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Why storage matters
A cigar is made of leaf that keeps exchanging moisture with the air around it. Too dry, and the wrapper cracks, the cigar burns fast and hot, and its aroma fades. Too wet, and it draws poorly, burns unevenly and can grow mold. Kept right, a premium cigar stays in good condition for years, and many improve.
Humidity and temperature
Humidity. 65–70% relative humidity suits most cigars. Many smokers keep theirs a little lower, around 62–69%, because cigars burn more evenly. Steady matters more than exact: avoid big swings.
Temperature. Aim for 65–70°F (18–21°C). Keep cigars out of direct sunlight and away from radiators, vents and windows. Long spells above about 75°F (24°C), especially when humid, risk a tobacco beetle hatch.
Ways to store cigars
- In the box or cellophane, briefly. Cellophane slows moisture loss but does not stop it. Without humidity, plan on a few days at most, less in dry air.
- A sealed bag with a humidity pack. Fine for a few cigars over a few weeks.
- An airtight container with a humidity pack. An inexpensive, reliable option for a small collection, sometimes called a tupperdor.
- A desktop humidor. A wooden box lined with Spanish cedar, holding from a couple of dozen to a hundred or more cigars. A tight-fitting lid is what matters most.
- A cabinet or electronic humidor. For larger collections. Some control temperature as well as humidity, useful in hot climates.
- A cooler. A clean picnic cooler with humidity packs, often called a coolerdor, holds a lot of cigars well and cheaply.
Spanish cedar, Cedrela odorata, is not a true cedar. It holds and releases moisture, adds its own aroma, and is traditionally believed to discourage tobacco beetles.
Humidification
- Two-way humidity packs release or absorb moisture to hold a set level, commonly sold at 62%, 65%, 69% or 72%. Replace them when they turn stiff.
- Foam, bead or crystal humidifiers are refilled with distilled water or a propylene glycol solution, which helps hold humidity near 70%.
- Always use distilled water. Tap water leaves minerals and can encourage mold.
- Never wet the cigars themselves.
Setting up a new humidor
New cedar is dry and will pull moisture out of your cigars, so season a humidor before you fill it.
- Place a small dish of distilled water, or a clean damp sponge on a dish, inside the humidor, not touching the wood. Charge the humidifier too.
- Close the lid and leave it for several days, up to a couple of weeks, checking the hygrometer.
- When the reading holds steady around 70% for a day or two, remove the dish and add your cigars.
Avoid soaking or heavily wiping the wood: too much water can warp it.
Checking your hygrometer
Hygrometers can be off by several points, so check yours before you trust it. The salt test is the usual way:
- Mix a capful of table salt with a few drops of water into a damp paste, not a solution.
- Seal it in a bag or small container with the hygrometer, and leave it somewhere with a steady temperature for 8 to 12 hours.
- The air above damp salt sits at 75% relative humidity. Whatever your hygrometer reads, the difference from 75 is its error; adjust it, or remember the offset.
Dry cigars, mold and beetles
Dried-out cigars. Bring them back slowly, over days to weeks. Rehydrating too fast makes the leaf swell unevenly and the wrapper crack. Start them at a lower humidity, or leave them in their cellophane at first.
Mold or plume? Plume, or bloom, is said to be a fine, even dusting of white crystals that brushes off. Mold is fuzzy, in patches, often blue, green or white, and often on the foot or cap. True plume is rare, so when in doubt, treat it as mold: remove the affected cigars, wipe and dry the humidor, and bring the humidity down.
Tobacco beetles. Tiny pinholes in the wrapper, tunnels and fine dust are the signs. Beetle eggs can be present in leaf and hatch in warm, humid conditions. Many retailers recommend freezing affected cigars: seal them in an airtight bag, rest them in the refrigerator for a day, the freezer for about three days, then the refrigerator for a day before they return to room temperature and the humidor. Clean the humidor before they go back in.
Aging
Many premium cigars keep changing for years in a well-kept humidor, their flavors merging and rounding out. Not every cigar improves, and there is no fixed timetable; tasting the same cigar every few months is the best way to learn.
Cigars that have just been shipped benefit from a rest of a week or two in your humidor before smoking. Whether to leave the cellophane on is a matter of taste: it protects wrappers and slows aging, while bare cigars age a little faster and share aromas. Keep flavored or infused cigars in a separate container so their aroma does not spread.
Questions
What humidity should a humidor be?
About 65–70% relative humidity. Many smokers prefer 62–69% for an even burn.
How long do cigars last outside a humidor?
In cellophane, a few days in most homes; less in dry or air-conditioned air. A sealed bag with a humidity pack extends that to weeks.
Can you store cigars in the refrigerator?
Not for keeping. A refrigerator is too dry and full of food odors. It is used only briefly, as a step before and after freezing cigars to deal with beetles.
Do you need a humidor for a few cigars?
No. An airtight bag or container with a two-way humidity pack keeps a few cigars in good condition.