Vintage Cuban Cigars: Possible/worthwhile to salvage?

[mountainjogger]

My mother in law brought me a box of Los Statos De Lux Habana. They were gifted circa 1972 - 1975, or earlier, to my many years deceased father-in-law (and best friend).

I have read a little online. Evidently the Cuban manufacture went out of business in the 1970’s. This name is now used by a company to make cigars in the Dominican Republic.

There are 20 cigars remaining in the box. They have been stored in the box in the back of a bookcase since they were gifted to my father-in-law.

I tested one. It was dry and flaked a small amount when I cut the tip. However, it burned even and the taste was very smooth and pleasant, bordering on a little light.

I am not a cigar person. Although I have smoked them on occasion (after special dinner parties), cigars are not my preferred form of tobacco and are outside my knowledge base.

However, I do have an emotional attachment to my father-in-law. So, if could rehabilitate them at a reasonable cost, it would make an interesting story to offer one to guests after a dinner party. It would also make my mother-in-law happy if they were put to good use.

Is it worth it to try and rehabilitate these cigars? If so, should get a $30 humidor on amazon and leave the cigars in there for a few months? If not, any other suggestions?

[RobearH]

Shame.

Buy some Boveda packs from the lowest to highest RH. Then place the entire box in a large ziplock or Tupperware container and slowly try to bring them back using a higher RH each time.

That is about all you can do and with the cheapest overall investment and lowest risk of over humidifying and causing them to explode the wrapper.

Good luck!

[mountainjogger]

Originally Posted by RobearH

Shame.

Buy some Boveda packs from the lowest to highest RH. Then place the entire box in a large ziplock or Tupperware container and slowly try to bring them back using a higher RH each time.

That is about all you can do and with the cheapest overall investment and lowest risk of over humidifying and causing them to explode the wrapper.

Good luck!

Thanks so much. Did not even know they made such a product. I see them on Amazon at 32%. Should I maybe start a little higher?

[RobearH]

Depending on where you live they may already be higher based on the RH from the air in your house. Start at 62 and go from there using the ones recommended for tobacco.

I also recommend you keep them in the cellophane which is meant to let them breath anyway. It would be great to bring back 40+ year old Cubans smokes...LMK in 6 months how it turns out!

[77T]

Boveda suggests this when proper cigars are awaiting their humidor.

“What do you do with your cigars while your humidor is seasoning?

We recommend placing them in a tupperware container, cooler, or Humidor Bag with 69% Boveda while you wait for your humidor to season.”

In one way these cigars are as dry as wood. But what humidity was around the cabinet where they were hidden?

I realize that you have a different situation. Maybe start with the 84% pack as if you were seasoning a humidor. And if you want better transfer from the pack to the cigars, consider a few pinholes in either end of the cigar’s cello wrapper.

The risk of splitting the wrapper should be reduced if you only do this for 14 days.


https://bovedainc.com/store/tobacco/seasoning/


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[Bigblu10]

If the cigars have been stored in a dry environment for years they are gone as the essential oils that give cigars their flavor have since long dried up. Don't waste time and money trying to revive them. Keep cigars and box as is as a keepsake and conversation piece. I speak from experience as a cigar enthusiast for the last 30 years. Others may give you different opinions, but fact is 40 year old cigars can be perfectly smokable but must be maintained in a properly humidified environment for the whole time. Cool piece of Cuban history regardless!

[RobearH]

Op asked for help and not a way to throw in the towel so we offered it...simple.

[Bigblu10]

Originally Posted by RobearH

Op asked for help and not a way to throw in the towel so we offered it...simple.

If this is aimed at my post it is unnecessary. I am the type to give honest opinion and not "sugar coat" things and have a kumbaya moment. Sorry. Cigars that have been stored for years in a dry room temperature environment are gone. It is akin to trying to revive a person that has been dead and buried.

[Rolex addict]

Talk to Mark aka Droptopman. He is a cigar guru and can answer any questions you have.

[ckaynyc]

Cubans like lower RH in the 50s. Get some 62% packs and throw them in a zip lock. They may be too far gone but worth a few bucks to try.

[TheDude]

Originally Posted by 77T

Boveda suggests this when proper cigars are awaiting their humidor.

