Cigar Geeks

Sat out on our deck and fired up an Undercrown Belicoso Maduro last night. Beginning flavors were lacking, but the second third delivered some very fine leather, some sweetness, and a hint of caramel. As a new cigar smoker, I did have some issues, and I'm wondering if it had to do with the ambient temperature and humidity? I store my cigars at 70/70 in my Pelidor, this one had been resting for about a week. However, the outside air was quite chilly (about 50F), and the humidity, if it was anything like this morning, was 85-90%. The issue I had was keeping the cigar lit. I found that almost any cessation of drawing on the cigar would cause the cigar to self-extinguish. I V-Cut the cigar with a Xicar VX2, looked perfectly fine and had a perfect draw. I simply had to continually relight unless I drew on the cigar 5-8x/min, which is WAY faster than the 1-3/min that I average. I also noted an uneven burn line which I did have to touch up several times, not like any of the other cigars I've smoked so far. Finally gave up with just over 1/2 of the cigar smoked.

So, was this a humidity problem? Undercrown problem? Newbie problem? As I noted above, no problems with the draw.

Thanks for the help, folks!

CW

Sounds like the outside humidity was the most likely culprit

I didn't have good luck with my first Undercrown Maduro Toro, as described in my review here in the DB.  I didn't have the degree of issues you describe, but it did require several touch-ups along with being somewhat less than optimal in the flavor department, at least to my palate.  My buddy OZZ also smoked one here last weekend and had similar construction issues.  He dumped his with over half of it remaining.

I am not a believer that this is a humidity issue, at least from smoking it outside.  I do not see anyway that any cigar can change that dramatically based on taking from your humidor, walking outside and lighting up.  Now maybe it was not that quick, but what is the first thing they tell you when you find a nice cigar that is under humidified (Dry).  Let it sit for a while in the right Rh.
So my second thought is you said you had this about a week.  Did you purchase on line?  Perhaps from CI, who are known for over humidification?

My feeling is that you most likely had a bad cigar.  An easy way to tell is if you bought a fiver and have another one to smoke.

QuoteCfickter - 6/17/2019  7:57 AM

So my second thought is you said you had this about a week.  Did you purchase on line?  Perhaps from CI, who are known for over humidification?

My feeling is that you most likely had a bad cigar.  An easy way to tell is if you bought a fiver and have another one to smoke.

Agree with Chuck.  Even if it was a B&M purchase it could very well be over or under humidified.  When they aren't in your storage you have no control, so I usually find at least a month smooths out most prior storage issues.  And it certainly could be a bad stick, they are hand made so human error plays in.

I wouldn't worry too much.  Give another a try, and if it happens again move on to the next thing.  I have found Drew Estate stuff almost always performs well for me, but most of my stuff sits a long while just because I have been collecting a long time.  Sometimes one just doesn't burn good.

QuoteCfickter - 6/17/2019  7:57 AM

I am not a believer that this is a humidity issue, at least from smoking it outside.  I do not see anyway that any cigar can change that dramatically based on taking from your humidor, walking outside and lighting up.  Now maybe it was not that quick, but what is the first thing they tell you when you find a nice cigar that is under humidified (Dry).  Let it sit for a while in the right Rh.
So my second thought is you said you had this about a week.  Did you purchase on line?  Perhaps from CI, who are known for over humidification?

My feeling is that you most likely had a bad cigar.  An easy way to tell is if you bought a fiver and have another one to smoke.

Hi @cfickter,

No, I purchased it and a few more from my local B&M who have a good reputation for their humidor stock. (Illegal to purchase online in my state). I have a few sitting in my humidor at 70/70 (calibrated), so I'll give another one a shot in a while and report the results.

Thanks!

CW

QuoteStogieDad - 6/17/2019  9:51 AM

QuoteCfickter - 6/17/2019  7:57 AM

So my second thought is you said you had this about a week.  Did you purchase on line?  Perhaps from CI, who are known for over humidification?

My feeling is that you most likely had a bad cigar.  An easy way to tell is if you bought a fiver and have another one to smoke.

