Weird Humidor Question

I know this sounds weird, but has anyone else ever had a problem with their humidor having too strong a wood smell? (Told you it was weird). I have been using the same humidor for about 5 years...maybe more. It is Spanish Cedar lined. Lately I noticed all my cigars having a "sour" taste. (It's not exactly sour but the taste is hard to describe...it's woodsy, citrusy, sour.) I then noticed that it tasted just like the humidor smells when I open the lid.

I have been using the same beads for quite a while so I have taken them out. I took all the cigars out and am leaving the lid open for a while in order to let it completely air out. It's not a big humidor...holds about 100. I was just wondering if anyone else had ever experienced this and if anyone had any suggestions. Thanks!

[T.G]

I think I know exactly what flavor you are talking about, but I've only experienced it with some very old tubed Zino golds that I had, they had sat in their vented tube with cedar wrap for so long before smoking, they literally taste the way a cedar plank smells when you grill with it. Dry cedar, wood, slightly floral and a hint of tobacco.

Not sure I have a definite answer for you though, besides a lower humidity to slow down the aroma release a bit. Oh, and smoke more.

You could add an open box of baking soda to the humidor, or some activated charcoal to absorb some odors.

Originally Posted by T.G

I think I know exactly what flavor you are talking about, but I've only experienced it with some very old tubed Zino golds that I had, they had sat in their vented tube with cedar wrap for so long before smoking, they literally taste the way a cedar plank smells when you grill with it. Dry cedar, wood, slightly floral and a hint of tobacco.

Not sure I have a definite answer for you though, besides a lower humidity to slow down the aroma release a bit. Oh, and smoke more.

You could add an open box of baking soda to the humidor, or some activated charcoal to absorb some odors.

Thanks T.G. You are really close on the taste...more on the aftertaste. It is a woodsy taste...a bit sour like citrus (maybe)...there are floral notes...and a hint of tobacco. I thought it might just have been the sticks, but all the sticks have this flavor.

You are not the first to suggest that I smoke more. Thank you again.

[Whee]

Maybe let it air out like you would a cooler?
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Originally Posted by illinoishoosier

Maybe let it air out like you would a cooler?
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Hey my friend...in the words of the old movie..."I thought you's was dead." It's good to hear from you again, in spite of your avatar. I hope everything is going well with you and you are not melting.

Back to the subject at hand. I put all my cigars (all 40 of them) in different homes. A few in an otter box...a few in my stainless portable...a few in tupperware and a few I didn't have any place for so they are just out. I've opened the lid on the humidor and have just let it sit overnight and today. It doesn't smell until I shut the lid and the strong woodsy smell is back in five minutes. Hope to see you again one of these days!

[ValorBali41]

Move all the cigars out of the humi, then try leaving some activated charcoal in plastic dishes inside of it. Let it sit for 2 weeks if you have another humi to put your cigars into and the charcoal should take out the smell. Worked for mine after I had a similar problem where the humi was too moist and had a weird odor effect on the sticks that were directly in contact with the cedar, although the tainted taste probably would have spread to all of them if I didn't catch it early enough. Good Luck

Also as a suggestion for the storage of the cigars temporarily, you can just buy a small cooler (28 quart, runs about $15.00 at wall-mart) and store them temporarily and then keep it afterwards as a second humi or travel humi

Originally Posted by ValorBali41

Move all the cigars out of the humi, then try leaving some activated charcoal in plastic dishes inside of it. Let it sit for 2 weeks if you have another humi to put your cigars into and the charcoal should take out the smell. Worked for mine after I had a similar problem where the humi was too moist and had a weird odor effect on the sticks that were directly in contact with the cedar, although the tainted taste probably would have spread to all of them if I didn't catch it early enough. Good Luck

Also as a suggestion for the storage of the cigars temporarily, you can just buy a small cooler (28 quart, runs about $15.00 at wall-mart) and store them temporarily and then keep it afterwards as a second humi or travel humi

Thanks Valor...it's weird that you mention humidity. I have always been absolutely fanatical when it comes to RH. It has always been between 65-70%. A humidity problem was the first thing that went through my mind as well. I don't have any charcoal on hand, but I'm wondering if baking soda wouldn't accomplish the same thing.

[ValorBali41]

Originally Posted by jbo57

I don't have any charcoal on hand, but I'm wondering if baking soda wouldn't accomplish the same thing.

Baking soda would probably accomplish the same thing, however I have never used it. If you do use it make sure that it doesn't spill over or get knocked around the humi, because then you open a whole 'nother can of worms. You will have soiled baking soda all over the inside of your humi .

Try this type of baking soda for ease of mind and relative ease overall: Click
It won't spill and you can just toss it afterwards. Plus its only around $3 so its relatively cheap

Thanks everyone for your help. I'm thinking I may have gotten the problem fixed. I took all the sticks out and put them in travel humi's and Rubbermaid containers. Then I took the beads out and ended up having to throw them away. Once they got dry they were ok but as soon as you charged them they smelled like varnish again. Anyway, I then opened the lid and let the box dry out for a few days. Then I put in a bowl of baking soda and shut the lid and let it sit a couple days. Following that, I put a paper towel that had been soaked in distilled water into a cup and put it in and began to season it again. It is now at about 63% RH and I have put the sticks back in. Thanks to everyone who weighed in and helped out.