Rehydrating OLD Cigars

[AcesAndEights]

So I’ve never smoked a cigar. I know next to nothing about them. I found two Barclay Rex cigars that are inside a ziplock inside a box that I had forgotten I had tucked away. My sister-in-law brought them to me from New York when my oldest was born… 9 years ago. Is there any hope for these?

 

[PaulRVA]

Yes!
Get them in a mason jar or similar with Boveda packs of 70 or 72 and a cheap analog hygrometer and let them deplete the humidity in the jar then transfer them into a stable humidor.
Time and patience is your friend.
Don't try to over saturate them!

 

[AcesAndEights]

Yes!
Get them in a mason jar or similar with Boveda packs of 70 or 72 and a cheap analog hygrometer and let them deplete the humidity in the jar then transfer them into a stable humidor.
Time and patience is your friend.
Don't try to over saturate them!

Thanks! I’ll give it a go. Looking forward to my first cigar!

 

[kcghost]

Nine years sounds to me like you're on a mission impossible type deal. You had better leave them in the jar for at least two months.

 

[AcesAndEights]

Nine years sounds to me like you're on a mission impossible type deal. You had better leave them in the jar for at least two months.

Oh wow. I was planning at least a month. I’ll keep your suggestion in mind though. Thanks!

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Whatever you do handle them as little as possible and when you do be extremely gentle. Those dry wrappers are going to be very fragile.

 

[woodsroad]

I’d start with a lower humidity Boveda and work your way up. Dry cigars are prone to bursting if subjected to moisture too quickly,

 

[dottlejockey]

Yep, just like cooking a brisket. Slow and EZ. Like all things tobacco, though, they will have lost something in the tumults. Still, good luck on the salvage plan!

 

[johnnyflake]

After 9 years, those cigars are dead! If they don't fall apart when you handle them, rehydrating them the proper way, will only add moisture. All of the oils on the leaf will be long gone and that is where the flavor of a cigar comes from.

 

[tbradsim1]

I didn’t want to say it, but I will, go buy a couple of stogies and smoke em. I Garronte!

 

[badbriar]

What @johnnyflake said. The oils have long since been depleted if the cigars were not kept properly hydrated.
They can be re-humidified, but will not taste very good.

 

[AcesAndEights]

I didn’t want to say it, but I will, go buy a couple of stogies and smoke em. I Garronte!

I really don’t think I’ll become a regular cigar smoker. I’m happy with my pipes. I just found them and thought I’d ask y’all’s opinions before tossing them.

 

[tbradsim1]

An occasional cigar is a good way to break the routine and you can even smoke them in your pipe.

 

[BronzeAgePiper]

I wouldn’t start with a 70% they’ll expand and bust, it’s too much of a shock. People revive old Cubans from the 70s all the time and sell them. Can’t speak for the flavor but it seems to not be a big deal. Especially with those sticks being that old you’d want to start at the lowest humidity and step it up by 2% a week, but with yours you could speed up the process a bit I’m sure. I would just be afraid to start at anything higher than 64%

 

[BronzeAgePiper]

I should also declare that I don’t mean they will certainly bust throwing em in at 70% but they might* possibly, or they could be fine.

 

[johnnyflake]

Save yourself a lot of time, throw them away and move on!

 

[sfduke]

@AcesAndEights
The cigars are not smokeable at this point. Given they are sentimental, I would give then a few coats of clear lacquer and use them as tampers.

 

[AcesAndEights]

@AcesAndEights
The cigars are not smokeable at this point. Given they are sentimental, I would give then a few coats of clear lacquer and use them as tampers.

I’m not the sentimental type. Not a bad idea though.
We’re going camping for Father’s Day. I’ll rehydrate them and fire one up around the fire. If they suck, I’ll toss them in and put something nice in my pipe.

 

[pantsBoots]

So I’ve never smoked a cigar. I know next to nothing about them. I found two Barclay Rex cigars that are inside a ziplock inside a box that I had forgotten I had tucked away. My sister-in-law brought them to me from New York when my oldest was born… 9 years ago. Is there any hope for these?

They're probably dead as mentioned above, but it is free to try to rehydrate, no? In my experience, you're looking at several months of rehydration. Go slow so you avoid mold. Post the results!

 

[woodsroad]

I’m going to disagree about them being dead, and that “dry” means “flavorless”. I’ve smoked some previously dry cigars, brought back to 65%, and they were enjoyable. Certainly, I find that dry pipe tobacco is the shizzizle. Old and dry…haven’t tried that yet, but that’s what trial and error is all about!

@AcesAndEights, how did this work out?