"90 Days"

[Ry27]

Can anybody explain what exactly happens in the 90 day recommended rest period before smoking? What exactly happens to the tobacco when it rests, and how does that change to flavor profile? It's quite interesting how age effects taste/flavor in tobacco. 

Thanks

[Corylax18]

1 minute ago, Ry27 said:

Can anybody explain what exactly happens in the 90 day recommended rest period before smoking? What exactly happens to the tobacco when it rests, and how does that change to flavor profile? It's quite interesting how age effects taste/flavor in tobacco. 

Thanks

The cigars are exposed to heat and cold as well as high humidity and low humidity during the shipping process. Australia is warm/humid and the cargo hold of an airplane is the exact opposite. These huge swings affect the wrapper and binder, more than the core of the cigar. The rest period gives the cigar some time to relax and even back out again. 

[PigFish]

Reduction and homogenization of water content.

-Piggy

[El Presidente]

This is the non technical look at it.

after 90 days at 65% RH in you humidor 

They look a little different

They feel a little different

They generally taste a lot different 

We are talking cigars that have air travelled some distance.  Temperature changes affect the cigar itself. Imagine a  cigar left in a humidified otterbox but in a car at 100F 40C over a week.  It is spongy.  Feel a cigar left in an otterbox  car at -50 F  for a week. It is firm. 

this is the cigars journey for April 2019 boxed cigars sold today. 

 

 

 

June 19 : HSA warehouse Freezing room - warehouse - plane cargo- customs - distributor warehouse - plane cargo - customs -   distributor - plane cargo - retailer humidor - back of the courier Van - courier warehouse - Cargo holding - Cargo plane- Customs- Courier company holding- another plane cargo hold- courier company holding - back of a van - your place - finally your humidor.  Different temperatures/air pressures/ humidity (likely) at all stages. 

 

Bugger me. I would need 90 days to get over that 

 

[Ry27]

45 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

Bugger me. I would need 90 days to get over that 

Yeah I guess that journey takes a toll on the tobacco. Very interesting to me how the leaf changes with age, I wish I understood more what is happening to the leaf during the years some cigars rest.

[teamrandr]

I have had it where 90 days of rest made them smoke worse lol.

[El Presidente]

Just now, juri said:

any chance one day we might see shrink-wrapped shipments cuts down on the necessary downtime 

No 

[Kitchen]

Smoking a PLPC after just two days in the humidor and loving it.  Granted it has 2.5 years on it, but I can see why these are so faught after.  

[JoeyBones777]

On 8/15/2019 at 5:21 PM, Ry27 said:

Yeah I guess that journey takes a toll on the tobacco. Very interesting to me how the leaf changes with age, I wish I understood more what is happening to the leaf during the years some cigars rest.

Check out the Dr. Joe Show on YouTube. He has a series of videos on the aging process. They are lengthy but interesting. Light up a cigar and watch them. You'll get your answers.?

[Hollywood Ninja]

Those vids answered a lot of questions for myself - great suggestion!


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[Ry27]

9 hours ago, JoeyBones777 said:

Check out the Dr. Joe Show on YouTube. He has a series of videos on the aging process. They are lengthy but interesting. Light up a cigar and watch them. You'll get your answers.?

That sounds like a great idea, thanks,.

[thirty1z]

On 8/15/2019 at 7:33 PM, El Presidente said:

This is the non technical look at it.

after 90 days at 65% RH in you humidor 

They look a little different

They feel a little different

They generally taste a lot different 

We are talking cigars that have air travelled some distance.  Temperature changes affect the cigar itself. Imagine a  cigar left in a humidified otterbox but in a car at 100F 40C over a week.  It is spongy.  Feel a cigar left in an otterbox  car at -50 F  for a week. It is firm. 

this is the cigars journey for April 2019 boxed cigars sold today. 

 

 

 

June 19 : HSA warehouse Freezing room - warehouse - plane cargo- customs - distributor warehouse - plane cargo - customs -   distributor - plane cargo - retailer humidor - back of the courier Van - courier warehouse - Cargo holding - Cargo plane- Customs- Courier company holding- another plane cargo hold- courier company holding - back of a van - your place - finally your humidor.  Different temperatures/air pressures/ humidity (likely) at all stages. 

 

Bugger me. I would need 90 days to get over that 

 

This is a great explanation. Could we sticky this thread or post to the newbie's section? 

[Str8BlkCoffee]

My last shipment arrived to me here in Kuwait when it was 50*C (122*F) I brought the box in and unwrapped the paper packaging and left the still sealed plastic bundle on my kitchen counter and went to the bathroom. When I returned there was water vapor forming on the plastic ? I removed the plastic and set them in the very bottom of my humidor for a nap. 

[Fugu]

On 8/16/2019 at 2:44 AM, juri said:

any chance one day we might see shrink-wrapped shipments cuts down on the necessary downtime 

Wouldn't alter a bit.

[PigFish]

2 hours ago, Fugu said:

Wouldn't alter a bit.

concur...

Water present in a cigar is largely a matter of temperature. Tobacco bonds to water at certain temperatures, an envelope. We maintain that envelope in typical room situations and in our humidors. Shrink wrap or no, wild temperature changes and high or low temperatures outside the 'normal' envelope will allow water break bonds and become free and then bond again. Free water condensates when temperatures drop.

You can take a perfectly seasoned cigar. Move it rapidly between spaces and acquire a moldy cigar from the process, using only the water originating in the seasoned cigar!

-Piggy