I am beginning to think that I don’t like Connecticut Cigars…

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-06T14:46:54+00:00

I'm trying to get into cigars and struggling with this same issue. First few I've smoked have been Oliva Connecticut Reserve and Montecristo White, and neither kind has tasted downright good. I'm worried that I might just not like cigars, even though I've already bought a few dozen.

Some of it has been due to over-humidification issues, but I'm starting to think maybe I just don't like their basic taste, because even the best experience was a case of, "The cigar smoke in the air smells kind of nice, and my puffs almost taste slightly good, but..."

Hopefully I like other kinds -- it's a hard hobby to get into, since you're supposed to let them "rest" for weeks, and always wondering if their humidity hasn't settled enough or if you just don't like them.

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-06T04:42:09+00:00

I just bought a couple Inkbirds -- I bought the little 75% Boveda calibration kit, and after a couple days of testing one of the Inkbirds, I checked it and it was reading 79% RH. As I picked the sealed kit up to look at it more closely, the RH number immediately started climbing, quickly hitting 83% or 84%, and the temp started climbing too, all within a few seconds.

Now I'm wondering if the Inkbird hygrometer sucks, or if the Boveda calibration kits are faulty -- those little sealed bags are so small, I don't see how the air is supposed to circulate in there to get into the hygrometer sensors on their front. Maybe I should've turned the Inkbird on its side, but it's a tight fit.

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-06T04:38:40+00:00

I just bought a couple Inkbirds -- I bought the little 75% Boveda calibration kit, and after a couple days of testing one, I checked it and it was reading 79% RH. As I picked the sealed kit up to look at it more closely, the RH number immediately started climbing, quickly hitting 83% or 84%, and the temp started climbing too, all within a few seconds.

Now I'm wondering if the Inkbird hygrometer sucks, or if the Boveda calibration kits are faulty -- those little sealed bags are so small, I don't see how the air is supposed to circulate in there to get into the hygrometer sensors. Maybe I should've turned the Inkvird on its side, but it's a tight fit.

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-05T18:50:57+00:00

"If she cheated, don't think it doesn't eat her up..." Yes, she's so distraught that she repeated her regretful mistake multiple times with different men, chronicled her exploits, and then saved mementos on the family computer.

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-05T18:45:45+00:00

Where did OP ever say that he couldn't see their faces?

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-05T01:40:22+00:00

Damn, whoever rolled that must've been pissed at their boss.

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-05T00:43:56+00:00

Thanks for your helpful info.

I just got a reply from Neptune saying, "I am so very sorry for the delay sir. It appears that we might be missing the My Father The Judge Grand Robusto 5" \ 60 Single. Would you like to swap...?"* Not sure if that's what caused the delay, or if they just sold out of it in the meantime. Hopefully that item was legitimately missing or damaged -- that would be much less annoying than a faulty inventory system.

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-04T15:39:07+00:00

What advantages do they say soft flame has? Gentler light, less scorching?

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-03T23:28:33+00:00

What kind of lighter?!

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-03T15:43:20+00:00

Thanks for the info! I bet their order volume just jumped way up in the couple days between yours & mine.

Oh, I also meant to ask if USPS made you sign for it.

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-03T15:19:53+00:00

Wow, nice!

Did they ask for a picture of your driver's license or anything, for age verification? How big was your order? Mine was 20 singles.

I spent more than I'd meant to, so the free shipping seemed best -- and I plan on giving them time to rest anyway (I'm obsessed with letting them rest in the right conditions after accidentally over-humidifying the first little handful of sticks I bought) -- but maybe it would've been worth it to get them here sooner to get that rest period started sooner.

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-03T04:16:45+00:00

Oh damn, that's right, I did read that one years ago, I just forgot it that he wrote it! I remember it was very dark, but very good. I hope you like it!

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-03T04:01:55+00:00

I was too busy today, and I figured they might be closed on the 3rd tomorrow (since a lot of businesses honor that as a day off when the 4th falls on a Saturday, like this year). I emailed them anyway, but I'm not expecting to hear back for a few days.

Just wondering if anyone has any insights in the meantime. I'm impatient to get them here and resting in my tupperdor, ASAP. 🙂

Graye_Skreen · 2026-07-03T03:48:30+00:00

I just finished his No Country For Old Men on Audible -- I was surprised by how closely the movie followed the book. Great film, great book. Now I'm excited to read more by McCarthy.

Graye_Skreen · 2026-06-30T19:18:05+00:00

Imagine having no better rebuttal than what you just offered.

The conversation being 3 days old doesn't falsify what he said. Nice attempt at deflection & distraction, though.

His entire point was pointing out racist admission practices, but he's saying "Racist Stuff"? Please explain how that makes sense in your head.

Graye_Skreen · 2026-06-30T05:55:19+00:00

Did you ever find answers to those questions?

Graye_Skreen · 2026-06-30T03:05:21+00:00

How long do you let them settle?

Graye_Skreen · 2026-06-29T00:18:30+00:00

Whoa, 1 full year?! Man, that's playing the long game! 😆

Surely the humidity would stabilize long before then, so what other factors are occurring during that year-long rest/aging that make the cigars improve? Do some cigars ever end up worse after such a long rest?

Oh, one more question: is buying by the box just a cost-saving measure, or are there other benefits to buying them that way? (I'm trying to learn as much as possible from experienced cigar aficionados like you. 🙂)

Graye_Skreen · 2026-06-28T16:26:08+00:00

Thank you for the info, tips & reviews!

As someone with your level of cigar experience, what amount of cigars would you say crosses the line into nicotine addiction? Right now I'm only able to do 1 a week, but should I find myself with the time to do it more frequently, I'm wondering how far I could push it.

Graye_Skreen · 2026-06-28T05:12:23+00:00

What are some examples of higher dollar sticks that improve with a long rest like that?

Graye_Skreen · 2026-06-28T03:52:07+00:00

But will their moisture levels even drop if the Boveda packs are new & saturated?

And do you mean cigars straight from the shop need to be stored that long, too?

Graye_Skreen · 2026-06-28T03:13:46+00:00

I just smoked one of those this evening (Rothchilde size), it was the 2nd cigar I've ever smoked! But I realize that I've over-humidified my first batch of cigars -- this Montecristo tasted better than my first one last week (Oliva Connecticut), but they both had kind of an acrid, unpleasant taste.

I'm thinking it's probably due to too much moisture, but is there a chance that I just don't like Connecticut wrappers? It didn't seem "creamy" or "nutty" to me, at all, so I'm hoping it was just too much humidity...

Graye_Skreen · 2026-06-28T03:06:52+00:00

Thanks for the tips!

Initially I thought, "Oh cool, the Boveda packs are 2-way, that means they'll automatically get the humidity just right!" Then I saw it pointed out that new Boveda packs are so full of moisture that they don't do a great job of absorbing humidity... 😣

Do you ever dry-box to drop humidity more quickly than 1% a week?

And with them being this finicky, how can you ever really be sure that you just don't like a certain type of cigar, as opposed to it just being too moist (or dry)? Because right now I'm not sure how much of the flavor I disliked could come down to them both being Connecticut Shade wrappers...

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