere that's worth searching for...Ton of info.

 

[r3db4r0n]

Was this this thread you were talking about Clint? http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php?t=6526&highlight=aging+cubans

 

[Burning Man]

Cuban Cigars approaching 10 years of age should be wrapped in wax paper and kept at a lower RH....Like 64% max.
There is an awesome thread in here somewhere that's worth searching for...Ton of info.

Interesting. You wrap each one individually in wax paper. Is that to help the wrapper stay intact? I read the review on Rand H Churchill that Shawn wrote. Great review Shawn with great pics that showed the wrapper coming off. This is the first time I have seen a 10 year old smoke in pics or otherwise. I started reading the thread and it has some great info but I have not yet begun to explore all the great posts. It's a long thread! Thanks for posting the link Shawn. I have yet to get to the posts where Rh is discussed but they are all interesting. I have a lot to learn....

 

[SkinsFanLarry]

I'm personally a fan of 63-65 my self, I find cigars tend to burn a little better at that humidity and like La Chupacabra and Gibble have alluded too, I'd be more comfortable aging at a lower RH/temp to reduce danger of mold, beetles etc. Specifically if you aren't going to be checking these cigars on a regular basis.

I'm definately in agreement with Shawn on that, I truely believe "all" my cigars (which is about a dozen I believe) smoke much better at that RH.

 

[r3db4r0n]

Interesting. You wrap each one individually in wax paper. Is that to help the wrapper stay intact? I read the review on Rand H Churchill that Shawn wrote. Great review Shawn with great pics that showed the wrapper coming off. This is the first time I have seen a 10 year old smoke in pics or otherwise. I started reading the thread and it has some great info but I have not yet begun to explore all the great posts. It's a long thread! Thanks for posting the link Shawn. I have yet to get to the posts where Rh is discussed but they are all interesting. I have a lot to learn....

Glad I could help you find some of the info you were looking for, also thanks for the kind words

I'm definately in agreement with Shawn on that, I truely believe "all" my cigars (which is about a dozen I believe) smoke much better at that RH.

If it helps to eliminate burn and draw issues as a worry in addition to mold, then why not, right?

 

[Burning Man]

I'm definately in agreement with Shawn on that, I truely believe "all" my cigars (which is about a dozen I believe) smoke much better at that RH.

Yeah here where I live the average year round temp is 68 degrees so crazy temperature fluctuations aren't a big worry for me here and I have never spoken to anyone who's had a beetle infestation. Are those regional? Do you brothers back east have more of an issue with those?

 

[Alwayslit]

I'm personally a fan of 63-65 my self, I find cigars tend to burn a little better at that humidity and like La Chupacabra and Gibble have alluded too, I'd be more comfortable aging at a lower RH/temp to reduce danger of mold, beetles etc. Specifically if you aren't going to be checking these cigars on a regular basis.

.......x2 Very good range for the long term.

 

[e-man67]

All is correct...look at MRN, he has a collection worth millions and he is a 70/70 guy on CC's..as for me (much smaller collection :hysterica) I am at 61RH..all relative.

 

[BigFoot]

Yeah here where I live the average year round temp is 68 degrees so crazy temperature fluctuations aren't a big worry for me here and I have never spoken to anyone who's had a beetle infestation. Are those regional? Do you brothers back east have more of an issue with those?

I myself would like to this to. In the winter I'm at 62/70 in one humi, 61/65
in another and 61/67 in my cooli. In the summer I'm 70/70, 70/655 and 70/66 respectively. I tend to age I'm my cooli, if I'm going to smoke one from there ill let it sit in my 65 humi for a day or 3. Should I be raising my cooli for aging? Last years heat wave here threw things off for me as far as temp control, do you think that short term temp.change will damage cigars in the pong run, the ones I'm aging?

 

[sam a]

All is correct...look at MRN, he has a collection worth millions and he is a 70/70 guy on CC's..as for me (much smaller collection :hysterica) I am at 61RH..all relative.

actually i've read that MRN stores cigars as follows (i just am quoting WayneN from a post at ICC regarding proper Rh for ageing):

These figures are for me, and for me alone, as there are very few people who can have different storage facilities for different cigars.

I store all my cigars at 12°C (53.6°F), wrapped airtight, regardless of anything.

For RH:

New cigars (0 to 5 years old): 65% RH

Old cigars, i.e. cigars I bought when over 5 years old, or cigars I plan to age long term: 60% RH

Very old cigars, a few decades old when purchased: 55% RH

 

[Burning Man]

Well Bigfoot since you live in Jersey you've got to deal with a lot more weather issues. I get a fluctuation of maybe ten to fifteen degrees over the whole year. If there is a heatwave I just put my little humis in the closet and cover them with the spare heavy winter blankets. It stays cool enough to keep my smokes at about the average cellar.

 

[La Chupacabra]

I myself would like to this to. In the winter I'm at 62/70 in one humi, 61/65
in another and 61/67 in my cooli. In the summer I'm 70/70, 70/655 and 70/66 respectively. I tend to age I'm my cooli, if I'm going to smoke one from there ill let it sit in my 65 humi for a day or 3. Should I be raising my cooli for aging? Last years heat wave here threw things off for me as far as temp control, do you think that short term temp.change will damage cigars in the pong run, the ones I'm aging?

I live in the north east as well. What I try to avoid is the higher scale of RH (70). I have central air in my smoke room so high temps are not an issue. but I like to keep the room cool in winter and summer. if I let the temp drop and the RH is on the high side you run the chance of mold. COOL DAMP= MOLD.
I keep my room inbetween 60-66F and my coolerdor and humidor at 64-66rh.
Even at that you still will get a speck or two on tubed cigars. Always the tubes, never the cello or nakeds.

 

[La Chupacabra]

Let me add..Just a speck or two of the white shit you can brush off. Never blue mold.