Cigar sickness

[Edamski]

So I'm familiar with the concept that cigars get sick on there travels and I had it mentioned to me the other day it's to do with a chemical reaction leading to the build up of ammonia.

I've been thinking though, what causes the reaction?

What reacts exactly?

Is it to do with distance or time?

Why do they seemingly get sick so quickly and take weeks to recover?

[SmokeyDave]

I always thought a sick cigar was when it had just been rolled and needs ageing to be smokeable. Most custom rolls are said to be awesome fresh and up to a week old, then after that will need to sit and rest like any other newly rolled stick.

[Agricola]

I always believed the condition you're describing to be caused by sharp spikes and dips in humidity, resulting in ammonia. As to why this process leads to ammonia I don't know.

[TJCoro]

Cigar sickness

Ahem...the so-called "sick period" is due to the moisture applied to the wrapper leaf before it is applied to the puro or cigar. Consequently, because tobacco is a organic product, it begins to ferment....again!


KIDS! To read more about the amazing Fermentation Process, click HERE!


El P

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[Grahamsant]

I always thought a sick cigar was when it had just been rolled and needs ageing to be smokeable. Most custom rolls are said to be awesome fresh and up to a week old, then after that will need to sit and rest like any other newly rolled stick.

I thought it was this as well for the "sick period" and I believe it is right that it is due to re - fermentation.
That being said, I've always been told to allow cigars to rest following a period of travel and that they should be allowed to rest for the same amount of time as they've been in transit.

[Edamski]

Thanks for the responses guys!

Ok so if it isn't sickness after travel what is it then? Just a let them settle down period?

[cigarmo]

But I thought that habanos kept the cigars for a time before shipping out to shops for sale after rolling ?

[Grahamsant]

Thanks for the responses guys!

Ok so if it isn't sickness after travel what is it then? Just a let them settle down period?

But I thought that habanos kept the cigars for a time before shipping out to shops for sale after rolling ?

I could be wrong but I believe the sickness is mainly due to freshly rolled cigars. This will mainly affect you if you buy custom rolls but on the odd occasion you can get habanos that are only a couple of months old - I've heard reports of cigar sickness lasting up to 6 months which could potentially affect a relatively fresh habanos cab.

[TJCoro]

Ahem...

But I thought that habanos kept the cigars for a time before shipping out to shops for sale after rolling ?

They do, but it isn't that long before they box 'em. Not an expert and never been to Cuba, but that's my understanding.

So your best bet is to use the trusty old box date to determine the age of the puros inside. It's been reported that the sick-period generally lasts between 9 and 12 months. So a good rule of thumb is to stick with a box date that is one or more years old.

Not sure about the "traveling" issue, but I think the school of thought among some aficionados () is that puros kept outside of a humidor for a period of time should be placed in a humidor for a few days to adjust to the proper conditions.


el P

[Stevieboy]

I recall a recent post by Mitch from CGars where he says that cigars are ready to be smoked right away regardless of age (sorry Mitch if I'm paraphrasing you incorrectly). I've always held off doing so with new boxes but I listened to what he said and I've dived into brand new boxes and so far haven't been disappointed at all. I've been smoking very young Monte 4 & 5, BBFs and the new Upmann ConnA with no problems

[Edamski]

I recall a recent post by Mitch from CGars where he says that cigars are ready to be smoked right away regardless of age (sorry Mitch if I'm paraphrasing you incorrectly). I've always held off doing so with new boxes but I listened to what he said and I've dived into brand new boxes and so far haven't been disappointed at all. I've been smoking very young Monte 4 & 5, BBFs and the new Upmann ConnA with no problems

I did see somewhere that ageing a cigar intentionally is a foreign concept and not done by the Cubans sort of backing this up

[Grahamsant]

I've got to add to Stevieboy in saying that as much as I've read and as much I've been taught things - I've started smoking a cigar within minutes of it arriving on the doorstep! If you've got that hankering and you open a new box and get that smell for the first time...just try and stop me!

[rascal]

I did see somewhere that ageing a cigar intentionally is a foreign concept and not done by the Cubans sort of backing this up

Yip it is but 20 years ago it was a necessity due to the reek of ammonia like a tramp. Though this has not really been the case in the last decade nearly anyone that says they smell ammonia needs to actually go have a sniff of some. Though there is the point about long term ageing of stock due to these changes. But we will not really know for 5-6 years. Some cigars are smoking wonderful fresh and losing something at that 1+ mark but don't really know what they will turn into.

[TJCoro]

SCIENCE!

I recall a recent post by Mitch from CGars where he says that cigars are ready to be smoked right away regardless of age (sorry Mitch if I'm paraphrasing you incorrectly). I've always held off doing so with new boxes but I listened to what he said and I've dived into brand new boxes and so far haven't been disappointed at all. I've been smoking very young Monte 4 & 5, BBFs and the new Upmann ConnA with no problems

Yeah, I've read a few posts on here saying the same thing, but that hasn't been my experience. Then again, I've haven't smoked any of the recent puros. So maybe, maybe not.

All I know is that most of the puros I've smoked under one year were not enjoyable and in the case of the Siglo I, down right disgusting.

But if what you say is true, how do you account for this, senor stevietheknowitall? Certainly you can't change the laws of physics, so either they are holding on to them longer before release or they've discovered a way to apply the wrapper without introducing moisture, which triggers the fermentation.

Hmmmmm....?

El P

[Edamski]

Yeah, I've read a few posts on here saying the same thing, but that hasn't been my experience. Then again, I've haven't smoked any of the recent puros. So maybe, maybe not.

All I know is that most of the puros I've smoked under one year were not enjoyable and in the case of the Siglo I, down right disgusting.

But if what you say is true, how do you account for this, senor stevietheknowitall? Certainly you can't change the laws of physics, so either they are holding on to them longer before release or they've discovered a way to apply the wrapper without introducing moisture, which triggers the fermentation.

Hmmmmm....?

El P

Surely it's chemistry not physics? Or even biology? [emoji16][emoji39]