Tobacco Beetle

[Northern Neil]

Well, just got back from Cuba where I was able to pick up some boxes of cigars. One of the brand I got was the Hoyo De Monterey Limited Edition from 2011. It is a torpedo and offered an amazing smoke while I was there. I bought 2 boxes of 10 cigars, and when I moved them into my humidor when I got home, I found one of the boxes to have some beetle damage. I have the cigars in the freezer now and was wondering, can I still smoke the cigars with the beetle damage?

 

[Richard Burley]

The beetle damage might be insignificant, I simply don't know, but won't freezing cigars blow the wrappers off? By "blow," I mean burst and unravel.

 

[Northern Neil]

As I understand it, freezing the cigars will kill the larva and egg left behind. As for cracking the wrapper, I think that will happen if you quickly bring the cigars back to room temperature after freezing. I guess the way to prevent this is to move them from the freezer into the fridge, then to the humidor. This is my first attempt, so I am going off what I have read and not experience.

 

[Hermit]

Just cover the holes with yer fingers.
Like smokin' a flute.  :lol!: 

 

[RDPipes]

Never had Beatles in anything I've smoked but, I've had weevils in my cereal and they were tasty and added protein.  

 

[Northern Neil]

Just cover the holes with yer fingers.
Like smokin' a flute.  :lol!: 

Haha, fortunately the holes are located closer to the head rather than the foot. Shouldn't take long to get past them.

 

[docwatson]

Just cover the holes with yer fingers.
Like smokin' a flute.   :lol!: 

I had this happen to me once, and Hermit is correct, the holes really dmage the draw. And yes, I did try to block the holes while smoking the darn things like a flute!!!

 

[Bluefisher]

Haha, fortunately the holes are located closer to the head rather than the foot. Shouldn't take long to get past them.

I think you're smoking your stogies backwards there sir.   

 

[rothnh]

Neil, I think you're on the right track.

I freeze all my cigars on receipt.

It's a big investment and I hate surprises.

Here's a link to a great article on what to do and a "how to" on freezing cigars:

http://cigargeeks.com/community/boxx/knowledgebase.asp?iid=44&Cat=1

 

[DaveyNY]

all imported sticks should be quarantined in a dedicated humidor. Cubans are notorious for incubating the beetle and yes they will ruin a draw... and all your smoke if even one gets hatched and goes unnoticed.
i have had some super premiums destroyed in my early days for lack of attention.

freezing will kill them and the process is simple enough. if you dont want to alter the flavor profile ( i dont like freezing myself) go buy a cheap tupeware and creat your own "tupedors" as we call them with one only for quarantine sticks.

if any of you are going to realy get into cigars, you'll need them soon enough and so much more practical than buying humidors. i keep my "show" glasstop humidor in the living room and my 2-3 thousand sticks are all in the back room in properly set up tupedors.

anyway...didnt mean to digress but thought it all tied in.

David