Sticky cigars

[DPD6030]

I've noticed that some of my cigars are sticky. There are round brown spots that are sticky. Is it safe to assume this is the oils coming out of the cigars?

[oooo35980]

Round brown sticky spots? Wouldn't the oils come out sort of uniformly and make kind of a sheen on the cigar?

[Ogre]

I've noticed that some of my cigars are sticky. There are round brown spots that are sticky. Is it safe to assume this is the oils coming out of the cigars?

Where have you been putting your cigars?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

[DPD6030]

Where have you been putting your cigars?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I'll attempt to take a photo for closer analysis

[mase]

Where have you been putting your cigars?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

:r:r:r

[Remo]

Where have you been putting your cigars?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Monica Lewinsky Humidor? :lr

[DPD6030]

http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp65/DPD6030/100_0211.jpg

It's sticky like tree sap or honey

[Remo]

http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp65/DPD6030/100_0211.jpg

It's sticky like tree sap or honey

I would go with oils of some sort...but I am not expert

[DPD6030]

Round brown sticky spots? Wouldn't the oils come out sort of uniformly and make kind of a sheen on the cigar?

I have to ask about your avatar. Is it actually a lamp or a woman's legs? :r

[Remo]

I have to ask about your avatar. Is it actually a lamp or a woman's legs? :r

Was found to be a woman, although it was said to be a lamp :tu

[DPD6030]

I would go with oils of some sort...but I am not expert

Any more input on my photo? I don't trust Mike's opinion, I've always been told to get a second opinion especially when Mike is giving one :r

[DPD6030]

I also assume if it is oils that it's a good thing they are leaching from the cigars?

Bob, what's your opinion of this and my photo?

[Ogre]

I would say oil, but have never had a sticky one!!!

[Remo]

Any more input on my photo? I don't trust Mike's opinion, I've always been told to get a second opinion especially when Mike is giving one :r

Good idea :tu

[oooo35980]

I have to ask about your avatar. Is it actually a lamp or a woman's legs? :r

I had the answer to that question linked in my sig, but the image hosting ran out, I'll put it back someday.

[bobarian]

Never seen that in an aged cigar. :sh

[oooo35980]

Also last time I researched it the evidence that it is a woman is photoshopped, So is the evidence that it is a lamp, I don't think anyone will ever know for sure, but judging by the shape of the thong, and the weird bend in the legs, I'd say it's a lamp.

[DPD6030]

Never seen that in an aged cigar. :sh

Yeah, that's an 01 CoLa :sh

Oh and to clarify...this is on most of my cigars, not just the aged ones.

[oooo35980]

Could it be condensation forming on the cigar and turning into something sticky? Problem with your humidification device perhaps?

[Zeuceone]

Maybe sap from wood

[DPD6030]

Could it be condensation forming on the cigar and turning into something sticky? Problem with your humidification device perhaps?

Hygros have been recently tested and showing 62%.

Maybe sap from wood

I've checked the cedar G and nothing is sticky except the actual cigars. I'm so damn confused.

[Wharf Rat]

I've seen cedar give off sap suddenly, even after it was in my 'dor a long time. Does it have a smell?

[DPD6030]

I've seen cedar give off sap suddenly, even after it was in my 'dor a long time. Does it have a smell?

Smells like tobacco. No cedar smell that I noticed. I'm dumbfounded.

[Ogre]

Are they stored in their celo????

[Wharf Rat]

I'd be tempted to cut out a section of the wrapper. Could give you an idea if it's coming from within or without

[oooo35980]

Have there been any large temperature fluctuations maybe? It has to be either something in the environment being deposited on your cigars, or something in the cigars being drawn out. Is it also on the bands or just the wrapper? Do you have any in Cello that is also happening to? Either way if it is happening to multiple types of cigars then something screwy is going on in your humi environment. Just my :2

[bobarian]

Unless you have direct experience with pre-2003 Cohiba's it really is silly to speculate on possible causes. :sh

[oooo35980]

Yeah, that's an 01 CoLa :sh

Oh and to clarify...this is on most of my cigars, not just the aged ones.

It is never silly to apply basic troubleshooting and logic to a situation.

[never_enough]

The cigars are just crying because you aren't enjoying them fast enough.


Really I have nothing to add, but I hope someone here can help you figure it out.

[bobarian]

I dont think sap would manifest that way. It would show as direct transfer and that looks more like airborne. Even transpiration would not likely occur on many different cigars at the same time. I would wipe it off with an alcohol swab before smoking. :2

[TanithT]

I've noticed that some of my cigars are sticky. There are round brown spots that are sticky. Is it safe to assume this is the oils coming out of the cigars?

Only if you quit keeping your special magazines next to the humidor. :D

Have you checked the humidor for any kind of seepage or condensation?

[688sonarmen]

I cant explain but I have seen this on some boli pc's I traded for. But it was almost dry and not as wet looking as your pic.

[Don Fernando]

Maybe sap from wood

maybe it comes from the humidor wood?

[levrac68]

Is it on the whole stick or just on the exposed side? Try rotating to see if it forms again in different areas. I'm leaning towards environmental also as others have said.

[Reaver2145]

Put a bit of the sap on you're finger and taste it if it tastes ok smoke if not it prolly wont kill you but if it dose can i has you're stuffs.

