20 replies to this topic

[Light this!]

Well I had a stressful day at work today and figured that I would enjoy my favorite smoke. Poured a nice tall glass of Glenmorangie Lasanta 12 year Scotch figuring I would have a nice 2 hr smoke with my Esplendido. Before I smoked it, I poked it knowing that most of them are tight. I lit it and the fight began. Tight as hell and no give with everything I tried. Not in a mood for a fight tonight and I chucked it within the first 10 minutes. I swear that out of every 10 you probably get 2 that are smokable. This is my favorite cigar and when it's on is as good as it gets. I said screw it and grabbed a Juan Lopez Seleccion # 1. I enjoyed it with no problems. What gives? This has always been the same problem with these Esplendidos. Smoking these is like that pretty girl that gets you all hot and bothered and at the end of the night - you get nothing!

[grateful1]

Had a 2010 this week....no issue.

What year was it?

[MadMonk]

Yeah, cut it 3 weeks before you smoke it. Seriously. Draw test every week. Then dry box. I cut several at a time, and then play the waiting game. If you have to use a poker, leave it in the cigar a week or more, too.

[La Casa Del Habano Knokke]

Not the first time I hear this; it realldy depends box per box

[Light this!]

Had a 2010 this week....no issue.

What year was it?

This one was a 2010 too but this has been a problem for me with even different years.

Yeah, cut it 3 weeks before you smoke it. Seriously. Draw test every week. Then dry box. I cut several at a time, and then play the waiting game. If you have to use a poker, leave it in the cigar a week or more, too.

I like this idea and will definitely try it.

Not the first time I hear this; it realldy depends box per box

Any suggestions or better years? I don't think that it is an aging problem with these. Obviously aging these will benefit taste but I don't think it would take care of the tightness. Could be wrong though...

[jfields]

Dan (Monk) nailed it!

Also, what RH are you keeping these at? I find that certain smokes like most Cubans, Tatuaje, My Father Le Bijou, etc. smoke way better at lower humidity levels. I keep them all around 60 - 62% in a seperate humidor from cigars like Padrons and Fuentes.

This lower level seems to noticeably open them up. If you can't do a set up like that, then dry box for a full day or so before lighting up. It should help unless the RH in your home is high.

[Light this!]

Dan (Monk) nailed it!

Also, what RH are you keeping these at? I find that certain smokes like most Cubans, Tatuaje, My Father Le Bijou, etc. smoke way better at lower humidity levels. I keep them all around 60 - 62% in a seperate humidor from cigars like Padrons and Fuentes.

This lower level seems to noticeably open them up. If you can't do a set up like that, then dry box for a full day or so before lighting up. It should help unless the RH in your home is high.

Wow, that low. I got a cabinet humi with only CC's so I don't have a problem lowering it. I keep it at 66 right now. I feel more comfortable to dropping it to 63 to start with and see how it goes. The humi is in my finished attic/office and I keep the temp at 67 degrees.

[grateful1]

OK...I set myself up for this. *sigh

Tried another tonight...sur-nuf...gotta pokit!

[ironpeddler]

Dan (Monk) nailed it!

Also, what RH are you keeping these at? I find that certain smokes like most Cubans, Tatuaje, My Father Le Bijou, etc. smoke way better at lower humidity levels. I keep them all around 60 - 62% in a seperate humidor from cigars like Padrons and Fuentes.

This lower level seems to noticeably open them up. If you can't do a set up like that, then dry box for a full day or so before lighting up. It should help unless the RH in your home is high.

Dan & John hit every solution in their two posts.

It's almost hard to believe that you need to store these at that low of a humidity level...but you do. There isn't one time I grab one and think it's too dry when I cut it...you don't get that gentle 'push back' from the cutter during the snip, just a disintegration of the cap tobacco as the blade goes through it. I've tried punching them with a 9mm & an 11mm tool and that doesn't work well at all, it just cracks the surrounding wrapper around the cap and that is a death sentence for this stick due to it's thin wrapper leaf.

Dry boxing is the key and a good poke is usually what is needed. What a shame that we have to go through this for such an expensive cigar.


PS: Also keep in mind, when you smoke any cigar that has been stored at such a low humidity, handle it with care as you cut, light & hold it at the start of the smoke because you can crack the wrapper along any wrapped seam. Once lit, in 5 or 10 minutes it will moisten up a bit and become more pliable and you don't have to handle it like a newborn!

