I built a wineodor earlier this year and I used cedar planks from Home Depot to make my shelves. Someone told me that anything other than Spanish cedar would ruin the taste of the cigars. I was wondering if this is true.

Thanks

Do you find the wood to be very aromatic? If so don't put your cigars in it. Do a searich on the site for cedar, as this topic has been discussed numerous times.

Quotemchammer - 12/16/2014  10:13 AM  I built a wineodor earlier this year and I used cedar planks from Home Depot to make my shelves. Someone told me that anything other than Spanish cedar would ruin the taste of the cigars. I was wondering if this is true.  Thanks

As I do not think Home Depot carries Spanish Cedar, what you bought must have been real cedar, red or other, and cedar IS NOT something you want to use in your humidor. Spanish cedar (actually not Cedar but Mahogany) doesn't have a very strong aroma but real cedar does and your cigars will taste like wood, not in a good way.

Cedar is nice for a closet or chest but not for cigars. 

Don't put your cigars in with real cedar or they are gonna taste just like smoking a cedar chest.

This subject came up over the weekend. My friends and I were smoking and trading cigars and one of them said the cigar I gave him had a funny taste, so I smoked the other one I brought with me and it did. It wasn't a cedar taste but not a fresh cigar taste either. The cigars have been in the wineador for 2 months now and I'm kind of worried they are ruined. I've since taken out the cedar shelves and wondering if the cigars with go back to normal.

Quotemchammer - 12/16/2014  9:18 AM

This subject came up over the weekend. My friends and I were smoking and trading cigars and one of them said the cigar I gave him had a funny taste, so I smoked the other one I brought with me and it did. It wasn't a cedar taste but not a fresh cigar taste either. The cigars have been in the wineador for 2 months now and I'm kind of worried they are ruined. I've since taken out the cedar shelves and wondering if the cigars with go back to normal.

They are going to need a lot of airing out.  They had two month exposure to the cedar fumes, it may take over two months for them to give up that flavor.

How many cigars are you talking about?  

You may be able to accelerate the de-cedaring by using a fan in a large container, such as a Coleman chest with some zeolite (downwind of the cigars).  Make sure that the humidity is maintained as the zeolite is hygroscopic.  Boveda packs and a dish of water will help, but open periodically to check.  

After the worst of the odor is removed, then you can add Spanish Cedar to the Coleman to start re-seasoning the cigars.

Also, you will need to de-cello all of the compromised cigars, as the cello will inhibit their airing out.

I cannot guarantee that this will work, but it has the best chance.

I have over one hundred cigars in my wineador. only 20 or 30 have been in there since the beginning. I always unwrap my cigars when they come in and I have a fan in the wineador with heartfelt beads. There is no more smell of cedar and the cigars are stored in the original box they came in. The cigar that had the weird taste was one of the original boxes when I finished the wineador. Thanks for the advise I'll let you know if it works.

Quotemchammer - 12/16/2014  10:11 AM

I have over one hundred cigars in my wineador. only 20 or 30 have been in there since the beginning. I always unwrap my cigars when they come in and I have a fan in the wineador with heartfelt beads. There is no more smell of cedar and the cigars are stored in the original box they came in. The cigar that had the weird taste was one of the original boxes when I finished the wineador. Thanks for the advise I'll let you know if it works.

You may need to replace the Heartfelts.  Silica gel (beads) will pick up odors.  You might be able to purge them with temperature and successive rinsing with distilled water.  However, the water purging will mainly eliminate water soluble contaminants (most of the oils soluble ones may stick around) and may wash away their surface treatment.

All I can add is, Bummer!

You need to remove the cedar and replace with Spanish cedar.

Well, Greg, you screwed the pooch this time but live and learn! Nothing is totally lost. Maybe the cigars will recover...and maybe not. However, the advice given to this point is sound. Get rid of the red cedar and replace it with Spanish Cedar...which is actually a variety of mahogany...after airing out the wineador for a while. As you're waiting for this to happen check out some of the articles on the forum concerning cigar storage.

Sorry you had to learn this lesson the hard way but there is still plenty of time to enjoy the hobby!  

QuoteKen Kelley - 12/16/2014  5:50 PM  Well, Greg, you screwed the pooch this time but live and learn! Nothing is totally lost. Maybe the cigars will recover...and maybe not. However, the advice given to this point is sound. Get rid of the red cedar and replace it with Spanish Cedar...which is actually a variety of mahogany...after airing out the wineador for a while. As you're waiting for this to happen check out some of the articles on the forum concerning cigar storage.  Sorry you had to learn this lesson the hard way but there is still plenty of time to enjoy the hobby!  

I thought I was reading Zeno of Citium for a second, you are quite the philosopher Ken. You wouldn't be going soft and kind on us now would you?

