The sweet...followed shortly by the sour

I just want to pitch this out since I'm new to the methods of cigar storage, and I'm sure there are some strong and valid opinions out there that are ready to be shared on the subject.

In recent weeks/months, I have ordered quite a few cigars from Cigar.com to fill my new desktop humidor. Since I have some established favorites, I did this to broaden my knowledge a little. Setting up the humidor wasn't difficult and I'm fairly certain I did it correctly (per included instructions - cross referenced to a dozen websites). I also upgraded to a digital hygrometer to minimize calibration issues and used 50/50 PG instead of straight distilled water. All was well for a few weeks...then things went bad...

Before I go any further, let me just say that I had good experiences with these cigars within the first few weeks of delivery, so I know that the problem I'm about to explain is undoubtedly linked to my handling/storage - albeit unidentifiable to me.

All of the cigars (C18, Dunhill, Romeo Y Julieta, Oliva, some real cheapies, etc.) have developed an awful, bitter taste that lingers on my lips (unlit) and completely destroys the flavor when smoked -reminds me a little of how alum would taste if combined with burning tobacco (perhaps irrelevant if you haven't had the pleasure of dealing with straight alum). I have been monitoring the RH and temperature regularly - the former holding 70% (+/- 1%) and the latter ranging from 68 degrees to 72 degrees.

The most common reason for a sour taste that I could find through research was over-humidification. I'm not ENTIRELY sure that my cigars have been at exactly 70% every minute of the day, but I haven't seen whacky spikes and I haven’t noticed soft/damp cigars. The only thing that leads me in this direction is an experience with a Cusano 18 I had recently. The first half was bitter when I smoked it, so I just set it down to extinguish. Out of curiosity, I relit it the next day and to my surprise, it tasted MUCH better. I had initially thought that sitting out at 50% RH and being half smoked may have dried it up, but as time passed, I abandoned this idea.

I know that cedar is employed almost everywhere cigars reside during their lifetime, but I’m beginning to wonder if the cedar is affecting the flavor (for me). All of the cigars I have smoked have been out of their cellophane (naked) in the humidor since arrival and I have had cedar wrapped cigars in the past that have tasted sour to me before (albeit excused as the coincidental “bad one” at the time). Because of this, I have initiated a little experiment that I hope will help rule out some things. I have set aside 4 cigars: 2 in humidor (1 in and 1 out of cello) and 2 in humidity controlled Tupperware (1 in and 1 out of cello). I’m so clueless at this point, I could be barking up the wrong tree.

If anyone has some feedback, it would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps I’m overlooking some simple, yet vital clue that could be the cause of all my problems.

More...

Yes, the hygro was salt tested. I know they can have some deviation, but how much variation in RH could cause this particular problem?

Yes, relights generally taste like "puke" and I don't make a habit of it. My point really was that the flavor quality I find in C18s was completely obliterated by the bitter, and after the relight the bitter was gone - revealing something that more closely resembled a non-bitter C18 (I can at least identify the bad flavors generated from a relight and still not taste the bitter). Everything rests on "Better" being relative, admittedly.

The name may imply that I'm an "idiot" or I'm "foolish", but it was really a reference to something entirely different (no, not the Lone Ranger). Perhaps it's apt under the circumstances – I did ask the question while admitting that I was ignorant on the subject (gotta learn somewhere and sometime).

Thank you for all the input. I'll see what I can answer.

I thought that I was eating/drinking something prior and that was influencing the flavor, but I haven't found ANY pattern in what I consume immediately before smoking.

My humidifier has always sat for a good 30 minutes after refilling so as to avoid dripping. I thought about this problem, but as someone pointed out, propylene glycol is sweet to the taste (as is ethylene glycol - pets love it). PG is food grade though, and is used in consumables all the time. With that said, I wouldn't want to drink or smoke any of it if I don't have to.

The cedar looks fine - assuming "crying" would be obvious to the inexperienced eye. The humidor isn't top of the line, but it isn't super cheap.

I have cleared everything out of it at this point, but I probably won't use it again - no use throwing good money after bad. I'll just return to the buy-it-before-you-smoke-it routine and save myself the grief and the money.

Thanks again for the brainstorm.