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It's all so confusing........Pictures...I need pictures in the instructions!

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Sorry Dave have not found the dry erase mode here yet so pictures are hard to come by. Lets try step by step. Have you checked out this portion of the forum: http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=7 ? If you haven't you may want to start there. Once there try posting a quick intro telling us about you and your smoking preferences Types of smokes i.e. strength, brand size etc. Then go over and get started on the NST that gator has going. This is a great spot to jump in feet first with trading and interacting with members on this board. Hope this helps. Feel free to shoot me a PM if you have anymore questions.

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What would gorillia fingers be? Bad smokes, cheap smokes, maduros, or big cigars? Heard the term mentioned and was wondering the meaning.

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They are cigars by Lars Tetens, and have a reputation for being pretty nasty.

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6701

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Thanks Frank......
Let me do some nosin around and see what I can get into.

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I made it through my first trade with the gator alive and now waiting my two weeks to do it again...and waiting for the "secret" places to open:)

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I have a total noobie smoking question. Why do I tend to get a "ammonia-like" taste in all the cigars I smoke once I get close to the last third of my cigars? Is it a storage issue or is it a smoking issue? Am I smoking too fast?

Thanks,

--Dennis

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I think it's a taste issue. I rarely smoke my cigars farther down than an inch and a half left, because it tastes bitter and nasty at that point. I never nub cigars.

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Younger cigars may have more ammonia in them as a byproduct of the fermentation process. Aging cigars in your humidor is the best way to eliminate the ammonia.

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It could be because you are smoking to fast and there is an abundance of tar and stale smoke build up.

Try smoking slower and see if that fixes it, also when you start to notice it purge the cigar (blow out through the cigar) to get rid of the stale smoke and freshen it up a little.

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Depending on your cigars it may just be that they are too young. Cigars as they age put off ammonia odors/flavors. I tend to taste this more in CC than NC.

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Thanks for all the suggestions. I don't know if I'm smoking too fast, but I tend to draw once every minute or so. I'm mainly smoking NC, like rocky patel, la aurora, cao, etc. I always assumed that most NC are pretty much ready to smoke off the shelves, and don't really necessarily need much aging.

--Dennis

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I have only liked one or two RP cigars. Most of his stuff is junk.

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Generally speaking, most NCs are ready to go when you get them, but there are some exceptions. Some even fall flat on their faces when aged.

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Anytime my stogie starts to get like that, I purge it as well. Just blow through the cigar enough to clear out old smoke and to burn a little of the nasties away..10 seconds is probably more than enought time, sometimes all you need is a quick 2 second purge

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IMO, purging sometiems ruins the cigar's flavor. I used to be big on purging until recently. Lately it seems that if I purge it once, I'm constantly having to purge, it messes the burn up, and it loses all the good flavors that I could pick up before the purge.

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I do purge occassionally, you learn when it is prudent and when it is not through experience. I would certainly not recommend purging a cigar for 10 seconds though, this could heat the cigar up too much and negatively affect the flavor. A quick burst is plenty when warranted. :2 Chris is right though, unnecessary purging is probably not the best idea.

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Can tubos be stored outside of the humidor? It seems to me that it would be pointless to leave them in the humidor as they are sealed in an aluminum tube and the humidity is locked in. The only issue would be heat. I guess as long as it doesnt get over 70 or so they should be alright, right?

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It is not a perfect seal. They will be ok longer than a non-tubos cigar out of a humidor, but not ok indefinitely.

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Like years? Months?

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Aluminum tubos aren't really sealed. Air will still be exchanged and the humidity will change. I wouldn't leave a tubo out more that a few days if at all.

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Ohok, I was reading on here or another forum and they said someone from habanos said that it would last 7 years out of a humidor. Crazy I know, thats why I came here to double check.

So Im guessing the main point of them is for gifting/ease of transporting?

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I reuse tubos as single carriers, when I know I'm just going to smoke one cigar. Or they are good to put cigars in that you plan to give away(for safe transport).

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I wouldn't risk more than a month. I dry box for that long with no problems.

:2

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That has always been my feeling... but then again what do I know!!!:r:r If I take it out of the humi the life expectancy is pretty short!!

