FOHrensics Video Experiment: Dunking A Cigar In Water

[DrStogie]

I've had an opportunity to try this. Even though the video experiment exceeded expectations in the first trial, I'm reluctant to rush out, dry up, and dunk every cigar I come across lol, but I've had a couple of years break from Habanos due only to time and monetary restrictions. I'm back now and am just beginning to stock the humidor. For my first box, I went with Partagas Shorts BOE SEP-19. So they're already over a year. At first glance I was excited by this, I figured they'd be ready for a pleasant smoke, but upon opening the box, they were quite dry ?, not on the verge of cracking or anything, but lacking the easy pliability that a good cigar should have. I now see why they were on sale ?

I just got them today and I don't even want to waste a cigar by trying the dry ones for comparison. I dunked one, smoked it... marvelous. I had the same experience as in the video. I think it really improved the body of the smoke, it maybe burned a little off and went out a few times, but that's probably mostly due to the weather in this part of the world. All in all, it was splendid. I'm teetering around 89-90 for what I would give the cigar. The only reason it's probably short of 90 is a bit of green, harsh, bitterness towards the last third, but that's forgivable in a younger batch. I see good potential for smoking half of these now and as good potential for putting half away for 3-5. Really flavorful and burned nice and evenly throughout (despite some of the weather related issues I had).

Outstanding for a cigar of this size. Mine actually lasted quite long too. It lasted an hour and forty minutes, which is a marathon for one of these. They're usually about half an hour right? Perhaps that was also due to the weather? About 40F/F.5C around here, or maybe it was due to the initial dryness or the water added?

The only real drawback I had was the draw was very firm. Not overly firm, but it was closer to over than the sweet spot. I blame the initial dryness for this. I have an idea to work around this downside, perhaps an idea for another FOHrensics? 

As I mentioned, I've been out of the Habanos game for a couple years. Unfortunately, I've wound up with some improperly humidified sticks from lack of care in my off years. Mostly, Monte 2s and Partagas Lusitanias. Before I was aware of the water dunking trick, I came up with my own which also seemed to work quite well. What I did was set a pot to boil and then once boiling, lowered it to a steamy simmer, attached a loose barbecue/grill plate to the top of the pot and let a Monte 2 sit there, turning it ever so often to ensure even humidity. Since it was so dry, not cracking dry, but dry enough to smoke poorly, I hoped this would over-humidify it to relieve some pliability and once it was a bit soggy, it could then be dried out for an hour or two and be ready to smoke. This worked out perfectly and it was a relatively enjoyable cigar. It wasn't as good as the Partagas Short but I think that's only because the cigar was worse off to start in terms of dryness. I suggest trying this method too if you're looking to not only re-humidify a cigar, but also to get that moisture deep enough that it will loosen up the hardened draw of an overly dry stick.

Where I'm at now, I'm 100% satisfied with the FOHrensics water test and I think that's exactly what my box of shorts need for the ones I intend to smoke now. The draw isn't perfect, but it's certainly good enough for me. Another thing I'm doing is laying them in a humidor, slightly over humidified, at just over 70% RHF. I'm hoping this will slowly bring them back to that slightly pliable state and then revert back to 60% RHF for long term storage. My hope is that this will improve the draw as well as the flavor. Is this the right thing to do? As for the 5 or so shorts I intend to smoke in the next coming months, I see nothing wrong with using the water trick, just bear in mind that while it definitely has a positive effect on draw, I don't think it brings the cigar around full 180 in that regard. Did you guys have a similar experience in the experiment? 

[Mr. Japan]

I use to do this with  old and dry cigars , just flush water over the cigar from the water sink ( not from the foot), definitively you will have a more even smoke.Even burning with less possibility that the cigar will break due to temperature exchange. Old cigars an old wrappers are very delicate and easy to break.

No change in flavour IMHO.

I learned this practice during one of my several visits in Hong Kong with the author of the encyclopaedia. 

[Fuzz]

If you love caramel flavours, like you get in aged PLPC, PLMC etc, try wetting/dunking your cigar in Pepsi.

[Devo15]

On 11/7/2018 at 11:14 AM, leafdream54 said:

This is fascinating.  I have a few cigars that have been kept in perfect humidification and temperature (and several years of age) that have always had a rather 'dry' looking wrapper and have left my mouth feeling dry whenever I have smoked them.  I'm going to give this a try and see what happens.

I’ve had the same issue, do you recall how they turned out?

[SingleBarrel]

I threw up the first time I seen somebody do this. Tried it and now I dunk my cigars at least 40% of the time. It makes a HUGE difference!

[Li Bai]

I enjoy those experiments so much, thank you! Let's all see for ourselves, that's the only way to get it right.

It might have been done before but here's an idea if I may:

How does the lighting device affect the taste of your cigar?

Match, soft flame, torch, zippo, cedar sheet...I've tried it myself but I'd love to see your conclusions!

[gormag38]

On 11/9/2021 at 10:54 AM, Fuzz said:

If you love caramel flavours, like you get in aged PLPC, PLMC etc, try wetting/dunking your cigar in Pepsi.

This may be the cleanest kitchen sink ever. Bravo sir. 🙃