“What do you do with your cigars while your humidor is seasoning?

We recommend placing them in a tupperware container, cooler, or Humidor Bag with 69% Boveda while you wait for your humidor to season.”

In one way these cigars are as dry as wood. But what humidity was around the cabinet where they were hidden?

I realize that you have a different situation. Maybe start with the 84% pack as if you were seasoning a humidor. And if you want better transfer from the pack to the cigars, consider a few pinholes in either end of the cigar’s cello wrapper.

The risk of splitting the wrapper should be reduced if you only do this for 14 days.


https://bovedainc.com/store/tobacco/seasoning/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Don’t start with an 84.

Start with the lowest rh possible and work up from there. If you add too much rh too quickly the cigars will swell and crack the wrappers.

They may never be what they could have been since the prevailing wisdom is that once all the oils evaporate all the flavor is gone. It’s also possible that these cigars were quite mild in the first place and even properly stored would be like smoking air after nearly 50 years.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sperry]

They look good for chewing. That's an outdoor activity. Half an inch per hour. But I'd cut it, not bite it off like Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith.

[DoxaDavid]

Jamie is correct. My friend owns one of the largest cigar businesses in the USA and I asked him. He said there is no resurrecting them.

That being the case, what a nice memento of your FIL. As another posted, would save the box and sticks as a keepsake.

[Bigblu10]

Originally Posted by DoxaDavid

Jamie is correct. My friend owns one of the largest cigar businesses in the USA and I asked him. He said there is no resurrecting them.

That being the case, what a nice memento of your FIL. As another posted, would save the box and sticks as a keepsake.

Thank you for confirming my statement. I have been into cigars and related forums for decades. They will still make a nice conversation piece and keepsake.

[droptopman]

Tend to agree with Jaime. Hard to bring them back after years of no humidity. But I would do something cool with the box and frame it or something. What a great way to remember him and a super cool conversation piece.

[Brenngun]

Originally Posted by Bigblu10

If the cigars have been stored in a dry environment for years they are gone as the essential oils that give cigars their flavor have since long dried up. Don't waste time and money trying to revive them. Keep cigars and box as is as a keepsake and conversation piece. I speak from experience as a cigar enthusiast for the last 30 years. Others may give you different opinions, but fact is 40 year old cigars can be perfectly smokable but must be maintained in a properly humidified environment for the whole time. Cool piece of Cuban history regardless!

Unfortunately this is the correct response to your original question. Once the natural oils are gone you can't revive them to original of even somewhere near original condition. Enjoy the history for what it is.

[mountainjogger]

I want to thank each and every one of you for your responses. Every single one was appreciated. And I have learned a lot, and supplemented with followup reading.

I also want to apologize for three assumptions I made. One was incorrect. One may have been incorrect. And these may have led me to yet a third incorrect assumption.

First, I assumed that room they were stored in was as dry or subjected to a heater like my home. There is a long explanation for this, but the short form is, I was incorrect.

Second, I assumed that the tobacco flaked when I cut the ends off. This is the really embarrassing one. Short version, I used a pair of old dull cheap office scissors to cut off the end. It took several cuts. And I had to work the scissors back and forth. The pieces may have fallen off because I mangled it, not because (as I assumed) the tobacco was dry. All I know is I did not trim the end anywhere close to the recommended method. And watching me would have given those of you who are cigar gurus serious angst.

Based on the first two assumptions, I assumed that the cigars had dried out. And this may or may not be correct. After my OP, I read about how to tell if a cigar is dried out: Does it crinkle when rolled between your fingers? Does it burn quickly, unevenly or real hot? Does it give off a bitter or unpleasant odor? The answer to all these questions is no.

So, bottom line is that I really do not know if these cigars have significantly dried out over time. I do know that the wooden manufacturer's box was nailed tight as heck and was not opened for decades.

So, knowing that this may be for naught, I am going to use the tupperware and humidity packet process and see where it leads. For now, they are in a pack house we restored. It is where the previous owners stored their tobacco crop to "get it right" before taking it to market. It is not a dry building.

Once I have tried the tupperware process, I will ask a friend of mine who smokes cigars on a regular basis to give one a try. If they are not worthy of smoking, I have lost nothing, but learned a lot.

I will update this post when I have more.

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to respond.