Maybe leaving the cellos on some cigars is better
I've always been a proponent of removing the cello wrappers from your cigars before placing them in your humidor. In fact, whether or not to leave the cellos on cigars is the most frequently asked question I get.
Being a traditionalist, I usually recommend removing the cellos, but I often add that it doesn't hurt to leave cellos on a few cigars for the following reasons:
1. To compare the flavor of the cigars with and without cello during home aging.
2. In case you want to take the cigar on the road and don't have a cigar travel case.
3. To keep cigars with more delicate wrappers from tearing while fishing for a cigar.
Today, I begrudgingly focus on reason #3. I recently came into two boxes of double perfectos (my favorite shape) from a very highly-respected manufacturer. One box I opened, the other is still sealed and stored away. As usual, I began removing the little zeppelins from their cello wrappers to place them in the humidor. As I began moving them about, I found that the wrappers on some of them were tearing at the foot.
Since I tend to be finicky about how and where I place my cigars in my humidor, I blame no one but myself. Plus, when removing my cigars from the cello, I often push them out by squeezing from the head-end of the cello wrapper. I believe this technique also caused some of the cigars to tear as they slipped out of the cello. Ouch! There goes another $5. Fortunately, some of the tears are small enough to be salvageable.
Another cello removal technique, which is probably safer, is to pull up the little cello fold at the head end, rip it, and very carefully peel it down. Usually, the cello will begin to open up like a pea pod, and the cigar can easily be plucked out.
Suffice it to say, in the case of my precious double perfectos, I think I'm going to leave the cellos on the next box, or at least just open the ends. I'm certainly going to be more patient from now on when removing them. Lesson learned.
Your thoughts?
Being a traditionalist, I usually recommend removing the cellos, but I often add that it doesn't hurt to leave cellos on a few cigars for the following reasons:
1. To compare the flavor of the cigars with and without cello during home aging.
2. In case you want to take the cigar on the road and don't have a cigar travel case.
3. To keep cigars with more delicate wrappers from tearing while fishing for a cigar.
Today, I begrudgingly focus on reason #3. I recently came into two boxes of double perfectos (my favorite shape) from a very highly-respected manufacturer. One box I opened, the other is still sealed and stored away. As usual, I began removing the little zeppelins from their cello wrappers to place them in the humidor. As I began moving them about, I found that the wrappers on some of them were tearing at the foot.
Since I tend to be finicky about how and where I place my cigars in my humidor, I blame no one but myself. Plus, when removing my cigars from the cello, I often push them out by squeezing from the head-end of the cello wrapper. I believe this technique also caused some of the cigars to tear as they slipped out of the cello. Ouch! There goes another $5. Fortunately, some of the tears are small enough to be salvageable.
Another cello removal technique, which is probably safer, is to pull up the little cello fold at the head end, rip it, and very carefully peel it down. Usually, the cello will begin to open up like a pea pod, and the cigar can easily be plucked out.
Suffice it to say, in the case of my precious double perfectos, I think I'm going to leave the cellos on the next box, or at least just open the ends. I'm certainly going to be more patient from now on when removing them. Lesson learned.
Your thoughts?
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