Storing a cut Cigar....

Kinda takes the fun of smoking it immediately after cutting. But that's just me.

No problem at all. Although they are a minority, the people who store their cigars pre-cut are a staunch "church" and their reason for storing their cigars cut is a good one.

whats there reason?

The reasoning is this, and it's very sound. A cigar needs proper air circulation and humidification. Theoretically, although humidity and temperature can affect the outer "skin" or wrapper of a cigar, it must also enter in through the body, which can only be done through the foot.

If you are like me for example, and smoke almost exclusively Churchill sized cigars, you can understand The Church Of The Pre-Cut Storage's claim that by cutting the cap, each cigar will achieve better air circulation and humidification over time.

I actually applaud this method, although I don't use it. The reason I don't use it is not because I found out it doesn't work for me, quite the contrary, the people who use it ALL say it works. It's just that I'm a stodgy old hermit, set in his ways, who doesn't like change and believes that it might have been a good thing if The Industrial Revolution had never happened.

I like The Church Of The Pre-Cut Storage, but sometimes I think The Church Of The Seventy Percenters might be a bit remiss.

So Bloof have we made it to 4 joints today?

I see you've been looking in on another web site. As per certain admonishments I've received from other staff, including top administration, on numerous past occasions, regarding the keeping of AmBack decorum, what happens at Cigar Wise stays at Cigar Wise. 8)

I'll take that as a yes. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Well, regardless of that, it wasn't intended as a yes. It was intended that I have been sternly warned that any mention of such subject(s) at AmBack is strictly verboten, not just frowned upon. And THAT is whether I retained my position as Moderator, or eventually joined the ranks of Members.

Cme on Phish cut a brother some slack :twisted: :twisted:

That sounds like a bunch of Stodgy Old Hermit talk.

Nevertheless BigTom, as you and I both know, given our sometimes irrepressible nature, these web sites aren't about the proverbial "me," they are about the overall membership and what the owners/administrators/moderators of those web sites decide will be the protocol for "forum comportment." Therefore, it is the responsibility of all staff and members to act according to the rules.

And having said that, although I have been subject to the various and sundry admonishments and/or disciplinary measures that might be carried out when one trespasses the boundaries of "forum comportment," on all the web sites I've been a party at, it does NOT mean that I take any great delight in breaking standards, nor that I agree with breaking standards. It means I have had momentary lapses in judgment.

Those are mistakes that I have worked hard to correct, in an effort to continue to foster an ever upward trend in my personal growth. As such, when one brings something from Cigar Wise or any other web site I might post on, over to a web site where mention of the subject(s) of said posts at other web sites might be frowned upon, I have no problem explaining myself in a comprehensive fashion.

WHEREFORE, . . .

as far as I'm concerned, what happens at Cigar Wise stays at Cigar Wise, in relation to certain subject(s) I may wish to mention there, but not here. There's a certain crossover of forums, but not a massive one by any means. If anyone wants to bring said subject matter over to AmBack to razz me, that's their business and I leave that stuff in The Lord's hands. I make no defense other than what The Lord Himself will accomplish/not accomplish on my behalf, not that I need a defense.

And having said THAT, maybe we get back to storing cut cigars? :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

I cut a few awhile back and did not taste any difference. Maybe I needed to store them longer. I may try this again with my bigger cigars. How long is the recommended time to store them?

You can store a cigar, IF it's kept at PROPER humidity and temperature levels, literally forever, as far as anyone knows. Cigar Aficionado regularly used to speak of having tasted Cuban cigars that were as old as 75 years.

After I thought about it awhile, will it make the cigar age better or just help it maintain the correct RH?

Well, the point made by that church, and I believe rightfully so, is that the cigar will not dry out near the cap, which may be why so many caps shred when cut, even on cigars stored at 70% humidity levels. By maintaining an even level of humidity and air circulation throughout a cigar, it will theoretically maintain it's texture and smoke better all the way through. There are many problems which crop up for people regarding cigars unwraveling when cut or smoking badly during the first inch, because of draw problems near the cap.

This is something I am going to have to try again. I'll cut one stick and let it sit for a few months and see if I can notice a diff.

Since there's no moisture sink inside a cigar, the cap being cut or not should only affect how long the cigar takes to respond to changes in RH. It should not affect the steady state final RH of the inside of the cigar.

That being said, sometimes we get cigars which are not at the optimum RH, and I can see how cutting the cap would speed along the acclimation process.

The downside I can see to cutting is that the cap adds structural integrity. A cut stick won't be able to take as much abuse. This might include intense humidity fluctuations causing the thing to unroll where the presence of the cap may have kept the whole thing together.

.02!

Well, in that case, which can indeed happen, you have to use your mouth to thorougly wet down the unwraveling part when you smoke it. Other than that, there's no real down side, just a different method of storing cigars. Kind of like parting one's hair on the opposite side from most others.