What about Tubos?

AshMe

Hey guys. So the big cello on-or-off debate can be argued both ways since cellophane is supposedly porous, but glass tubos aren't, and some of them come with a supposed "air-tight" seal with wax or cork or both. So, what should one do regarding glass tubos in the short term and long term storage?

Rain

IMO, Tubo = sexy mold magnet.Sure they look awesome but...I've had bad experiences. Normally I'll place the gar in the humi and the tubo next to it, that way I still have it if I want it. I've head that people who keep tubos in the humi recommend taking the cap off.

Lee.mcglynn

Sometimes I do keep stuff in the tubes but I also run a low temp and lower rh! But yeah that cedar sleeve loves mold so if you do keep them in the tube keep a eye out for mold

SleevePlz

As I've said before, I've never had a problem with a tubo or coffin after I've received it. Specifically to your question, I've also wondered about the sealed glass tubes. It seems like there would be absolutely no air exchange in them. It must be fine otherwise they wouldn't do it. Maybe I'll smoke a glass tubed cigar soon and see how it performs.

Lee.mcglynn

SleevePlz:

As I've said before, I've never had a problem with a tubo or coffin after I've received it. Specifically to your question, I've also wondered about the sealed glass tubes. It seems like there would be absolutely no air exchange in them. It must be fine otherwise they wouldn't do it. Maybe I'll smoke a glass tubed cigar soon and see how it performs.

imo it's the cedar sleeve that causes mold...the glass doesn't have that so it should be good. Sometimes I'll just take out the cedar and not worry

AshMe

Its just hard to imagine that a manufacturer, like Gurkha the Royal Reserve, would go through all the trouble of making a glass tubo with an elaborate wax seal (think Maker's Mark), only to have the buyer break the seal and take the cigars out to store in the humi. Kind of a turn off for me. Pre-Smoke presentation is a big part of my smoking enjoyement. So, do they know something that we dont? Do they have secret mold and RH scientists developing special tubes? And for those that mentioned the cedar sleeve being a mold magnet, please note that that only applies to metal tubos. Glass tubos do not have the cedar sheet inside.

Rain

The average person does not even have a humi, so the glass tubo would sit on their office desk for six months before they smoked it.

AshMe

Rain:

The average person does not even have a humi, so the glass tubo would sit on their office desk for six months before they smoked it.

Possibly, but would your "average person without a humi" buy a $700 box of Royal Reserves? I dont think that cigar was aimed at an average joe. They must have imagined that the buyer would be some sort of connoisseur or hobbyist that would have a humi.

Rain

Since most aficionados would not pay $70 for a box of Gurkhas....yes? Where is the picture of that guy smoking with the cedar sleeve on...he would totally buy them. Or all the "I paid XXX for these ISOMs, are they real?" Price in no way is an indication of quality. I doubt most companies care what you do/don't have, as long as you buy their cigars.Anywho, to try and get myself back on topic...that's tough. Not being sure if they breath, I'd take them out. But you're right, part of the appeal is how they look IN the tubo.

wwhwang

Rain:

Where is the picture of that guy smoking with the cedar sleeve on...

Must have had a lot of woody flavor notes lol. I've had nothing but good luck with tubos to be honest. No issues at all. However, the majority of people agree that the rh tends to run very high in most tubos, so yeah, they can be mold magnets.

AshMe

Hmm...I guess I'll go get my wine opener.

Bob Luken

Rain:

Price in no way is an indication of quality.

Amen brother. I smoked a maduro yard gar last night that had seven months rest on it. Not the best cigar I've had but it may have been one of the best as far as value if you factor in what I will call the "satisfaction to price ratio". I was VERY happy with the satisfaction to price ratio.

AshMe

And what cigar was it? care to share the make and model? Also, how was the cigar stored during those 7 months? Cello, RH, Temp?

Bob Luken

AshMe:

And what cigar was it? care to share the make and model? Also, how was the cigar stored during those 7 months? Cello, RH, Temp?

PM to yo ash.

jgibv

Rain:

Since most aficionados would not pay $70 for a box of Gurkhas....yes? Where is the picture of that guy smoking with the cedar sleeve on...he would totally buy them.

randy, you make me lol.
"premeprimepremes"



now, to address the OP....

AshMe:

So, what should one do regarding glass tubos in the short term and long term storage?

never had a glass tubo. but if it's 100% sealed and never been opened i'd say up to you.


i have quite a few metal tubos .... my approach for removing/not removing is "how will these fit best in the humi"


davidoff 3x3 robustos? tubos removed before they went in because they fit better in my coolidor box without tubos.

cain lancero & punisher torpedo? tubos left on, but cap removed. these are on the shelf of my glass top, the tubo is nice to look at and space isn't a concern like the 3x3s mentioned above.
however, for the ones that i leave in the tubos, i *do* unscrew and remove the cap, just so they can "breathe" a little bit. it might not do much, but makes me feel better knowing they cigars are being exposed to the stable RH of the humidor.



and as far as cedar sleeves....i had a couple smokes that, when i removed the sleeve, i found some minor mold on the cigar, under the sleeve. but i just wiped it off and smoked them.

after i found those, i do try & remove the cedar sleeves but admit i don't do it 100% of the time. sometimes if i'm in a hurry i'll just quickly toss the smokes in the coolidor, with sleeves, without giving it a second thought.

