The Best Methods for Storing Cigars

A cigar aficionado may love to smoke his or her favorite cigar, but one cannot be a true cigar fanatic without having a place to properly store them. Humidors can range in price and size, but are worth the investment if you enjoy a quality cigar.

The reason that cigars are stored in a humidor is to keep them in humid temperatures that prevent them from drying out. A good cigar left out for over an hour can quickly become too arid and ruin its fine quality. A humidor is more than a nice wooden box—it has a temperature gauge that will maintain the perfect level of humidity for the cigars. A humidor should be set to have an interior temperature of between 68 and 70 degrees.

What many people may not realize is that a humidor is not air-tight. It is important to maintain a bit of air flow between the cigars, so avoid packing the humidor too tightly. This could cause them the cigars to grow mold.

As with any other items stored together, the flavors and scents of various cigars may meld together. Therefore, many of the most devoted of cigar fans often own more than one humidor. For best results, store like cigars near each other so that there is less “cross-contamination” of the scents.

When you first purchase the humidor, don’t immediately store cigars inside, as they could dry out before it is well-seasoned. To season, wipe down the inside of the humidor with a clean, damp sponge. Do not use tap water in the humidor. Be sure to only use filtered water, as the minerals in tap water can damage the humidor. Then, dampen the sponge some more and place it on the inside of the humidor (on a plastic bag, so that it doesn’t touch the wood). Then, close the lid and follow the instructions to turn on the humidor. Allow the sponge to sit overnight. If it is dried out in the morning, then you may need to allow the humidor to sit for another night before it reaches peak humidity.

All you need to do to maintain your humidor is to periodically add more water (again, use distilled water only.) Store in a dark area, where the sunlight cannot affect its temperature.

Are you ready to embark on owning your first humidor? Here at Julio’s Liquors, we have a selection of humidors as well as a wide variety of cigars. Visit our Smoke Shop to learn more about what we offer. Our experts are here to help you find the perfect humidor for your needs and the right cigar for your tastes.

Have you ever smoked a cigar that had been stored in a humidor? What did you notice that was different about it?