How To Store Cigars

Redhead Blogger | October 21, 2014 | Cigars

Cigars are by nature ‘hydroscopic’. That means whenever they’re exposed to dry climates or moist climates, they will either dry out or absorb moisture. This process of drying out or absorbing moisture will not cease until their own moisture content matches up with the ambient climate that surrounds them.

When cigars are damp they won’t burn properly. They are difficult to light and keep lit, and also hard to draw on. Their smoke can become too dense and leave a smoker with a rank odor and sour taste. Many times cigars that are too moist will split their wrappers.

Dry cigars tend to burn too hot. Without a proper moisture level the cigar’s combustion level will be too high, causing the smoke to be hot against your palate. This type of smoke can feel overly aggressive and the many subtle flavor nuances expected from a properly humidified cigar will have been lost. The dryer a cigar is, the quicker it will experience the evaporation of its essential oils. That lowers the aroma as well as the overall flavor.

Usually, to get the most enjoyable cigar smoking experience, cigars should hold around 12% to 14% of their total weight in moisture. That translates to around 60% to 70% of relative humidity. The RH (relative humidity) measurement is the amount of moisture found in the atmosphere compared against that of total saturation, no matter what the temperature may be.

The main goal of proper cigar storage is to create a stable RH, which would fall within an ideal range of between 60% and 70%. The second most crucial requirement is to have them stored at temperatures under 75% Fahrenheit. Thirdly, this storage place should be somewhere dark. When these three very simple things are achieved, your cigars will age well, burn steadily, draw easily, and release their optimum flavor and many nuances to your palate.

A humidor, to put it simply, is a box that has been specifically designed for storing cigars. A large portion of the best types of these boxes have dividers and life-out trays. These are great features that enable you to better organize your cigars, as well as give you easier access to the ones you want to smoke at any particular time.

You can find humidors in a broad range of shapes, colors, and sizes. Their designs can range from simple to classic to wildly exotic. They can also be very expensive. Good humidors need to function well and be pleasing to the eye.

Tips for Purchasing Humidors:

It is a rare thing to find a high-quality humidor that is inexpensive. Prepare yourself to spend $250 plus for a humidor that holds 150 or more. For those who are not so humidor savvy or choosy, then a ‘Tupperdor’ or an ‘Igloodor’ is a lot less expensive, and far less trouble than attempting to stabilize a cheaper humidor.

Does this mean you cannot find any good humidors under $250? No it doesn’t mean that. There are actually some humidors for less than $250 that are very good. However, when purchasing one you will need to be extra critical and not over-expect on their stabilizing abilities. The climate where you live will play a role in how well your cigars do in the particular humidor you choose. If your local climate is close to the ideal cigar RH, it will not be so much of a problem. However, if you live in a climate that drops under 45% RH, then you would need to be a bit concerned.

When you have a good humidor, it not only protects your cigars, it also becomes a cherished heirloom. If being economical with your cigar storage is what interests you most, then you could always opt for maintaining them in a simple plastic container. However, most cigar smokers will agree, that a fine cigar deserves a fine humidor.

If you are looking for the ideal humidor you came to the right place. The ideal humidor would be inexpensive, keep your cigars in the dark and also the right moisture level. Red Head Barrels has great looking cigar infusing oak barrels that are used as humidors when combined with our humidity beads. The humidity beads will release moisture as needed to maintain your 70% Rh level. Just drop it in the cigar infusing barrel along with your cigars and you are good to go. Not only that but if you want to permeate and infuse your favorite liquor taste in to your favorite cigar now you can. Just soak the humidity beads with your favorite, rum, tequila, bourbon, scotch, brandy, cognac or whatever flavor you like. The flavor will infuse in to your cigar and will give you a taste the next time you smoke them.