 

QuoteMojo66 - 12/16/2014  5:56 AM

QuoteKen Kelley - 12/16/2014  5:50 PM  Well, Greg, you screwed the pooch this time but live and learn! Nothing is totally lost. Maybe the cigars will recover...and maybe not. However, the advice given to this point is sound. Get rid of the red cedar and replace it with Spanish Cedar...which is actually a variety of mahogany...after airing out the wineador for a while. As you're waiting for this to happen check out some of the articles on the forum concerning cigar storage.  Sorry you had to learn this lesson the hard way but there is still plenty of time to enjoy the hobby!  

I thought I was reading Zeno of Citium for a second, you are quite the philosopher Ken. You wouldn't be going soft and kind on us now would you?

 

Heh! Zeno should have died in that shipwreck...  Is that more like my usual?  

Yep, there's Alphairon...

Ouch. I hope you don't end up having to trash all your sticks. You got some good advice, hopefully it will work out for you. As Jackal said, I would consider replacing the beads.

I am also guessing the airing out time is going to be loooooooooooong.
Perhaps you could try using some baking soda to pull out the odors
Anyone els know if this may help.

I was wondering about the beads. I have since pulled out the shelves and the cedar smell is gone. I don't know if I have enough old cigar boxes that were not in the wineador to replace the ones that were in there. Some of the new cigars are not effected by the odor I'm wondering if they are ok to smoke. Is there any ill effects of smoking cigars that have been exposed to cedar other than the taste?

Quote05Venturer - 12/16/2014  10:08 PM

I am also guessing the airing out time is going to be loooooooooooong.
Perhaps you could try using some baking soda to pull out the odors
Anyone els know if this may help.

I would go with Zeolite rather than Baking soda.  Baking soda is a bit weak for removing odors.

QuoteJackal - 12/19/2014  11:21 AM  

Quote05Venturer - 12/16/2014  10:08 PM  I am also guessing the airing out time is going to be loooooooooooong. Perhaps you could try using some baking soda to pull out the odors  Anyone els know if this may help.  

I would go with Zeolite rather than Baking soda.  Baking soda is a bit weak for removing odors.

 

Jason, I know they use Zeolite for detox and other stuff but I never knew it could be used for removing odors. Would you know in what form and where one could get that product? I'd have some use for it.

 

And what about Ozone, I've tried a cheap ozonator and for a small space, it does remove odors pretty well.

QuoteMojo66 - 12/19/2014  9:53 AM

QuoteJackal - 12/19/2014  11:21 AM  

Quote05Venturer - 12/16/2014  10:08 PM  I am also guessing the airing out time is going to be loooooooooooong. Perhaps you could try using some baking soda to pull out the odors  Anyone els know if this may help.  

I would go with Zeolite rather than Baking soda.  Baking soda is a bit weak for removing odors.

 

Jason, I know they use Zeolite for detox and other stuff but I never knew it could be used for removing odors. Would you know in what form and where one could get that product? I'd have some use for it.

 

And what about Ozone, I've tried a cheap ozonator and for a small space, it does remove odors pretty well.

It should work to remove odors.  It is often used in air lines to remove airborne impurities.  

I know that people use it for aquariums.  You could probably find it at a pet supply store.  

Granulated would be best (fine powder would get everywhere and Sieve would be more expensive).

I have a reef tank so I am aware of zeolite. Some people use it to purify the water and remove Ammonia, they sell it in rock or stone form. I transferred all my cigars to my old coolador and consolidated all my sticks to new cigar boxes that were not exposed to the cedar shelves. I also ordered three cigar trays and one pound of heartfelt beads from Amazon, should be here on Monday. After going through all my cigars it seems like 40 - 50 of them were in the wineador for the full two months only the box of flor de les Antillas and the San Cristobal Revelations have the funny taste. I will be trying all the other ones over the next two weeks and see if they were effected by the cedar. This might be my most expensive mistake in years.

Live and learn brother!

Quotemchammer - 12/19/2014  7:51 AM

I was wondering about the beads. I have since pulled out the shelves and the cedar smell is gone. I don't know if I have enough old cigar boxes that were not in the wineador to replace the ones that were in there. Some of the new cigars are not effected by the odor I'm wondering if they are ok to smoke. Is there any ill effects of smoking cigars that have been exposed to cedar other than the taste?

Cigars will pick things up at different rates. If they were in a box or only in with the red cedar for a few weeks or so I think you might have a chance with those. I would try airing out the beads or to be safe just toss em and go with new. You have to remember the beads do release moisture but with a good seal that particular project they can also absorb moisture and the smells with it and more times than not a couple of good cigars cost way more than what the new beads will costl!!

Quotemchammer - 12/18/2014  9:51 PM

 Is there any ill effects of smoking cigars that have been exposed to cedar other than the taste?

Yup! Anybody that smokes cigars exposed to cedar is gonna die! But...anybody that doesn't smoke cigars exposed to cedar is gonna die too....so what do you have to lose?  

There is a cigar maker here in KY...and I have forgotten his name...that swears by red cedar boxes for his cigars. I've never had the nerve to try one because I'm sure it wouldn't be a flavor I liked. So I'm sure the cigars could safely be smoked if you have a taste for that kind of thing.