How to Store Your Cigars

Storing your cigars correctly is important for any cigar smoker. The best way to store a cigar is in a humidor, which properly maintains the wrapper’s oils and humidity allowing your cigars to keep, as well as develop and mature, for many years. Cigars can generally stay fresh for around three days without proper storage, but any longer than that you will start to notice a negative difference to the taste and burn of your cigar.  The secret to keeping your cigar as good as new until you smoke it is to keep it properly stored in a similar climate to where the tobacco was grown, preventing it from drying out. You need that perfect balance of moisture where it is not too dry or too damp. When cigars are too dry, they shrivel up and lose their appealing flavour and aroma. They’ll also burn too hot, making it hard to smoke properly. On the other hand, extremely high humidity will lead to mould, rot and even an infestation of tobacco beetles. We have put together this blog to give you some insight into humidors and why they are so essential for preserving your cigars. Keep reading for all you need to know about storing your cigars.

What Conditions Do Cigars Need?

Cigars need to be maintained at 65 - 70% relative humidity at around 16 - 20 degrees celsius (60 - 70 Fahrenheit). This will allow the cigars to age and develop as well as burn and taste wonderfully. If you are someone who likes to work with precision, the exact conditions you may like to store your cigars is really down to personal preference. It also shouldn’t affect the cigars too dramatically as long as you are within the specified ranges. The temperature is much less important, as long as the cigars do not get too warm so that mould develops, or fluctuate too much so that the relative humidity also fluctuates causing inconsistent moisture throughout the cigars. If this is the case, a period of “dry boxing” may be necessary to balance out the overall humidity in the cigar.

Some tips on which humidity level is right for you

Many cigar aficionados tend to store Cuban cigars at a slightly lower humidity, closer to the low 60s than 70. This, however, is more for long term ageing. What this can do is slow down the rate of ageing and allow the flavour to better mature. Again this is entirely down to personal preference so if your goal is long term ageing and development, you’ll want to start by experimenting. Humidity is the level of moisture in the air and as a result, in the cigar. If you are someone who prefers a slightly hotter, faster burn with an easier draw, it may be that you might prefer a lower humidity level. If you are someone who likes their cigar to burn slowly so they can sip at it for a longer period of time and like when the cigar is more spongy, then perhaps a slightly higher humidity is the one for you.  Part of the journey of cigar enjoyment is all of the subtle nuances which can be experimented with to suit your personal preferences. But, with all things, our palate is never the same 100% of the time. Find what works for you, but also when it works best.

How to Humidify Your Cigars

There are several different options to help achieve the perfect humidity. The easiest and most recommended method which is also extremely cost-effective are Boveda pouches. They are extremely simple to use, you just select the size appropriate for your humidor and number of cigars, as well as your desired RH% (generally select 2% higher than the humidity level you are aiming for), then just toss them in your humidor, wherever they’ll go. It doesn’t even matter if they are touching your cigars. Boveda pouches will not over humidify your cigars so if it seems a bit low, just throw another in there. Once the pouches have dried up, they’ll need replacing.  There are other methods such as sponge, foam, electric, crystal, beads and jars. These all work in much the same way. They are a method of storing water in your humidor which is slowly released. These tend to be a bit more fiddly and require more attention.

What is a Humidor?

A humidor is a storage container that is designed specifically to maintain very particular humidity levels for cigars. This is very important for a cigar as tobacco leaves naturally expand and contract based on the humidity in the air, so you want to make sure that they are kept at the perfect humidity to keep them fresh and undamaged.  Whether it’s a box, a cabinet or even a tupperware (or “tupperdor”), it will need a good seal to maintain the humidity which can be monitored using a hygrometer. In general, both small and large humidors work in similar ways to maintain the ideal relative humidity and temperature to keep your cigars moist.

Types of Humidor

A humidor can be as small as a box to use as a travel humidor or as large as a walk-in humidor favoured by cigar shops. No matter how big or small, they are all created for one purpose: to keep cigars in the perfect conditions to prevent them from spoiling. You can get travel size humidors if you are planning on storing a few cigars at a time, all the way up to a walk-in humidor for cigar shops or aficionados who like to keep a high stock. 

