Cigar packaging

[jeffturneraz]

There's 2 things regarding this I've been curious about.

1. Tubes - This seems to be mostly for marketing, but practically, it serves a good purpose if you want to hand out singles, I can see that...keep it safe until the cigar gets to its destination. I guess my only question with tubes, do you guys take them out? Are you depriving the cigar of humidity if its in your humi, but in a tube?

2. Cellophane. Why is this decision ever made? Is there a legit reason? For example, my Feral Flying Pig is in cellophane, my UF-13 isn't. Is that random or for a reason? One company, 2 different decisions made there.

...also, what is the meaning of life? ( jk I'll shut up and smoke)

 

[Stillinger]

These have both been handled fully in many parts of the internet, but I will just say why or my peace shortly.

1. I open them if they're in the humi for a long time. Short while (few days) I don't care so much. I know some take them out of the tubes.

2. Cello is placed based on the makers discretion. Some don't like it and think it limits the classic element of the cigar. Others use them because they protect the wrapper better. For example, Hererra Esteli's were having wrapper issues in transit so they use cello.

 

[jeffturneraz]

Ah, okay that makes sense. Already glad I asked here.

So cellophane if maybe the wrapper is delicate or whatever. So in my example of the Ligas, maybe the FFP wrapper is pulled tighter since its fatter than the 13, or who knows, but someone felt the UF-13 was sturdy enough. Huh

 

[klyoung3]

With a tube, I typically remove it but save it for future use if needed. It also depends on what the design of the tube is. I know Davidoff makes one that allows you to rotate it so that the cigar can be exposed/closed while in the tube. I think I also read somewhere that the cedar inside the tube can act as a cedar sleeve does and can somtimes lead to molding which is never fun.


Cellophane is one of those things that is up to you. I like to keep sticks in cello and I try to put HTF sticks and anything I am aging in cello to try to protect the foot. There is also nothing sexier than yellow cello.

The meaning of life is found in the LP Unico series

 

[mistaforty]

Ah, okay that makes sense. Already glad I asked here.

So cellophane if maybe the wrapper is delicate or whatever. So in my example of the Ligas, maybe the FFP wrapper is pulled tighter since its fatter than the 13, or who knows, but someone felt the UF-13 was sturdy enough. Huh

Plus would/could u cello the uf 13s flared tail?

 

[jeffturneraz]

Yellow cello is one of the rare times something turning yellow is okay.

As for the 13 tail, good point, but other cigars capped normally.

I guess what made me wonder, in the instances where 1 company has some cello, some not...someone making the decisions is saying, yes on cellophane on these, no on these.

This had to be for a real reason and not on a whim, that was my thoughts anyway.

 

[The Eleven]

From what I remember the FFP originally came without cello. But they were getting damaged during shipping so they switched

 

[jeffturneraz]

I suppose another way to look at cello is when shopping b&m, you could tell yourself that there hasn't been god knows who putting their hands all over the cigar you are buying.

This is of course if you have some Howard Hughes type of OCD going on.

I don't know, I really don't care for cellophane...but if it's there to protect a fragile wrapper, then I guess that is a good thing.

 

[Craig Mac]

You'll find most B&M's prefer cellophane for many reasons:
*Less damaged product from handling
*Can put sku/pricing sickers on them
*Cigars are better preserved from the elements such as lighting (sunlight mostly) and humidity fluctuations

You are seeing a lot of companies now using bar codes so they pretty much have to go the cello'd route, which is fine with retailers that use SKU's on cigars at the register.

The presentation is always nicer when it is non cello'd, but it's not always practical. Another example, other than the FFP, is the Alec Bradley Fine and Rare. The F&R originally shipped with the non cello'd cigars in a "cradle" in the box. This looked really nice, but in shipping the cigars were getting beat to shit. They solved the problem by padding the cradle and using cello.

 

[jeffturneraz]

*Can put sku/pricing sickers on them

Thanks for this response, it all makes more sense to me now, and while I don't like the way it looks, I get it.

Regarding the above, this is probably way too anal, but as long as we are on the topic...

Does it ever concern anyone that when dealing with a supposedly porous material such as cellophane, that there is glue from a sticker placed on there?

Again, super anal question here, but keeping in mind I'm talking to a bunch of guys who stuff wine coolers with newspaper and let it sit out in the natural sunlight for days I figured why not ask, because it's crossed my mind.

 

[sullen]

from my experience, all production ligas, including the 9/52 and regular production unicos, only the FFP is in cello, i always found this odd.
you can argue the tails on the rats and 13s, but then why things like the l40 and whatnot ship naked.
anyone from de ever shed light on this?

