Hoyo de Monterrey Épicure No.1 - WOW Tight Draw

[96Brigadier]

Just went for a walk with the wife and tried a Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey Épicure No.1. Fairly mild, not a bad taste, but WOW was it ever a tight draw! It was like trying to suck a watermelon through a straw, it literally put a kink into my jaw. I've never had a stick that tight before, and given it was my one and only Épicure No.1 I'm really undecided on whether I would or should try another. I hope it was just bad luck?

[iRace559]

What RH do you store your cigars at? CC's tend to like to be stored in the 60-65 range. Before I switched to 65% beads I kept mine humidor at 70-71%. I tried smoking a Cohiba Maduro5 straight from the humi and it was near impossible, so I clipped the end, let it sit overnight and it smoked great the next day.

If you like to store your cigars at a higher RH, then try dry-boxing the cigar before you smoke it.

[96Brigadier]

I didn't know CC's like to be kept at a lower RH. I try to keep both my humi's close to 70% although where I live it is extremely dry which makes it tougher. I use a Cigar Oasis still set how it came from the factory (supposed to be 70%). Maybe that's the issue, I had it in my smaller humidor which has a Cigar Oasis Ultra (attached to the under side of the humi lid). The Epicure was on the top shelf right under the lid so it would have been blown on a fair amount by the Oasis over the past two weeks.

I just moved the rest of my Cubans (sadly that only equals another half dozen) to my larger humidor. It has a Cigar Oasis Ultra in it but according to my hygrometers the bottom of the humi is closer to 65-66% (Oasis is on the top shelf). I'll let them sit in there for a day or two and see how the next on my list is. Tomorrow I might try my Cohiba Siglo IV.

[madurolover]

Originally Posted by 96Brigadier

I didn't know CC's like to be kept at a lower RH. I try to keep both my humi's close to 70% although where I live it is extremely dry which makes it tougher. I use a Cigar Oasis still set how it came from the factory (supposed to be 70%). Maybe that's the issue, I had it in my smaller humidor which has a Cigar Oasis Ultra (attached to the under side of the humi lid). The Epicure was on the top shelf right under the lid so it would have been blown on a fair amount by the Oasis over the past two weeks.

I just moved the rest of my Cubans (sadly that only equals another half dozen) to my larger humidor. It has a Cigar Oasis Ultra in it but according to my hygrometers the bottom of the humi is closer to 65-66% (Oasis is on the top shelf). I'll let them sit in there for a day or two and see how the next on my list is. Tomorrow I might try my Cohiba Siglo IV.

It will probably take a couple of weeks for the humidity in the cigars to go down. Do a search for dry boxing. It is done by several of us here. Basically you just take the cigars you are going to smoke and place them in an un-humidified humidor or empty cigar box for a few days before smoking. It will improve the burn and will help with a lot of draw issues.

Also your cigar may have been plugged. You can usually remedy this by using a skewer or thin drill bit and inserting it into the cut end of the cigar essentially making an "airhole" through the plug.

[96Brigadier]

So not knowing anything more than the RH in my humi, would your guess be that it's more likely it was over humidified or that it had a plug? I'm now worried that I've over humidified all of my CC's. I've only had the Cigar Oasis for about 10 days, I'm new to using electronic means of humidification.

[madurolover]

Originally Posted by 96Brigadier

So not knowing anything more than the RH in my humi, would your guess be that it's more likely it was over humidified or that it had a plug? I'm now worried that I've over humidified all of my CC's. I've only had the Cigar Oasis for about 10 days, I'm new to using electronic means of humidification.

Honestly it is hard to say. Cubans at times have an issue with being plugged. Lower humidity will sometimes help a tight cigar. As was said above, 60% - 65% is usually the accepted range for Cuban cigars. I actually store all of my cigars in that range because I find it helps the draw and burn on Cubans and non-Cubans alike.

[96Brigadier]

Originally Posted by madurolover

Honestly it is hard to say. Cubans at times have an issue with being plugged. Lower humidity will sometimes help a tight cigar. As was said above, 60% - 65% is usually the accepted range for Cuban cigars. I actually store all of my cigars in that range because I find it helps the draw and burn on Cubans and non-Cubans alike.

Thanks for the advice, I honestly didn't know that CC's should be in a lower RH. I've got one of my digital hygrometers in a calibration pack right now, tomorrow night once it's done I'll put it in the humi and if need be turn it down.

[burnsco]

I find most shops in Canada keep their humidors at 70% or close to it, and the cubans always draw tight like you mentioned.

[JCK]

There are some smokers that have found their sweetspot for smoking Habanos is 58% RH. Now I imagine that's a lot of trial and error, but I tend to like my cigars on the drier side.

I prefer a looser draw. I've had some cigars that I can barely draw on that friends have said the draw is perfect. I suppose it's very subjective.

[burnsco]

58% RH? wow, that's really low. I just smoked a cuban from my humidor which is at 65% and it had an excellent draw. I would be curious to see how they smoke at that RH though.

[JCK]

dry box one for a few days, i'm sure you'll be down there.. see how it smokes for you.

[R10]

Originally Posted by 96Brigadier

I've got one of my digital hygrometers in a calibration pack right now, tomorrow night once it's done I'll put it in the humi and if need be turn it down.

I think you'll find that the oasis needs to be turned down - I have the xl unit and have to keep mine about 61.6 for a 65 reading - and I also use beads (65) to compensate for any overhumidification. Oasis is not known for the accuracy of it's humidity readings - but I like the unit.

[96Brigadier]

Originally Posted by R10

I think you'll find that the oasis needs to be turned down - I have the xl unit and have to keep mine about 61.6 for a 65 reading - and I also use beads (65) to compensate for any overhumidification. Oasis is not known for the accuracy of it's humidity readings - but I like the unit.

Well, looks like that was the problem. I put two calibrated hygrometers into my humi, at 70% on the Oasis they came in at 75%. I have since turned down my Oasis to 65% and the hygrometers are still reading 72% and 73%. I've now unplugged the Oasis to let the RH come down on its own.

[RobustBrad]

Interesting. Keep us posted on what setting you ended up putting your Oasis at. I'll be getting one soon and will be storing a mix of habanos and non-habanos and would like to hit the 65% mark on my humidity.

Cheers,
Brad

[R10]

Originally Posted by RobustBrad

Interesting. Keep us posted on what setting you ended up putting your Oasis at. I'll be getting one soon and will be storing a mix of habanos and non-habanos and would like to hit the 65% mark on my humidity.

Cheers,
Brad

As I mentioned above - I've got to keep mine at 61.5(+-1) to keep my treasure dome reading 65 - but I have found that a sack of heartfelt 65 beads in the bottom helps top to bottom readings stable. Have Hygos on top and bottom. Also when new sticks go in it changes, but settles down overnight.