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FAQ: How do I Store Cigars?
To start, you need a humidifying device. This is a simple device that will regulate the humidity in your humidor. The cigars must be kept at 70-72% humidity level to prevent them from drying out. The humidor should have a Spanish cedar lining, to enhance the aroma and promote the aging of the cigar. If you are on a budget, there are cigar jars, made of glass, that will do an adequate job. If you are really in a pinch you can use Tupperware, or a similar style food storage container. All of these storage devices must have a humidification element that releases moisture into the storage chamber.
Next, you will need Charging Solution. This is a 50/50 mixture of distilled water and propylene glycol (PG). The interaction of the water molecules with the PG the is what regulates the relative humidity (RH) within your humidor. After the initall charge, you will just need to add distilled water on an as-needed basis.
And finally, you may wish to buy a hygrometer. This will help you monitor the RH within your humidor and give you a heads up as to when to add more distilled water. These are available as either a a small battery-operated digital meter or a simple analog device.
Why do premium cigars need to be kept in a humidor? A premium cigar, by definition, is handmade and in most cases, constructed with long-filler tobacco. It is 100% pure tobacco leaves throughout its construction. Unlike cigarettes or machine made cigars, they have no chemicals that are added that will keep them from drying out. Therefore, they must be stored at the correct humidity level to preserve its moisture content, or they will dry out and crumble.
What happens to a cigar that was left out of the humidor? The answer depends on the environment that the cigar was exposed to and what protection the cigar had. Cigars often come with an individual plastic sleeve that surrounds them. This plastic protects the cigar from drying out for short periods of time. For example, on the ride home from a cigar store. A cigar with this sleeve that has been out of the humidor for a few hours, or even a day, will be not be drastically affected by the change in humidity. However, without this sleeve, the cigar, under low humidity conditions, can be ruined in as little as 45 minutes. These guidelines are only approximations, and it is strongly recommended that you protect a cigar by keeping it in a plastic bag until you can get it to the humidor. Do not tempt the fates.
What causes mold? What do I do if I see it? Mold will grow if the humidor is too moist. You must always be conscious of how much water you are adding to the humidification device. Mold will not grow quickly, so there are 2 signs that you can look for that will indicate that you are heading in a bad direction. The first indicator is damp, soggy cigars. These will be hard to smoke, and may even hiss or burst as you smoke them. The second sign is a foul, musty odor that greets you when you open the humidor. If you notice either of these symptoms you should cut back on the amount of water you are adding to the element, regardless of what your hygrometer (if you have one) says. It is probably not calibrated and is giving a false reading. If you spot mold on a cigar remove it immediately from the humidor, as it will spread to others.
What do I do when my cigars dry out? Is there anyway to save them? The best thing to do is to put them back in the humidor, set with the proper 70% / 70 degree humidity and temperature, and let them rest as long as necessary. How long is necessary? That will depend on how dried out the cigars have become. If they are dry all the way through to the very core, better take it slow, and probably figure on as much as 6 months to a year for the cigar to return (more or less) to a smokeable state. Time is truly of the essence, in this case, for if you attempt to move to fast, the cigar will not be evenly humidified.
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