Oxidation of Cigars??

[lvfcrook1503]

Do we have any Science Gurus here?

When reading about "Display" style humidors you see a lot about how any amount of light can start oxidation. When I think oxidation, I think corrosion and rust. So what actually happens to the cigar? Does it just dry out and lose it's flavor faster? Does it get fragile and eventually crack/split?

Would really love to put my Liga/Tat collection in a display type humidor but not if it's going to ruin the cigar itself.

[CoachDread]

Great question!

[Sir Lancerolot]

I try to fully oxidize a couple of cigars a week ...

However, I don't let it happen in a display humidor. Or any other kind of humidor, for that matter. It happens in my yard.

I don't know the answer to your question. As you can see, I never let that get in the way of posting a reply ...

[Laynard]

I speculate it creates a chemical reaction of the oils, effecting flavor more than construction. Just a guess though.

[Nature]

I speculate it creates a chemical reaction of the oils, effecting flavor more than construction. Just a guess though.

I think this is mostly the case.

If subjected to more intense or UV light, it may have a small deterioration, decay, or discoloration of the wrapper which may may affect the structure. It would be limited to the outer wrapper where exposed though.
In reality, I think it would take quite a bit of time or intense light and I doubt many of us would be able to tell the difference in how it smokes. I don't think normal ambient room light would do much.

I think a bigger concern would be the additional heat generated by direct light and the evaporation or reduction of the oils.

[jhedrick83]

I think this is mostly the case.

If subjected to more intense or UV light, it may have a small deterioration, decay, or discoloration of the wrapper which may may affect the structure. It would be limited to the outer wrapper where exposed though.
In reality, I think it would take quite a bit of time or intense light and I doubt many of us would be able to tell the difference in how it smokes. I don't think normal ambient room light would do much.

I think a bigger concern would be the additional heat generated by direct light and the evaporation or reduction of the oils.

Yeah, I would think the regular swings in temp would be the biggest issue.

[Herf N Turf]

For the sake of more specifically answering your question, I'll assume everything else is perfect, in terms of storage and simply impose a glass prophylaxis and light. Different types as well as intensities of light cause the acceleration of oxidation. That's right, I said "acceleration", since you can never totally avoid it. It's just a natural process, just as free radicals in our bodies cause us to oxidize. I digress...

Anyway, as far as the visual ques, the wrapper will appear flatter in appearance, since the oils have oxidized and lost their luster. The wrapper will have also lost color and become lighter. Since the RH is still where it needs to be, you won't notice any loss of elasticity, nor have any burn issues, as these are products of moisture content. Depending on the extent, you'll definitely experience a dramatic loss in flavor. The natural flavors of the wrapper, which makes up the vast majority of the flavor profile, will have diminished. In extreme cases, it's like smoking a cigar with no flavor, rather like a very mild cigarette. Not nice.

It takes surprisingly less time than people think for this to happen. It also takes a lot less light than most people would think. Personally, I wouldn't store cigars under glass for any more than a few weeks and even that assumes no direct light.

[lvfcrook1503]

Awesome response thank you Don! I'll keep them in wooden boxes lol


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[Merovius]

For the sake of more specifically answering your question, I'll assume everything else is perfect, in terms of storage and simply impose a glass prophylaxis and light. Different types as well as intensities of light cause the acceleration of oxidation. That's right, I said "acceleration", since you can never totally avoid it. It's just a natural process, just as free radicals in our bodies cause us to oxidize. I digress...

Anyway, as far as the visual ques, the wrapper will appear flatter in appearance, since the oils have oxidized and lost their luster. The wrapper will have also lost color and become lighter. Since the RH is still where it needs to be, you won't notice any loss of elasticity, nor have any burn issues, as these are products of moisture content. Depending on the extent, you'll definitely experience a dramatic loss in flavor. The natural flavors of the wrapper, which makes up the vast majority of the flavor profile, will have diminished. In extreme cases, it's like smoking a cigar with no flavor, rather like a very mild cigarette. Not nice.