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/\ haah. Well thanks guys.

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How often do you guys that use Heartfelt beads have to recharge them? I don't remember the exact numbers, but I bought a 75% tube that's rated for over twice the volume of my small humidor. I have to recharge it about once a week and the humidity never goes past 62% or so. Is this abnormal? Or just a consequence of living in Southern California?

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I live in high summer humidity/low winter humidity area. From May to October, I may recharge once or twice. In the winter, once a month in my desktops. Maybe every other month in my cooler if that.

Are you recharging because of what reading you are getting? or the colors of the beads?

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This sounds like a leaky humidor. You can check the seal with a small flashlight if you dont have a glass top box. Otherwise a dollar bill can be used around the edges to check if the seal is tight. If you find a spot where the bill slips loosely, that is where you have a leak. Masking or painters tape can be used to build up the edge where it is leaking.

You also should calibrate your hygrometer if you have not done so recently. :2

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Color of the beads. It doesn't get past the low 60's when soaking wet. I calibrated my hygro not too long ago because I suspected it was screwing up. I will check for leaks however.

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Put your smokes, beads and hygrometer in a tupperware container. This should confirm both the Rh of the beads and the accuracy of the hygrometer, while you check the humidor for leaks. What kind of beads are you using?

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I'm using the 70% (not 75% as I said before) Heartfelt beads. I did the tupperware test a while ago and the hygro was spot on. I haven't checked for leaks before though. I will do that tomorrow when I'm home.

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Aluminum Tubos are very poorly sealed. Of course the cigars within will last longer than those that are not if left in the open. From experiences in the past and from other discussions, I would not allow them to be out of a humidor for more than two weeks, maybe three weeks tops.

Glass Tubos, for the most part provide a much better seal, and will keep the cigar in good condition, outside of a humidor for a month or even two, but I wouldn't push it much longer than that! Be sure to check out the seal on the style of glass tubo in question, because a few styles are very poorly sealed. It should be obvious upon inspection which styles have the better seals.

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I got all these empty Cigar boxes from when my Aunt used to work at a Tobacco shop, too bad i was too young to smoke in those days otherwise she coulda got me mad discounts. anyway the point of this is wondering if anyone collects these things or just pitches em, cause i got a bunch and dont really need em.

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Save 'em, use them to store multiple singles and 5'ers of cigars you don't have boxes for in your coolerdor.

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:tpd:

You will need them as you slide down the slope. ;)

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Hhaha arite will do, thanks guys. If anyone needs some in teh mean time hit me up.

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I was contacted by a member askin me to check out his Newbie sampler for sale, but it wont let me view it. What is the criteria for being able to view his thread in that part of the forum? I already have 100 posts so it couldnt be that...

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Time is a factor too...patience, my friend.

Just PM him back and ask him for the details via PM.

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Yes patience is a virtue, and by you not telling me how much time, Im probably gonna have to have alot of it. lol

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Yup, not something we advertise. ;)

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In that MRN book, I seen he said that the cigars are not able to be aged once a SLB cab is opened up for inspection, or something like that. Is that totally true?

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Where does he say that? (Page number).

Completely false.

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Why keep the ash as long as possible?

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Some believe the ash helps to mellow the flavors of the cigar down a little and keep the burn straight. I always knock it off around 1" anyways.

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I seen someone on that over at puff.com I'll see if I can dig it up/

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I found it here at cA forums.

http://forums.cigaraficionado.com/ev...95/m/846102093

Its in there somewhere, im going to read all of the posts now.


Here is the quote " I do believe he is referring to aging and not breaking the seal on the boxes. the varnished boxes slow any air exchanging while the paper boxes let fresh air in and out quickly.

"While aging cigars, once the seal has been broken, they all become the same." I believe that MRN said that in his book.

Ive seen more talk about that on other forums, but I cannot find it. Any info on that?

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Complete crap. :2

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I Agree With Tom. Cigars Change In Flavor, Texture, Etc, "Daily" . How Can They "Become The Same"???:confused:

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Perhaps they were trying to say once the box is opened (or removed from the box) they all age at the same pace. :confused: