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Cigars/Trash a cigar with holes from beetles?

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Expert: - 8/16/2008


Question
James, I've noticed you've advised people to throw away cigars with any signs of beetles.  I've smoked a Cuban that had a couple small beetle holes in it with no problem.  Is is unhealthy to do so?  It wasn't an ideal smoke, but still tasted ok although drew a touch loose.

Answer
Hi Greg,

Yes, it can be unhealthy to smoke a cigar that has beetle holes in it.  Tobacco beetles will leave behind a fine powder of chewed up tobacco and fecal waste so if you were to smoke a cigar with beetle holes, you could inhale or ingest this substance into your mouth and it can become an respiratory irritant or even make you sick.  The majority of cigar smokers that find beetle-eaten cigars tend to throw the cigars away.  Cigars with no holes can be saved.  Even cigars with serious mold outbreaks should be thrown away while cigars with minor mold appearances can still be saved.

Technically, it is possible to smoke a cigar with tobacco beetle holes the same way it's technically possible to smoke a cigar that's still covered with mold.  Many smokers however, prefer not to smoke these cigars and find it unappealing to smoke a cigar that's been spoiled by bugs or an untreated fungus.

Smokers that have smoked a cigar with beetle holes have also found that they are not ideal cigars because the additional holes can cause an irregular burn.  While it is possible to smoke a beetle-eaten or moldy cigar, I'm sure they're not very enjoyable.

Regards,
James

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James Yee

Expertise

My main area of expertise is Cuban cigars but I can also assist you with cigar etiquette, humidor maintenance and troubleshooting. Unsure of a certain cigar brand? Wondering what a certain cigar tastes like? Have any questions about Cuban cigars? Just let me know! I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. (NOTE: My main focus is on premium, hand-rolled cigars and not cheap, machine made, convenience store cigars.) IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE CIGAR OR CIGAR-RELATED APPRAISALS. If you have a vintage cigar item and you want to know if it's worth something, please contact an antique dealer that specializes in "TOBACCIANA".

Experience

I currently have 19 dedicated years of cigar smoking and counting. I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. For 5 years, I studied with Cuban torcedores (rollers), catadores (taste testers) and revisadores (inspectors) on every aspect involving the production of the Cuban cigar and I am currently writing a book that will help beginners understand everything they need to know about cigars and cigar smoking.

Publications
Maple Leaf Gardens: Memories & Dreams 1931-1999 (1999; ISBN: 0920445616)
50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do (2006; ISBN: 0452286654)
The [London] Times (October 8, 2009)


Education/Credentials
B.A. University of Toronto

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