Agree with Chuck.  Even if it was a B&M purchase it could very well be over or under humidified.  When they aren't in your storage you have no control, so I usually find at least a month smooths out most prior storage issues.  And it certainly could be a bad stick, they are hand made so human error plays in.

I wouldn't worry too much.  Give another a try, and if it happens again move on to the next thing.  I have found Drew Estate stuff almost always performs well for me, but most of my stuff sits a long while just because I have been collecting a long time.  Sometimes one just doesn't burn good.

Yep, I have a few more and I've got them in my Pelidor at 70/70, so I'll give it a bit and try another out. Got plenty to work on in the meantime!

Thanks!

CW

QuoteCW Piperman - 6/17/2019  12:14 PM  

QuoteCfickter - 6/17/2019  7:57 AM  I am not a believer that this is a humidity issue, at least from smoking it outside.  I do not see anyway that any cigar can change that dramatically based on taking from your humidor, walking outside and lighting up.  Now maybe it was not that quick, but what is the first thing they tell you when you find a nice cigar that is under humidified (Dry).  Let it sit for a while in the right Rh. So my second thought is you said you had this about a week.  Did you purchase on line?  Perhaps from CI, who are known for over humidification?   My feeling is that you most likely had a bad cigar.  An easy way to tell is if you bought a fiver and have another one to smoke.

Hi @cfickter,  No, I purchased it and a few more from my local B&M who have a good reputation for their humidor stock. (Illegal to purchase online in my state). I have a few sitting in my humidor at 70/70 (calibrated), so I'll give another one a shot in a while and report the results.  Thanks!  CW

 Looking forward to hearing about the next one.  Forgot you are the guy who cant order out of state!  What a crime

FWIW, I replaced all of my 69% Bovedas with 65% awhile back and have had a lot fewer burn issues since.  I still get the occasional stick that doesn't want to burn straight or at all, but it's pretty rare.

Quote

 Looking forward to hearing about the next one.  Forgot you are the guy who cant order out of state!  What a crime

Yes, I agree. There must be quite a few folks hanging out here with that problem. I'm thinking that Cigar PASSES would be ok, tho, don't you think, because one could do the purchasing in one's own state, and what you take from the pass box isn't purchased? I can't find any state laws (still looking...lol) that forbid the mailing of what amounts to GIFT cigars in and out of the state.

CW

QuoteCW Piperman - 6/17/2019  5:46 PM  

Quote

 Looking forward to hearing about the next one.  Forgot you are the guy who cant order out of state!  What a crime

Yes, I agree. There must be quite a few folks hanging out here with that problem. I'm thinking that Cigar PASSES would be ok, tho, don't you think, because one could do the purchasing in one's own state, and what you take from the pass box isn't purchased? I can't find any state laws (still looking...lol) that forbid the mailing of what amounts to GIFT cigars in and out of the state.  CW

There might be others, but honestly your are the first state I had heard of doing that. But in one way similar to what we have in PA with alcohol, cannot ship in.  Fortunately not the same with cigars, Pa is about the most friendly cigar state out there.
It is just absurd that any state can control businesses for their own gain.

I have only had a few undercrown maduros that have had burn issues.  It could be a mixture of external humidity, internal(cigar) humidity and construction.  I have had a perfect cigar storm, where it just would not stay lit or burn well.  I ended up abandoning it.

Quotearrow34 - 6/18/2019  1:47 PM

I have only had a few undercrown maduros that have had burn issues.  It could be a mixture of external humidity, internal(cigar) humidity and construction.  I have had a perfect cigar storm, where it just would not stay lit or burn well.  I ended up abandoning it.

Yes, I wound up abandoning it too. No sense in struggling during what should be a sublime experience.....

CW

QuoteCW Piperman - 6/19/2019  10:22 AM

Quotearrow34 - 6/18/2019  1:47 PM

I have only had a few undercrown maduros that have had burn issues.  It could be a mixture of external humidity, internal(cigar) humidity and construction.  I have had a perfect cigar storm, where it just would not stay lit or burn well.  I ended up abandoning it.

Yes, I wound up abandoning it too. No sense in struggling during what should be a sublime experience.....

CW

Yeah it hurts to do so, but yeah, it should be a relaxing exp not a frustrating one.