Dry Cigars

Joined Dec 2006
497 Posts | 1+
Ok you experts, I need some help! I was given a box of Romeo Y Julieta Romeo no 3s (not my favorites) that have been sitting in an office drawer for a long time. The cigars are in tubes and very dry to touch. Can I do anything to revive them or are they toast?
 
There are some more experienced with this than I, but I think you can bring them back (at least partially) by slowly rehumidifying them. I'm not sure of the exact procedure, but I do know you want to take it slowly lest you split the wrapper.

-D
 
Rehumidify them slowly if you can.

Extended periods out of the humidor like this can dry out the oils of the cigar and things may never return back to normal. A free box is a free box though...
 
this is what i found...

Step 1 - Take your cigars and put them in a non-humidified humidor. If this doesn't exist, then you can use a zip-top bag with some holes poked in it. You want to bring the cigars to a steady humidity level that is much less than 70%. Let them sit in this environment for about 2-3 days.

Step 2 - Take a fresh clean sponge and get it damp with distilled water. Place inside the zip-top bag and allow it to sit there, not touching any cigars, for at least one more week. This will slowly add humidity to the cigars at a rate that will prevent the wrapper from bursting.

Step 3 - After two weeks your cigars should start to look a lot healthier. Put them in your charged, maintained humidor at this point. Don't smoke them yet. Let them rest for while. I would suggest a month or two, just to make sure things are back to normal. Then you can feel free to smoke to your hearts content.