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Bolivar troubleshooting thread

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I have a box of Bolivar Royal Coronas that roles so tightly they’re are actually stressing me out. I’m using a prefect draw tool, and that loosens them up a bit. But invariably the air flow is so off that they require nonstop on the go maintenance and are just more trouble than they’re worth. I’m holding them in a wineador at 69f / 67-69%rh. One issue might be that they are super fresh. June, 2019. I’m hoping that if I can let them sit a year they will behave.

Any solutions from the brotherhood would be appreciated!




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Altercall

I beat you all May '08 :)
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I have a box of Bolivar Royal Coronas that roles so tightly they’re are actually stressing me out. I’m using a prefect draw tool, and that loosens them up a bit. But invariably the air flow is so off that they require nonstop on the go maintenance and are just more trouble than they’re worth. I’m holding them in a wineador at 69f / 67-69%rh. One issue might be that they are super fresh. June, 2019. I’m hoping that if I can let them sit a year they will behave.

Any solutions from the brotherhood would be appreciated!




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I know you’re not going to like this answer, but you’re just going to have to let them sit. I’ve got multiple boxes from the 99-01 period that was notorious for being rolled by stressed out Cuban virgins. It was so bad retailers couldn’t sell boxes from 99-01 for a while. But after a while, a looooong while, they aged and opened up. Old Cubans usually have bands that fall off the cigar because they shrink with age. It’s one way you can tell real age from fake. The 99-01 don’t do that much because the leaf pulled back from the overfill.

The plus side, well aged Bolivars are AMAZING!!! Sit them at the back of your humidor and forget about them for at least 5 years. If they’re still plugged, give em another 5. If you can do that, you’ll thank me when they open up. 3 of my absolute favorite boxes are from 99-01.


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I know you’re not going to like this answer, but you’re just going to have to let them sit. I’ve got multiple boxes from the 99-01 period that was notorious for being rolled by stressed out Cuban virgins. It was so bad retailers couldn’t sell boxes from 99-01 for a while. But after a while, a looooong while, they aged and opened up. Old Cubans usually have bands that fall off the cigar because they shrink with age. It’s one way you can tell real age from fake. The 99-01 don’t do that much because the leaf pulled back from the overfill.

The plus side, well aged Bolivars are AMAZING!!! Sit them at the back of your humidor and forget about them for at least 5 years. If they’re still plugged, give em another 5. If you can do that, you’ll thank me when they open up. 3 of my absolute favorite boxes are from 99-01.


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I know you’re not going to like this answer, but you’re just going to have to let them sit. I’ve got multiple boxes from the 99-01 period that was notorious for being rolled by stressed out Cuban virgins. It was so bad retailers couldn’t sell boxes from 99-01 for a while. But after a while, a looooong while, they aged and opened up. Old Cubans usually have bands that fall off the cigar because they shrink with age. It’s one way you can tell real age from fake. The 99-01 don’t do that much because the leaf pulled back from the overfill.

The plus side, well aged Bolivars are AMAZING!!! Sit them at the back of your humidor and forget about them for at least 5 years. If they’re still plugged, give em another 5. If you can do that, you’ll thank me when they open up. 3 of my absolute favorite boxes are from 99-01.


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So just wait at least 5 years. You’re right I don’t like that answer. I had a feeling though. Thanks.


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I’m a little late to this party, but @ledelmam, sounds like your humidity might be too high for CCs. I even had problems with some vitolas at 65% and have since dropped my wineador down to 58% with great results.
 
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Update and a correction:

1. The box is from 2018, not 2019. Not sure why I said that I’m the beginning.

2. I got a perfect draw tool and that helped. But in even the little time that has elapsed between now and then, they’ve loosened up. I smoked one the other night, with the help of the Perfect Draw, and it was good. Burned well. Draw was good. Flavors were good. I’m a happy camper.

I will need multiple boxes if I want to seriously age them though.

Thanks everyone for the advice.


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If it's a really bad plug or roll, long term storage in lo 60s can help but only get you so far. Sadly it's not uncommon for cubans to have terrible draws because construction standards are terrible.
I would keep them 62/63% for 3 months at least which should dry them out. Try one and if it's still a little tight an hour dry boxing should help along with the perfect draw.

You wouldn't be the first though to chuck a $20 dog rocket cuban because of crappy construction so don't get too worked up over it.
 
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