If you’re a long-term aficionado, then you’ll no doubt know just how important it is to properly care for your cigars. They need to be kept fresh and in pristine condition, so you can enjoy them to their full potential when you next light your cigars.
Let’s take a look at some basic cigar care and how you can keep your cigars fresh at home so you can keep your cigars in the best condition for longer.
BASIC CIGAR CARE
First, it’s important to understand the structure of your cigars. You’ll find there are a variety of cigar shapes and cigar sizes, each with its own unique flavor. However, no matter the brand or type, all cigars are primarily made from the same two components – water and tobacco.
Because of what cigars are made of, they need a perfectly balanced level of humidity. If it’s too low, then the tobacco will begin to dry out. If the humidity is too high, you run the risk of your cigars going moldy. As a general rule of thumb, aim for a humidity level of 65-72RH.
The way you handle your cigars is also important for maintaining their structure. Cigar wrappers are made from tobacco leaves and are typically thin and fragile. Be gentle as you hold and store your cigars in wrappers to avoid wear and tear, which can affect how the cigar burns.
HOW TO STORE CIGARS: SHORT TERM
You might see yourself as only a social smoker, pulling out cigars for special occasions only. If this is the case, and you don’t typically keep a large number of cigars on hand, you can get away with short-term storage.
Instead of investing in a large humidor, you might not use very often, you can find more basic ways to store your cigars.
Ok, the boujie cigar smokers among you may want to look away for this one. But if you’re just buying the odd single cigar to take to a party, there’s nothing wrong with sealing it in a plastic bag. Sandwich bags with a zip lock work well as they seal in the flavor. Just make sure you slot your wrapped cigar into a secure pocket where it can’t be damaged. For extra protection, a sealed Tupperware box could work well for short-term storage.
While basic options can work for those on a budget, we would typically suggest using a cigar case for short-term storage. They’re particularly handy for smokers on the go who want to take a small amount of well-chosen cigars for an outing.
Cigar cases come in all shapes, sizes, and fabrics, so you have plenty of options for finding the right one for your cigars. Try a cylindrical leather case for those one-off smokes or something a little larger so you have a few cigars to see you through the night. You can find travel cigar cases that carry up to six cigars, but most will allow you to carry three cigars at a time.
HOW TO STORE CIGARS: LONG TERM
If you’re already a regular cigar smoker or are beginning to broaden your collection of cigars, you need to know how to keep cigars fresh long term. You’re less likely to get through your cigars quickly if you have a vast selection, so storage is key to caring for your cigars.
For a smaller selection, you are likely to get through within a month or two, you might prefer to keep them in a standard wooden box. However, for optimum storage, we’d recommend investing in a humidor for cigars.
CIGAR HUMIDOR
Humidors for cigars are how to keep cigars fresh for longer. They come in various styles and sizes, so it’s all about finding the right humidor for you.
You might be looking at how to store cigars at home and need to splash out on a large humidor to hold your many cigars, or you might prefer something smaller that will sit nicely on your desk. Options like this Old World humidor or renaissance style option would be perfect for a sophisticated home office, while this simple yet sleek walnut option could work anywhere in your home.
HUMIDOR STORAGE AND CIGAR ROTATION
You should never pack your cigar humidor full to the brim, as compacting them too firmly could affect the structure. Some smokers will also argue that you shouldn’t keep different cigars in the same humidor, as this could blend the different flavors. If you can’t keep several different humidors for cigars, we recommend using cedar dividers within one humidor to keep different flavors separate.
It’s also important to regularly rotate your cigars in their humidor. This is because some corners of your storage for cigars might not get the same humidity as others. Gently shuffle your cigars around in the humidor every two to three months to ensure an even distribution of humidity for each stogie.