PS. Remember a mouldy cigar is like a wheel of Stilton its just extra flavour.

Pps. That was a joke before someone takes it too seriously and gives me negative rating again.

[Subvet642]

Put a bit of the sap on you're finger and taste it if it tastes ok smoke if not it prolly wont kill you but if it dose can i has you're stuffs.

PS. Remember a mouldy cigar is like a wheel of Stilton its just extra flavour.

Pps. That was a joke before someone takes it too seriously and gives me negative rating again.

It won't be from me; I love Stilton! :D

[Ed M]

Monica Lewinsky Humidor? :lr

Damn, you beat me to it!

[shilala]

Andrew, sap from spanish cedar will not only drip, but it'll vaporize and then settle on anything and everything. It'll make hinges stick, lids seal shut, trays glue to glides, rollers stop rolling, and all kinds of crazy stuff.
The only way I could imagine this happening the way that it is if the cigars are colder than the air surrounding them, and the volatiles are condensing each time you open your humi.
If it were happening to me, I'd obviously have more info to go on, but I'd make sure all my smokes were in cabs or boxes, closed tightly.
I'd probably empty the humidor and let all the wood come up to room temp, or maybe put a low wattage lightbulb in there to warm the wood and draw the sap out to see if that's really the problem.
Being that you mentioned it's on a number of cigars and not just those, I'm guessing you store in open trays and not in cabs or dress boxes?

Cedar pitch is different than pine pitch. It's very sticky, but it tries real hard to dry out, whereas pine kind of stays real gooey and pliable and smeary. They're different colors, too. Cedar pitch is darker.

Mind ya, I'm just guessing. I don't have remotely enough info from you to help much, I'm just relaying my experience with the wood as I've used it, or actually as I've removed it and replaced it with stuff that doesn't weep.
I'm also guessing that the sticks are refrigerated and in open trays, it just looks that way to me.
I sure hope you get this ironed out!!!

[DPD6030]

Quite interestingly enough it's only on the visual facing "up" part of the cigars. Now it's not on every single cigar but I ruled out sap based on the principle of some of the cigars are stacked and in the middle of the stack this has happened yet not on the top or bottom. So it's not sap. So basically it's on the top, left side and right side full length of the cigars but not where the cigar touches the cedar trays. They still smoke just fine but are rather tacky haha.

[DPD6030]

Andrew, sap from spanish cedar will not only drip, but it'll vaporize and then settle on anything and everything. It'll make hinges stick, lids seal shut, trays glue to glides, rollers stop rolling, and all kinds of crazy stuff.
The only way I could imagine this happening the way that it is if the cigars are colder than the air surrounding them, and the volatiles are condensing each time you open your humi.
If it were happening to me, I'd obviously have more info to go on, but I'd make sure all my smokes were in cabs or boxes, closed tightly.
I'd probably empty the humidor and let all the wood come up to room temp, or maybe put a low wattage lightbulb in there to warm the wood and draw the sap out to see if that's really the problem.
Being that you mentioned it's on a number of cigars and not just those, I'm guessing you store in open trays and not in cabs or dress boxes?

Mainly yes. This is happening in my new humidor but also in my vinotemp, which by the way is not plugged in.

Cedar pitch is different than pine pitch. It's very sticky, but it tries real hard to dry out, whereas pine kind of stays real gooey and pliable and smeary. They're different colors, too. Cedar pitch is darker.

Mind ya, I'm just guessing. I don't have remotely enough info from you to help much, I'm just relaying my experience with the wood as I've used it, or actually as I've removed it and replaced it with stuff that doesn't weep.
I'm also guessing that the sticks are refrigerated and in open trays, it just looks that way to me.
I sure hope you get this ironed out!!!

The sticks aren't refridgerated at all. The temp in my basement this morning was 65* and the hygro inside gave me a reading of 64* so it was slightly cooler.

Thanks for the insight Scott. I'll try and "warm" up the inside and see if that works. I did let the humidor adjust to my basement for a week with it open and then it took me a few more weeks to get it to hold humidity at a constant.

[Skywalker]

bishes

[levrac68]

Well then cut a small piece of wax paper out and put it on top of one of your cigars. Check later to see where this liquid has formed, on top or on the bottom of the wax paper. Make sure it's flat so as there won't be any run off. I think that'll help you figure out what's going on. Keep us posted.

[DPD6030]

Well then cut a small piece of wax paper out and put it on top of one of your cigars. Check later to see where this liquid has formed, on top or on the bottom of the wax paper. Make sure it's flat so as there won't be any run off. I think that'll help you figure out what's going on. Keep us posted.

Great idea. :tu

[levrac68]

If that doesn't help you, transfer a few cigars to another humidor if you have it, or a tupperware container and use a different method of humidification than you are using in the original. Put one in a cellophane wrapper and back into the original box. Try a few different things and through the process of elimination this will be solved.

[DPD6030]

I use beads formly known as Shilala beads so I know that's not the issue. So far nothing on the paper in the humidor. I'm guessing it's crystalized "sticky" oils since there is nothing on the paper and the cedar has no sticky spots.

[DPD6030]

Still nothing on the paper.

[levrac68]

What about the other cigars? Did anything form there?