 

[jeffturneraz]

from my experience, all production ligas, including the 9/52 and regular production unicos, only the FFP is in cello, i always found this odd.
you can argue the tails on the rats and 13s, but then why things like the l40 and whatnot ship naked.
anyone from de ever shed light on this?

I've never had a Ratzilla, but judging from this post made today, it appears to have a fan tail yet also in cellophane. I'm thinking cellophane wouldn't necessarily damage a fan tail if it were the right length.

http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php/70678-FS-Drew-Estate-Sampler

 

[klyoung3]

from my experience, all production ligas, including the 9/52 and regular production unicos, only the FFP is in cello, i always found this odd.
you can argue the tails on the rats and 13s, but then why things like the l40 and whatnot ship naked.
anyone from de ever shed light on this?

I've never had a Ratzilla, but judging from this post made today, it appears to have a fan tail yet also in cellophane. I'm thinking cellophane wouldn't necessarily damage a fan tail if it were the right length.

http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php/70678-FS-Drew-Estate-Sampler

Just to add to this, the fan tails on the dirty rat and ratzilla seem to be about the same size whereas the UF-13 is larger.

 

[mjohop]

I never had any real issues with humidity and tubes. In fact I have a couple of tubos aging very well.

Cello is based on a few factors. DE started celloing the pigs because they were having damage issues with the pig tail apparently. Aside from that it's really up to what each company is doing in regards to bar codes or their philosophy. Cello + bar code is great for retailers. Cello on it's own provides some form of protection I feel since we don't really take into account how many people have handled the cigar after it has hit the retail shelves. Uncelloed stuff usually comes down to either presentation or the idea of letting the cigars breathe.

 

[StogieNinja]

Does it ever concern anyone that when dealing with a supposedly porous material such as cellophane, that there is glue from a sticker placed on there?

Cellophane is permeable, but not porous.

That being said, the glue from the sticker is likely to be way less problematic than say the paint on the cigar box itself.

 

[jeffturneraz]

Does it ever concern anyone that when dealing with a supposedly porous material such as cellophane, that there is glue from a sticker placed on there?

Cellophane is permeable, but not porous.

That being said, the glue from the sticker is likely to be way less problematic than say the paint on the cigar box itself.

I think I may have skipped this day in science class...it's permeable, but not porous.

So there aren't microscopic holes, so then humidity gets inside them by osmosis? I have to say I'm a little confused by that, but either way,

I can't think of the exact name, but I read that on cigar bands, they use a vegetable bi-product as the adhesive.

So assuming that cellophane is let's say at the least, permeable (still confused by the difference on that), is it not just a tiny bit careless, after the manufacturer went to the trouble of using "vegetable glue" to then take a price sticker gun and slap price tags on all of the sticks?

I'm sure it's minimal if anything at all, but I have been in humidors where they flip out if someone tries to pick up a cigar and look at it, yet they shoot price tag stickers on everything so I guess I just don't get the thought process.

 

[m00chness]

Ah, okay that makes sense. Already glad I asked here.

So cellophane if maybe the wrapper is delicate or whatever. So in my example of the Ligas, maybe the FFP wrapper is pulled tighter since its fatter than the 13, or who knows, but someone felt the UF-13 was sturdy enough. Huh

I know for FFP the first batch did not have cello on it. They were having issues with shipping and cracked wrappers due to the box molds being slightly bigger than the cigar (which caused the cigar to rattle a lot in the box during transit). I remember specifically getting 3 out of 10 with cracked wrappers. Luckily the vendor honored it and sent me 3 new ones. They corrected this with celo, which worked.

 

[Craig Mac]

I think you are overthinking it a bit, I have never thought twice about the adhesive on the back of a pricing label.

 

[jeffturneraz]

I think you are overthinking it a bit, I have never thought twice about the adhesive on the back of a pricing label.

Yeah I agree, I am over thinking it. Like I said this is getting into the OCD territory with this particular question.

It's an adhesive, a toxin if you will. As minoot as it may be there is an equal amount used for the band, and the cigar producers go with natural adhesive on that.

So now here comes the store owner and he just slaps price stickers, idk.

Still a newbie and until very recently I didn't realize how much of its surroundings a cigar will "soak up"

Not going to not smoke a cigar because it has a price sticker on it, just figured if there were ever a place I could ask about it, this would be it.

I do this sometimes guys, analyze to death so bare with me.

 

[CalixtoLopez]

LOL. I've been in shops where they stick price tags right on the non-celloed cigar wrapper! Now that's over the line, we can all agree!