Stogie Geeks Podcast – Episode 8 – “Tatuarje”

Download Episode 8 Here

Video version of this episode:

Stogie of the Week

Liga Privada Ünico Serie Feral Flying Pig

Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Viso
Binder: Plantation Grown Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Nicaragua (5 Leaves)
Strength: Medium/Full
Vitola: Figurado
Size: 5 3/8 x 60
Age: N/A
MSRP: $14.95 (Box of 10 $149.50)

This week we are drinking

Ron Abuelo Anejo Rum 7 Anos

Paul’s List

• Paul Garmirian Soirée Connoisseur Short Robusto – Great flavors on this little smoke. Took about an hour (smoking slow), burn was excellent, and I really liked the size. You can smoke this bad boy right down to the nub, and I have a few burns to show for it. From the Paul Garmirian site: “AGED DOMINICAN FILLERS, AGED DOMINICAN BINDER, COLORADO/NICARAGUAN WRAPPER”

They call this full bodied, but I didn’t find it too strong, however this one may have been from the original roll in 2008, giving it about 3 years of age. I will say, I smoked this when I was just starting to get a cold, so my pallet was already out of whack. I plan to smoke a few more before I deem them box-worthy.

• Por Larranaga Montecarlo (6.25 x 33) – Stogie Santa let me take a few puffs of one of these with age, and it was like smoking an orange cream soda. So flavorful, just awesome. I have one of the aged ones that he gifted to me and can’t wait to smoke it. In the mean time, I bought a box of 25 for about $105. I really like this smoke, burning one now from a Jun 2010 box date and enjoying the flavors. Its pretty spicy, with a citrus flavor. I should also mention this is a cuban purr and I plan on buying more of this brand.
• San Cristobal Elegancia – Man, I am just loving these sticks. An almost medium body smoke that burns well, priced reasonably, and hits a home run flavor wise. The sweet flavors pour out of this cigar at the finish, making it my new go to breakfast smoke with coffee.

Tim’s List

• Gurkha Seduction Robusto – Nice rich smoke. Great burn and draw. This baby poured smoke and covered my palate with nice mild sweetness. Flavors included earth, wood, chocolate, and leather. Recommend grabbing a “fiver” and checking them out yourself.
• Tatuaje Capa Especial – We talked about it on Episode 6. Great lunch time smoke, recommend grabbing a cup of coffee with it.
• Viaje Holiday Blend Petit Robusto – Some parts were earthy while others had a nice mix of nuts and cream. There was a very enjoyable underlying spice that was similar to cloves but was not quite as strong. A very nice smoke and definitely one of the better releases from Andre this year. I’ll give it the “Fiver”.
• Padron 1926 Serie No. 35 – Realized this Christmas I have not had a Padron 1926 since last Christmas. Went with the 4 x 48 Natural and braved the cold. “Box Worthy”
• Liga Privada No. 9 Toro – “The Oasis” …Nuff said!
• Ashton Esquire Natural – Not a bad 4 1/4 x 32 for those cold weather nights and they are under $2.00 each when purchased in a tin of ten. Smooth with some mild sweetness. “Tin Worthy”

Stogie Tech Segment

Humidor 101 – Seasoning your Humidor

So someone gifted you your first desktop humidor for the holidays? Nicely done sir!

There are some basics you should know, however. Your humidor needs to be seasoned before use. The purpose of the Spanish cedar lining is to absorb moisture and assist in maintaining a consistent humidity in the humidor. Most cigars should be stored in a constant relative humidity of 62-72%. The exact humidity used is a matter of preference and the type of cigars you smoke. If not seasoned however, the cedar lining of the humidor could actually absorb any existing humidity from your cigars and cause them to become dry and brittle. On the opposite end of the spectrum, too much humidity or drastic changes in humidity can cause the cigars to swell and crack. Long term exposure to high humidity may cause the growth of mold. In any of these scenarios, the burn and flavor of the cigars will be affected.

So as I mentioned, proper humidity is between 62-72%. Many believe the sweet spot is between 68-70 (which is where I run). The key is keeping it stable with no drastic fluctuations. Before you store you cigars in your new humidor you need to bring the humidity up to this level and make sure it is stable. The following is a well vetted method for quickly seasoning a humidor in about 2-3 days.

