How to Properly Store a Cigar

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How to Properly Store a Cigar

Filed under: Cigars

By: Jeff Hudson

You have just finished smoking a fine maduro cigar. It had a perfectly blended sweet but strong flavor. The cigar came out of a box that you purchased earlier today. After you put your cigar out, you realize that you have one minor problem. The remaining cigars in the box are obviously not going to be smoked soon, so you decide that you should store the box of cigars for use in the future. Unfortunately, it occurs to you that you do not know the proper way to store your cigars to preserve their flavor and quality. However, properly storing a cigar is not as complicated as it may seem. When storing a cigar, there are four main topics to consider: temperature, humidity, air supply, and the effects of storing different cigars together.
Temperature selection plays an important part in preserving the integrity of your cigars. Ideally, all cigars should be stored at a temperature between sixty-four and seventy degrees fahrenheit, or eighteen to twenty-one degrees celsius. This temperature range is considered optimal because it has the least impact on the cigar. If a cigar is stored at a temperature above the ideal range, the cigar can be subjected to gradual rotting, or even worse, worm infestation. If the cigar is stored at a temperature below sixty-four degrees fahrenheit (eighteen degrees celsius), the normal aging process of a cigar can be impaired. The aging of a cigar is a desired process which improves the taste of a cigar, similar to that of wine.
Humidity also plays a role in the impact of storage on your cigars. Optimally, a cigar should be stored at a relative humidity level of sixty-eight to seventy-four percent. In this humidity range, typical cigars are normally able to evolve at an optimal rate. If the cigar is stored in a climate that is drier than sixty-eight percent, it will most likely result in the cigar drying out. When this happens, the cigar not only becomes fragile when handled, but will also burn much faster when smoked. The dryness also has an impact on the flavor of the cigar, causing it to take on an aggressive, bitter taste. On the other hand, if the cigars are exposed to humidity above seventy-four percent, they will burn unevenly when lit. Also, damp cigars have a strong tendency to take on a flavor which is not only heavy, but also acidic. Another unpleasant side effect is that cigars which are exposed to excessive amounts of humidity are very likely to begin to rot and mold.
When storing your cigars, it is very important to control the amount of air that is exposed to your cigars. For the optimal aging of your cigars, they should be stored in an environment that is completely airtight. This can be achieved by storing your cigars in a humidor, plastic bag, or a box that is tightly sealed. However, there is one important aspect to note about air exposure and cigar storage. Although the cigars should be kept in an airtight environment for the majority of their storage, it is important to expose them to a fresh air supply at least once every two weeks. This prevents the cigar from becoming stale in flavor or overly dry in texture.
Although it may not be initially apparent, storing a variety of cigars in a space together can have a large impact on the flavors of those cigars. Known by cigar aficionados as cigar "marriage," storing more than one blend of cigar together can change the flavor of both types of cigars. It is well known that cigars absorb aromas from the environment that they are stored in, and other cigars are no exception to this rule. To avoid this mixing of flavors, it is important to store each type of cigar in its own space, such as an individual bag or box. However, for advanced cigar enthusiasts, a "marriage" of cigars may be intentional. By storing different flavors of cigars together, an aficionado can continually experiment with different combinations to create original, personalized cigar flavors.
When considering these four factors, there is one storage option that has the ability to provide the optimal result for each of the four storage criteria. This option is the humidor. The quality of a humidor is determined by what type of wood is used for its interior lining. Humidors lined with Spanish cedar are considered to be top of the line. Spanish cedar lined humidors are so popular because Spanish cedar offers a high humidity absorption, which means means that there is no risk of a mold growth becoming a problem. Spanish cedar also protects against an infestation of worms, and supports the cigar's aging process while having a positive effect on the flavoring of the cigar. Humidors can also be lined with American red cedar or Honduran mahogany.
American red cedar is normally used by manufacturers because it is much less expensive to use as an interior lining when compared with Spanish cedar. American red cedar is far more inferior to Spanish cedar in its ability to absorb humidity. This lining can also cause cigars to adopt a very woody flavor. Honduran mahogany is the other commonly used interior liner. Honduran mahogany is comparable to Spanish cedar in its ability to absorb humidity. At the same time, Honduran mahogany has a less intense odor than Spanish cedar. Unfortunately, Honduran mahogany does not protect the cigar from the possibility of worm infestation. The flavor that a cigar takes on when stored in Honduran mahogany is less rich than that of a cigar which is stored in Spanish cedar.
Although wood is the most important decision to make when choosing a humidor, there are other factors to take into account. It is important to pick a humidor which has an airtight seal. When choosing the design or size of the box, this is all a matter of personal taste. Try to take into account how many cigars you plan on storing at a time. When in doubt, it is better to buy a larger humidor than a smaller humidor, so you won't run the risk of not having space to store all your cigars.

Jeff Hudson is a cigar enthusiast and entreprenuer. As the owner of BuyDominicanCigars.com he has personally overseen the demise of a plethora of fine cigars.