It takes surprisingly less time than people think for this to happen. It also takes a lot less light than most people would think. Personally, I wouldn't store cigars under glass for any more than a few weeks and even that assumes no direct light.

Don you have 2 wineadors...

[RenoH414]

Excellent question Jimmy!! I had wondered the same thing now I have an answer. Thanks brother!!

Reno

[droy1958]

I treat them like vampires. They stay in the dark until they need killin'...

[Merovius]

lvfcrook1503 Honestly its fine man, unless youre planning on long term aging those 6+yrs its nbd. Your cigars will smoke fine a year from now if theyve been stored in a glass top humi.

The real issue is seal which is more often than not, problematic with glass tops. But Im sure there are plenty of handy gents around here that have resolved that problem before.

[omahaorange]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't not so much "light" but the ultraviolet light that destroys cigars (along with art, paper, skin, etc). I would think ambient room light, especially if it's indirect, wouldn't be that harmful. Underneath a window, on the other hand, could be devastating.

[Herf N Turf]

Don you have 2 wineadors...And, your point?

[lvfcrook1503]

lvfcrook1503 Honestly its fine man, unless youre planning on long term aging those 6+yrs its nbd. Your cigars will smoke fine a year from now if theyve been stored in a glass top humi.

The real issue is seal which is more often than not, problematic with glass tops. But Im sure there are plenty of handy gents around here that have resolved that problem before.

Without starting a massive debate about "Whats the point of collecting" or "Cigars are for smoking not collecting"....Most of these are super rare Ligas/Tats that probably won't get smoked unless I know I'm on my way out lol. From a collection stand point, as much as I love the look of this thing it's probably not worth the risk....probably not big enough either lol

3610

[Herf N Turf]

Without starting a massive debate about "Whats the point of collecting" or "Cigars are for smoking not collecting"....Most of these are super rare Ligas/Tats that probably won't get smoked unless I know I'm on my way out lol. From a collection stand point, as much as I love the look of this thing it's probably not worth the risk....probably not big enough either lol

3610

Oh, for sure! Cigars are indeed for smoking, no matter how fine, or how rare. I don't think of myself as a "collector", but rather a guy who likes a variety of cigars and who prefers them aged. My "collection" is strictly a byproduct of the necessities imposed by my preferences.


Or at least that's how I explain it to the psychiatrists...

[lvfcrook1503]

Oh, for sure! Cigars are indeed for smoking, no matter how fine, or how rare. I don't think of myself as a "collector", but rather a guy who likes a variety of cigars and who prefers them aged. My "collection" is strictly a byproduct of the necessities imposed by my preferences.


Or at least that's how I explain it to the psychiatrists...

I'm liking this way of thinking.....I had originally said that I would build up a collection of super rares so that if my better half ever got tired of putting up with me she could only take half of what she knows about ;) lmao

[LGHT]

be careful aging cigars I had some I transferred over from a humi about 15 years ago and they have a good amount of oxidation now although they where kept in a cigar box inside a my current humidor. I can only guess that the previous humi didn't have "proper rh" which started the oxidation process and has now lead to cigars that are basically un-smokeable. I'll see if I can take a couple of snapshots which my cell phone so you can see the break down and decay of the wrappers. I think if they had been left in the cello they would have been fine as others from that same humi left in cello show breakdown and oxidation, but only in the cello and the cigar itself seems fine. Luckily there where not top shelf cigars which is why they hadn't been smoked in such a long time.

[Schatzman]

And, your point?

Don't they have glass doors?

[Herf N Turf]

Don't they have glass doors?Well, that's what I was assuming Merovius was getting at. Indeed it's got a glass door, but it's heavily smoked and a UV filtering element. The cigars are either inside boxes or in deep shelves, so they're not exposed to light. The light inside is disabled and it sits in the darkest room in the house, which is VERY dark. Most of the shelves also have cedar spills covering them. They're not for light, but rather environmental baffles, but they also likely help prevent any light penetration.

[Sir Lancerolot]

Don's wineadors are so dark he doesn't even know what he pulled out to smoke until after he lights it ...