Heads up guys. I opened a box yesterday to find this. I was not a happy camper. This was my last Viaje Honey & Hand Grenade Shank. Also found 1 hole in my only Tatuaje 10 Year Anniversary(never even got to try one of these) that was in the box with it.



I reverse rolled both cigars to see if I could find anything, but found nothing. Needless to say all cigars are going into the freezer. I have never frozen any of my cigars and never had this issue, but after this little scare EVERYTHING is going to freeze. I can not risk losing my cigars to a stinking bug...and I'm sure most of you feel the same way.

With the summer months upon us higher temps are bound and these critter love the higher temp. So take care of your stash.

Now I have the daunting task of freezing my entire collection. Boy will that be fun. My cigar hobby just got taken to a whole new level because of these bugs.



Here are the steps that I have put together from reading many other threads about how to do this. I did not come up with all these ideas on my own, others have paved the way. I am just consolidating.

1. Put cigars in a freezer bag, or put complete box into freezer bag.

2. Remove as much air from the bag as you can. I seal the bag almost all the way. Stick a straw in and suck as much air out as possible.

3. Put this bag o gars into another freezer bag and remove air.

4. Put cigars into a Tupperware. This step isn't needed, but I do it to protect my cigars.

5. Put bag into fridge for 1 day. You are bringing the cigars closer to freezing instead of just freezing them. Could lead to a cracked cigar..or so I have read. Some just put them right into the freezer and skip the fridge.

6. Put cigars into freezer. I leave here for 5 days, to make sure all stages of this critter are dead.

7. Put back into fridge for 1 day. You are now bringing the temperature back closer to normal for the cigar.

8. Take out of fridge and leave on counter for a few hours. They should now be at a suitable temperature and can be removed from bags and placed back into humidor.

9. Let rest in humidor for at least 2 weeks to get back to the proper humidity level that you have your humidor set at.

10. You cigars SHOULD now be safe.



If anyone has anything to add, please do.

I have never seen this, is this a common occurrence?

Like Echo said, it's not super common but it happens and if/when it does happen it can ruin your cigars/investment.

These are not mine, but this is a box of Padron's that was destroyed by cigar beetles. I would die if I opened a box of my cigars and saw this.

holy shit how freaking terrible.

Lost a box of Sancho Panza's last year production of Sancho Sanchos, , still feeling bad.

I wind up dry icing both my humidors, twice, to get rid of the offenders.