What You Need:

• Distilled Water – Distilled water does not contain minerals or chemicals which undesirable when storing cigars. Using tap water will breed mold into your humidor (the green kind)
• Clean Towel or Sponge – Preferably one that has never been used, so it does not contain soaps, solvents, or mold. CAUTION: Some towels and sponges are treated with cleaners and soap before they are packaged, so make sure you read the label. It doesn’t hurt to rinse your sponge with distilled water first, then let it dry out before it comes in contact with your humidor.

Procedure:

• Gently wipe the interior of the humidor with a clean sponge or towel soaked in distilled water. You want to moisten the cedar but not soak as this may warp the cedar. Make sure all of the exposed wood changes color from light brown to dark brown, covering 100% of the exposed wood. Once complete, place a bowl of distilled water in the humidor overnight and make sure the lid is closed tightly. TIP: You can use a shot glass or even a water pillow. Take the water pillow out of the baggy and place it on top of the baggy.
• In the morning, repeat the procedure and leave the bowl of water in the humidor during the day.
• Repeat this for one more night and day.
• At the end of the second day, remove the bowl of water, and place your charged humidification device in the humidor with the lid closed tightly.
• Check the humidity the following morning. If humidification is where it should be then it should be safe to place your cigars in the humidor. Check each morning and evening for the next few days however. If humidification is not where you desire it, then you may need to repeat this process or recharge you humidification device.

This is not the only way to season a humidor but it is one of the quickest, safest ways that has worked for me. You could certainly just add the humidification device in it and check each day but this could potentially take several weeks.

TIP: If you live in a dry climate, or your house is dry, you may have to do this once a year or so. Sometimes the climate and/or the cigars will suck all the humidity out of the wood.

Stogie Tech: Building a Win Humidor – Part 1 – Choosing your fridge

This is the first in a multi-part series where we will cover building/converting a wine fridge into a humidor. Its based on multiple people’s experiences doing this process (including Paul’s and Stogie Santa). Several sites cover this topic, but we believe they all miss important facts and tips that will lead you to creating a humidor that actually works. So, we’ve broken it down into several parts and will explain everything in excruciating detail.

• Size – You’d be hard pressed to find something more than 36 bottles that uses thermoelectric cooling. I believe this has something to do with the way it cools the fridge. So choose wisely, and maybe make accommodations for more than one.
• Price – Don’t go cheap. What;s going to happen is one of several things, such as: Its going to work for a year, then die. Its going to generate condensation like a waterfall. It will suck out the humidity anyway. It will not hold constant temperature.
• Warranty – Most of these do not come with a warranty worth crap. In fact, if you read all of the reviews on Amazon, most people will describe how horrible customer service experiences are with the manufacturers. So, I suggest you buy one with an Amex card as they can back up your purchases. Also, if the store offers a warranty, buy it, and you will have coverage. Most of the sub-$300 fridges are pretty crappy, you may get lucky, but you may not get lucky. I just checked, and Best Buy, who has great warranty coverage, sells wine fridges. Not sure what the specifics are of their warranties with fridges, but worth looking into.
• Talk to people – Ask your friends which models they have and how its working out for them, then try to find the same model.
• The models are all different and are end of life frequently – Some models will work well for a given year, then, kinda like cigars, they will change and produce a crappy one with the same model number. My current strategy is to try to buy one from someone who already has a working model. Of course, it could then die.
• Let it sit after unpacking – I would leave it over night without plugging it in before you run it as the cooling systems hate being thrown around. It sounds weird, but the same goes for printers, they hate being moved.
• For the most part, they all get bad reviews – I’ve read hundreds of reviews on wine fridges. I purchased wine enthusiast model for a humidor. It worked for a year, an snow I can’t run it because it builds condensation and sucks humidity. I just bought one for actually storing wine, and ended up with a Whynter. They all got at least a few bad reviews, but mostly positive reviews. I really think that the construction on smaller thermoelectric fridges is poor, and its hit or miss.