Need advice on drying cigars

[rwtarget]

A friend sent me some cigars, not in cello or individual plastic sleeves. Six cigars in a baggie with a humidification device. The device was over saturated with distilled water and the cigars are wet, not damp but actually wet. What is the best way to get these back to a normal humidity.

[tobby4]

I dont know if you can... they might already be too destroyed...

[CWS]

My only suggestion is to dry box them. Put them in a cedar cab or other box without humidification. If you have an extra hygrometer to put in there all the better. Keep in a cool place and allow the cedar to pull the moisture out of the cigars slowly. This may work. Watch closely as more than likely mold will bloom.

[Jwrussell]

If you have an empty wood cigar box, throw them in there. The wood should help to pull out some of the RH. What do you use for humidification? If beads, and you have some that are dry, put them in as well.

Either that or Just set them out somewhere for a day or two. You'll know if you have a chance. If the cigars are swollen or cracked because of swelling you are probably screwed depending on the damage. If not...you have a chance.

[rwtarget]

I do have beads, I'll probably need to dry some. The humidity here is really low and the humidors are sucking up moisture. I sprayed the beads this morning. Thanks for the advice.

[avid toker]

All is not lost. They are salvageable but it will take work.
I wouldn't recomment dry boxing them or setting them out for a few days. The wrappers are wet and drying them rapidly will cause shock to the cigar and the wrappers will wrinkle although minor wrinkling may be unavoidable.
Your best bet is to slowly lower them in RH. You will want to try and place them in a high RH environment for a week then put them in slightly lower RH environment (maybe 5% RH lower) till they stabilize at that RH and then repeat the process until you gradually bring them down to 65% or 70% RH. The whole process could take months if done properly.

[Jwrussell]

Shane speaks truth, disregard my advice. Mine was the quick and dirty way just to get them smokeable.

[CWS]

All is not lost. They are salvageable but it will take work.
I wouldn't recomment dry boxing them or setting them out for a few days. The wrappers are wet and drying them rapidly will cause shock to the cigar and the wrappers will wrinkle although minor wrinkling may be unavoidable.
Your best bet is to slowly lower them in RH. You will want to try and place them in a high RH environment for a week then put them in slightly lower RH environment (maybe 5% RH lower) till they stabilize at that RH and then repeat the process until you gradually bring them down to 65% or 70% RH. The whole process could take months if done properly.

He's right. You have to keep the temp down though or they will mold.

[tobby4]

the one time that I tried it one molded and by the time the other one dried out it had split in like 4 places and was coming unraveled a bunch...

they were in separate places when the mold hit so they both did not mold....

[Headbanger]

No matter what you do, keep them quarantined from the good sticks. Even when fully dried to say normal RH levels, best to keep them together in a sealed ziplock baggie to prevent potential mold from spreading.

[ToranoFan]

Good luck bro, i still agree the dry box idea is good if you wanna smoke them soon. If you try the slow method which is good i suggest 60% RH or lower in a separate humidor or tupperware for this, doing it at 65% will probably take a long time to slowly dry out, by then you may already have mold.

[caudio51]

Definitely go with Avid's advice