Selecting Your Humidor 

Always go bigger than you think. Ask every aficionado what they say and they’ll all echo, get a bigger humidor than you think you need! You can always use more space, and it saves buying a second humidor at a later date or upgrading sooner than expected. The cost for a larger humidor is often only slightly more than the one you are looking at, so go for it, you won’t regret it. It also leaves more space for sectioning off different ages, strengths, sizes, quality etc. of cigars. Make sure the seal is good otherwise you will be forever frustrated by your humidity levels. Generally, Spanish Cedar is seen to be the best and most appropriate wood for the internals of the humidor - it’s used by all those in the industry and also used for cigar boxes and to line tubes. The aroma of Spanish Cedar compliments but doesn’t taint the cigars, it also does not expand or warp when the humidity levels change. Top tip: If your humidor has handles, ensure they are well secured before even thinking of lifting up your humidor by them when full of cigars! (Speaking from personal experience!) Think about whether you are going to be storing more single cigars or more boxes as this will affect the style of humidor you will want. Are you going to be ageing or just storing and smoking? Other than that, it’s just whichever humidor you find the most practical or attractive.

What is a Hygrometer and How Do I Measure Humidity?

A hygrometer is a device used to measure the relative humidity in your humidor. They come in two main different styles, a digital hygrometer or an analogue hygrometer. The most common is the analogue hygrometer which looks like a small dial. They are generally cheaply made and unreliable however and even the best can slowly lose accuracy. Although some can be calibrated, or adjusted, to correct them when they are reading wrong - usually with a small screw in the back. Digital hygrometers are generally preferred by most serious cigar collectors, the readings are usually far more accurate and easier to read, and will often also display the temperature. There is usually easy to use buttons to calibrate if there are any slight discrepancies in their readings.

How to Know If Your Hygrometer is Accurate?

The easiest way is referred to as, “The Salt Test”. It’s a quick and easy method of testing whether your hygrometer is showing you the correct humidity level. Here’s how to calibrate your hygrometer to make sure your cigars are stored in the optimum conditions. Equipment:

• Plastic Bottle Cap
• Sealed Container (ziplock bag or tupperware)
• Ordinary Table Salt

Method:

1. Add 1 teaspoon of salt into the bottle cap.
2. Drip a few drops of water, preferably distilled or deionised, onto the salt until it is like wet sand. You’re not trying to dissolve the salt.
3. Carefully place the cap into the sealed container with your hygrometer, making sure not to get any moisture onto the hygrometer, and seal it. 
4. Leave for 4 - 6 hours or overnight.
5. When you check the gauge, it should be reading exactly 75% RH, if it is not, adjust your hygrometer accordingly.

How to Store Cigars in a Humidor

1. Only use distilled or deionised water in humidifiers. Tap water attracts mould and can also cause mineral build-up due to not being distilled.
2. Check the cigars and the moisture levels weekly. You should inspect all cigars for any mould to avoid spreading if any of them spoil.
3. If possible, store the same brand inside one humidor. Mixing brands can affect the flavour because the oils blend and meld inside the humidor. This is much less important though unless the cigars are flavoured or overly aromatic.
4. Remove any cellophane wrappers before storing your cigars. Again, this is less important as the cellophane is semipermeable. It can help with even humidity though but the wrappers will also help protect your cigars from any accidents. 
5. Stagger the rows of cigars to ensure there is airflow between each cigar.
6. Open the humidor once a week for a couple of hours at a time to allow fresh air to get into the box. If you leave the box tightly sealed for long periods, the cigars can become musty smelling.
7. You should rotate the position of your cigars inside the humidor every six months. This is to ensure that the humidity is distributed evenly.
8. Inspect the cigars every so often for signs of mould, cracking, or chipping. Squeeze the bottom end of the cigar to ensure it is still springy.
9. Try and keep the Relative Humidity and Temperature as constant as possible.