Quote:
Originally Posted by SilverFox
If you have smoked any Cuban cigars shipped after 2005 you have smoked sticks that have been frozen. Habanos SA started freezing cigars circa 2005 on a semi regular basis and now freezes all warehoused cigars.
As I have mentioned in prior posts I have given out 100s if not closer to 1,000 cigars and each and every one of them has been frozen. I have done trades of close to 300 cigars all which have been frozen. These sticks have gone out to over 100 different people and I have not as yet had a person note that the cigar tasted different from freezing.
I have been freezing my cigars for going on three years and have frozen cigars up to 15 years old and had no adverse effects on over 3,000 cigars of various ages, sizes, marca's and vitolas. I have not had one single cigar burst or swell, dehydrate or over humidify.
You are completely correct that I have not undertaken a full scientific analysis however that can be said about a myriad of things within this hobby
What RH is optimal for storage cigars 60% 65% 70% 75% ?? - I know people that store in all of these ranges.
Is storage RH also optimal smoking RH - dry boxers will say no others yes, perhaps others even maintain a smoking box at a different RH than there storage facilities.
What are the long term impacts of storing in a Vino or a Cooler vs a true spanish cedar humidor??? Will the plastic leech and create aging/flavor issues.
What about temperature fluctations?
Changes in baromtric pressure??
Should different marcas be stored and aged together?
What is the best approach for aging..........air tight or circulating air?
What speed is optimal for the best flavor profile for a cigar and is it different for different Vitola's or Marca's?
Is passive or active humidification better for your cigars?
Is distilled water absolutely required for humidification?
Will propylene glycol impart flavors to your cigars?
Is patching a cigar with arabic gum or other cigar glues safe for consumption?
How long is too long for a cigar to be in transit?
How long should a cigar rest?
What is the optimal aging period for a cigar?
I guess what I am trying to get at is there is a myriad of things that are subjective in this hobby and while I fully agree with you that the conditions and assessment of freezing cigars is not 100% emperical I would question your motivation for your posts, is there something of value you want to be addressed or clarified or is it merely being antogonistic.
I did not profess this to be an emperical scientific study but rather a tried and tested method of preventing cigar beetle infestation. If your concern over flavor change is greater than your concern over beetles then by all means don't freeze.
For my collection I freeze them all, and it gives me peace of mind........particularly having had sticks with beetles in them in three occasions, I have far too much money tied up in my sticks and no personal observations that freezing is bad to risk it.
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I guess some of the information you have just posted is more like it. On the other hand, I hate it when I see these kinds of threads without the counterpoint. No offense to you or anyone else that posts this kind of thread, but I think it is good to have some counterpoints to keep things objective.
I know someone will probably come behind me and say that I am just being a ####, but I think it is a valid proposition.