Why Ammonia?

[CuritibaRex]

Just purchased a couple of Hoya de Monterrey coronas from one of my reputable B&Ms, put one in my humi and immediately fired up the other. I liked the aromas I was getting along the length of the cigar and the smoke from the foot, diluted by my swirling the cigar around my face (I never invire smoke, full strength, into my nostrils.) Then about a third of the way along, I noticed a distinct aroma I could only classify as ammonia emitting from the foot. The aromas from the head and along the body was still satisfactory, but I had to stay away from the foot or my nose was assaulted as a whiff of ammonia will do. The final two inches of the cigar seemed to settle down abit, as I swirled it around my face. But by then, I was so freaked out that I could not enjoy the end as I normally anticipate doing with any fine cigar I smoke. I was wondering if any of my brothers have some insight to this phenomenon. Should I have aged the stick? Is ammonia smell something someone else has experienced? I plan to store the other one I bought for as long as I need to, in order to eliminate this problem; if that is indeed the problem. But it would seem a good Cuban should be ready to smoke as soon as procured from a reputable dealer. Thanks for any insights you might offer.

 

[Moro]

Amonia is a natural chemical released by a cigar. It usually is easier to recognize when the cigar is smoked without letting it rest a tad in the humi (a month or 2) so the flavours mellow out and rest.

 

[daniyal]

Its strange that you noticed the ammonia smell in the last third usually its something you'll get throughout the cigar if its young in my experience and I've never heard of half the stick ageing more than the other half so I'm left scratching my head on this one.. I think it would be best to put it away for a couple of months and let the tobacco mellow and age a bit before you try another.

 

[terrantheman]

You should go out and purchase and MRN and thumb through it a bit. Very fresh habanos can take up to a year to release all of the amoniac gas. It's a phenomenon that once that cigar leaves cuba it starts gassing, LOL! Leave the cigars in the open air is better but obviously if you live in a dry climate you can't do this. I've read that a fresh habano in cuba is awesome but that could just be all pschological.

 

[oneaday]

Set the other one down for at least a couple of months. It sounds like they are just ready to come around to smokable. As Moro stated ammonia is a compound that is released from fermented tobacco. Most sticks experience this within a few months of being rolled, others such as the PSD4, are notorious for being smokable early on and then releasing ammonia after six or seven months and taking another six/seven months to get right again. The ammonia smell can be detected before lighting if they come out of a closed environment (like your humi) as opposed to a B&M walk in.
This is commonly referred to the "sick" period. The reason I feel yours are close to coming around is that you didn't mention tasting the ammonia, or the stick tasted off or funky.

 

[CuritibaRex]

Thanks so much for the input, Brothers. This makes me feel a lot better. And to Daniyal, the ammonia smell was in the middle third (give or take some.) As I mentioned in my original post, it settled down toward the last couple of inches.

I had never experienced this before, so its good to know it is a timing thing. Thanks again for the replies. This is a quality group. Oh, what is an MRN, Terrantheman?

 

[Moro]

Min Ron Nee's "An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars"

 

[njstone]

I had this same thing happen not too long ago with a cigar (it was gross, I couldn't finish it). I let the rest...rest for like 6 weeks and tried another--no more ammonia!

 

[Andruk]

I had a house brand cigar that gave off Ammonia about a week ago. It was nasty. Just figured it was the chemical release in the aging process. Thanks for the info.

 

[BORIStheBLADE]

Man... there some good info in this thread.:thumbsup:

 

[CWS]

Set the other one down for at least a couple of months. It sounds like they are just ready to come around to smokable. As Moro stated ammonia is a compound that is released from fermented tobacco. Most sticks experience this within a few months of being rolled, others such as the PSD4, are notorious for being smokable early on and then releasing ammonia after six or seven months and taking another six/seven months to get right aghttp://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php?t=13037&highlight=sick+periodain. The ammonia smell can be detected before lighting if they come out of a closed environment (like your humi) as opposed to a B&M walk in.
This is commonly referred to the "sick" period. The reason I feel yours are close to coming around is that you didn't mention tasting the ammonia, or the stick tasted off or funky.

:thumbsup:.

http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php?t=17698&highlight=ammonia