I recently learned that my humidor was about 72-73 degrees and 73-74% RH. (Inaccurate gauge) Now that I know the innaccuracy I went about putting some ceder in, moved the location and viola this morning I am sitting at a nice 70 degrees 69%RH.

While the humidor seems good to go, how long should I wait before smoking any of the cigars? Or in the alternative, I have some empty Opus boxes can I put a to be smoked stick in one of those for awhile? If I do that, again how long?

Thanks much, have a good weekend

I have been working on my wine cooler set up for about a month now. Just tweaking things here and there, adjusting and adding things as I get ideas. It has been holding steady 64f and 65%RH, but I started loading the singles trays and placing boxes in there after about a week, so I know everything was not completely seasoned but I was running out of space so it was there or no humi.

I am also impatient, so when cigars arrive , they sometimes get smoked the first evening or sometimes they get a month or six to rest before smoking. I think if you give a squeeze on the foot of the cigar and there is nice bounce, it is ready to smoke, if it crackles or is hard it is too dry, spongy too wet.

Very scientific , I know but I think smoking cigars should be very casual and relaxing.Some people really worry about everything being perfect before smoking, and this is true to some extent, but we are not splitting the atom here.
It will be fine if they are between 60 and 70%RH, some will smoke a little better at slightly higher or lower rh but for the most patr, if the pinch feels good it will smoke just fine. That has been my experience anyway, I am sure there will be other opinions or trains of thought here.

see ya

Mike

If your cigars are not mushy then they may not need to be dry boxed before smoking. Smoke one and see how it burns.

quote:

Originally posted by Docbarry:
If your cigars are not mushy then they may not need to be dry boxed before smoking. Smoke one and see how it burns.

Agreed. We obsess a bit over temp and RH, but cigars are more forgiving than we sometimes give them credit for. And it is also a huge part of personal preference. You'll never know until it's lit.