Gray4lines

Jgib and I pretty much have the same method. I uncap metal tubos.

Glass I leave as is, sealed. Metal tubos are more of a problem since you cannot see the cigar inside. If mold becomes a problem, you would likely not notice in a metal tubo before it is too late. Glass doesnt share this problem. However, ive never had mold in either.

Sasquatch

Tubos are more of a presentation/marketing idea to transport/sell single cigars, not a long term storage solution. I normally remove the cigars from any tubo, and remove sleeve. They fit better in the humidor and after hearing numerous stories of mold in tubos & under sleeves....why chance it.

A manufacturer like Ghurka would sell you the prettiest/coolest/hippest box filled with loose leaves, if that was the marketing campaign.

The3Stogies

Bought a box of Limitada 10th's when they came out, still sealed in their test tubes for now. They do take up lot's of space too and if they are sealed why did I put them in my humi? But they are so pretty, like little wine bottles resting in the cradle/trays they come in. Anyway will probably open some up soon so they can breathe. Think they will age better naked.

AshMe

The3Stogies:

Bought a box of Limitada 10th's when they came out, still sealed in their test tubes for now. They do take up lot's of space too and if they are sealed why did I put them in my humi? But they are so pretty, like little wine bottles resting in the cradle/trays they come in. Anyway will probably open some up soon so they can breathe. Think they will age better naked.

Haha. How funny. Thats the very reason I started this thread. Because I had no idea (still having doubts) about how to handle these. And yes, too pretty to want to open to throw around naked...

The3Stogies

AshMe:

The3Stogies:

Bought a box of Limitada 10th's when they came out, still sealed in their test tubes for now. They do take up lot's of space too and if they are sealed why did I put them in my humi? But they are so pretty, like little wine bottles resting in the cradle/trays they come in. Anyway will probably open some up soon so they can breathe. Think they will age better naked.

Haha. How funny. Thats the very reason I started this thread. Because I had no idea (still having doubts) about how to handle these. And yes, too pretty to want to open to throw around naked...

I feel your pain. Time is wasting though so I think I will open half of them let them breathe and rest naked for a while. I'm dying to smoke one too. Wonder how they are right out of the tube? Decisions, decisions.

rsherman24

I just found my first sign of mold, so now I am anti-tubo. They were the Zino that I bought a couple weeks ago. When I got them, I pulled 1 out to check out the cigar and it looked fine. I took the caps off all 10 and put them in the cooler to rest.
Last night I grabbed one to smoke, and it had a couple of small mold spots. Wiped right off, but made me check the others. Probably 7 out of 10 had the same spots. Not sure if these came with mold and I just grabbed a clean one when I checked them, or if the mold came in the last 2 weeks in the cooler. I have other tubos in the cooler with the cap off which have been there for months and are fine. My cooler stays right around 65-67.

Regardless, I am now Anti-Tubo. All tubo's must go (except the glass ones).

AshMe

^^^could've been plume. They say that mold stains. If it wiped right off, then maybe it was just plume. But anyway, I dont like metal tubos with the screw cap and cedar sheet anyway. Regarding my glass tubes, I went ahead and took them out of the tubes and set them back in the box. I figured what the heck. Can't hurt if I take them off, but it CAN hurt if I leave them on.

Bob Luken

AshMe:

^^^could've been plume. They say that mold stains. If it wiped right off, then maybe it was just plume. But anyway, I dont like metal tubos with the screw cap and cedar sheet anyway. Regarding my glass tubes, I went ahead and took them out of the tubes and set them back in the box. I figured what the heck. Can't hurt if I take them off, but it CAN hurt if I leave them on.

You can wipe off plume? I thought it was the other way around. You can wipe off mold sometimes but plume is imbedded in the wrapper. Right? I'll try to bump the old plume vs mold thread.

AshMe

^^^ I'm still rather new so I haven't had mold or plume, so I'm not speaking from first had experience. But from what I have read, plume can be wiped off with your finger, but mold streaks and doesn't lift off. Lets see what some of our more "seasoned" BOTLs think.

rsherman24

Straight Mold Homey.
I should have grabbed some pics, but it was just a couple little fuzzy spots. Wiped em off and lit it up. I assume the mold would stain depending on how long it was there. Fantastic smoke by the way. Took everything I have in a metal tube out, but I still have a sealed box of Cain F Lanceros in tubos. Have to pull them out now as well.

ejgorman

For what it's worth, I tend to leave the glass tubos alone. I usually take the caps off my aluminum tubos. This thread made me go and check them all and all is good in the 70* 65% cooler. DISCLAIMER: I've only been at this since February so all my sticks are relatively new.

Bigshizza

Metal tubos= potential mold problems. I've noticed this especially if they come from a B&M that believes in rainforest conditions.
Glass tubos= low risk of mold but higher risk of being dried out.
Cedar Sleeves= High risk of mold developing, I take them off.
Coffins= They come out and I've run across mold and others have in passes etc.

AshMe

Thanks big worm. Nothing like hearing advice from a pro.