[Light this!]

Dan (Monk) nailed it!

Also, what RH are you keeping these at? I find that certain smokes like most Cubans, Tatuaje, My Father Le Bijou, etc. smoke way better at lower humidity levels. I keep them all around 60 - 62% in a seperate humidor from cigars like Padrons and Fuentes.

This lower level seems to noticeably open them up. If you can't do a set up like that, then dry box for a full day or so before lighting up. It should help unless the RH in your home is high.

Dan & John hit every solution in their two posts.

It's almost hard to believe that you need to store these at that low of a humidity level...but you do. There isn't one time I grab one and think it's too dry when I cut it...you don't get that gentle 'push back' from the cutter during the snip, just a disintegration of the cap tobacco as the blade goes through it. I've tried punching them with a 9mm & an 11mm tool and that doesn't work well at all, it just cracks the surrounding wrapper around the cap and that is a death sentence for this stick due to it's thin wrapper leaf.

Dry boxing is the key and a good poke is usually what is needed. What a shame that we have to go through this for such an expensive cigar.


PS: Also keep in mind, when you smoke any cigar that has been stored at such a low humidity, handle it with care as you cut, light & hold it at the start of the smoke because you can crack the wrapper along any wrapped seam. Once lit, in 5 or 10 minutes it will moisten up a bit and become more pliable and you don't have to handle it like a newborn!

Great advice from all and I truly appreciate it. It all really makes sense.

grateful1 - sorry man, I didn't mean to jinx you.

[MadMonk]

Just remember that pokin-it is a last resort, and then, like I mentioned, leave it in for a while, a day to a week, easy.
Although, I really think Grateful sort of likes it when he gets to poke it.

[likescarsz28]

I have all but given up on these and the Lanceros.

[Light this!]

Yeah, cut it 3 weeks before you smoke it. Seriously. Draw test every week. Then dry box. I cut several at a time, and then play the waiting game. If you have to use a poker, leave it in the cigar a week or more, too.

Dan, you were right on the money. I cut 6 of them when you made this recommendation a month ago. I pulled three out of the humi tonight to smoke with some friends and they were on and smokable with no issues. However, I did not leave the poker in mine but will for the next one. Thank you.

[MadMonk]

Yeah, cut it 3 weeks before you smoke it. Seriously. Draw test every week. Then dry box. I cut several at a time, and then play the waiting game. If you have to use a poker, leave it in the cigar a week or more, too.

Dan, you were right on the money. I cut 6 of them when you made this recommendation a month ago. I pulled three out of the humi tonight to smoke with some friends and they were on and smokable with no issues. However, I did not leave the poker in mine but will for the next one. Thank you.

You're welcome. Glad it was beneficial.

[MoeCizlak]

See, CP has a Senior Work-Release program. We allow guys who have been smoking cigars for 30+ years to hang around and dole out advice that they've accumulated over the years as opposed to regurgitating info on a blog after smoking cigars for under three years. When they go to bed at 6:30, we usually sneak onto their lawn and then blame another newb when they wake up and get mad. It's fun.

[ironpeddler]

See, CP has a Senior Work-Release program. We allow guys who have been smoking cigars for 30+ years to hang around and dole out advice that they've accumulated over the years as opposed to regurgitating info on a blog after smoking cigars for under three years. When they go to bed at 6:30, we usually sneak onto their lawn and then blame another newb when they wake up and get mad. It's fun.

It all makes sense now...the unsolved mystery is now solved. I thought someone wrote 'Clit' on my front yard in pee last Summer, which I thought was kinda tough for a woman I could have dated to do.

Now I realize it was supposed to read 'Clint'.

Man, you sure musta been pretty drunk when you did that to misspell your own name

[tomthirtysix]

Who else is signed up for storming Clint's house tonight? I lost my list...

[Bsneed51]

Man, you sure musta been pretty drunk when you did that to misspell your own name

He was sober, he's just not very smart.

[MoeCizlak]

Look, I'm perfectly capable of spelling my own name. I simply ran out of urine and had to go get another Big Gulp. When I got back to Gary's yard I forgot where I left off. Honest mistake, nothing more.

[4cbln3]

While Clint is doing your yard, I'll pretend to be the neighborhood feral cat and piss on your rims.