If you are reading this blog each week then I guess I am safe to assume that you are a cigar smoker. And those of you who are avid smokers, I imagine it is safe to assume that most of you purchase more than one cigar at a time and all have some method in which to keep your cigars properly humidified. For those of you who have a humidifier or those who don’t and are in the market for one, here are a few tips.

When it comes to the proper storage of cigars there are two basic types: passive and active. An active system is one that has a blower and actually creates humidity. Think of a humidifier that is placed in a baby nursery. A passive system is something that absorbs the dry air and releases small amounts of moisture, not utilizing any kinetic energy. A sponge or clay vessel filled with a 50/50 mixture of water and propylene glycol, or a tube of beads soaked in distilled water, are examples of a passive system. Some are better than others and I will discuss each. Then there are those methods that should be avoided at all costs.

Let's get the don'ts out of the way first. First of all, zero humidification is a big no-no. Cigars should be stored in an environment in which the humidity is between 65% and 70%. Some will say that depending on where you live in the country will determine the correct percentage, but I can assure you that if you keep your cigars in the 65% to 70% range you will be just fine. You may notice in many cigar shops or large humidors that the percentage is a little above 70%. This doesn't mean that the tobacconist or
shop owner is a moron and you should shop elsewhere, but rather they are just protecting their huge investment in premium cigars. When you have a large room or walk-in humidor, as they are referred, it is always best to add a little extra humidity to compensate for constant in and out traffic created by the shoppers and staff. I have learned from years of experience that it is much easier to dry out a cigar due to the lack of humidity than it is to cause a mold problem by over-humidification.

So, now we know that no humidification is bad, and buying a box of cigars that come with one of those little humidity-packs and simply leaving that box on your counter doesn't count as humidification, let’s talk about another common mistake—equally as bad as no humidification is storing them in your refrigerator. Someone many years ago thought this was a good idea and it seems to have been passed down through the years like a bad fruitcake recipe. Please don't store your cigars in the refrigerator. It could be necessary for you to freeze your cigars for a brief period of time due to a beetle infestation, but that is a story for another time. Why is the fridge a bad place for cigars?  Well, if the cigars need to be kept warm and humid, what part of the old ice box fills that requirement? The refrigerator has but one purpose and that is to keep your beer cold, and maybe food—if you have any room left over.

So with the two worst methods out of the way, let's focus on the correct way. The proper way to store your cigars is in a humidor that maintains an environment that is about 70 degrees F and is in the range of 65%-70% humidity. It doesn't matter what kind of box or the type of system it utilizes to maintain a cigar stable environment, the humidor needs to keep the cigars within the ranges stated above.

Picking out a cigar humidor can be a daunting task, considering that you could spend anywhere from $25 to thousands of dollars. The main factors in determining the cost of various humidors are the size of the unit and its ease of operation. The less work it takes to maintain the unit usually means a higher cost and, as with most things in life, size does matter.

Let's start with the most cost friendly system, the desktop humidor. This is probably the most common unit on the market. These employ a passive system of humidification. Most standard sized desktop humidors can hold a few boxes of cigars and come with a sponge or clay disc/box passive humidifier.
These work fine. Just make sure, as with any humidification device, to always use distilled water. For these types of passive units, I would suggest purchasing a bottle of Propylene Glycol and mixing it with your water. This will increase the time between refills.

Desktop humidor

There are also other passive devices such as packets or beads. I do recommend using the beads over the packets, as the beads can be recharged and the packets require replacement after a relatively short period of time. I recently shipped my stepson a humidor packed full of cigars to his new home at Fort Bragg where he is serving as a scout for the 4th Combat Team, 82nd Airborne. Since his new job requires a lot of time in the field and away from home, I chose to set his humidor up with the beads. Once charged they can last several weeks without any maintenance. One word of caution when it comes to any humidor you buy—if they come with an analog hygrometer, I recommend replacing it with a digital model. The analogs rarely work, and if they do then they often need to be recalibrated—just
another avoidable maintenance step. You should be able find a small digital unit at a store like Radio Shack for less than $20. The internet is another good source for an inexpensive digital hygrometer.

Now for the active units. I utilize an active unit at home and let me say, that it is definitely the best choice for those who like to set it and forget it. Every three or four months I add a few gallons of distilled water and once a year I change the filter. Putting in cigars or taking one out for a smoke is the only work I have to do when it comes to my humidor. Active units can range from a walk-in unit built into your home to a small device that closely resembles a mini fridge. Whether it’s a cabinet lined with cedar, or looks like a humidor that Capt. Kirk would stash his smokes in, all employ the same basic function. They take water, convert it into humidified air, and then disperse it throughout the storage unit with the aid of some type of blower or fan. These units can be on the expensive side, but the prices have come down over the last few years. A little research and shopping around and you might find an active system for the price of an average sized wine chiller.

Active humidification system

Once you have made your humidor selection and get the unit seasoned with the proper temperature and humidity, the next question is: do you remove the cellophane or leave it on the cigar? The cellophane wrappers were added to cigars to help keep them fresh during shipment and to cater to the growing "single stick" business. It wasn’t that long ago that most cigar sales were by the box. Also, who wants to put a cigar in their mouth that has been handled by a lot of people? The cellophane allows someone to pick up and inspect a cigar before making a purchase without damaging the wrapper. My rule for cellophane is simple. If you are going to age your cigars for a significant amount of time then remove the cellophane. As with wine, many high quality cigars will get better with time. For them to age to their full
potential you will definitely need to remove the cellophane. If you are going to smoke them within six months to a year and don’t plan on waiting 5 to 10 years, then it is ok to leave the cellophane on. The cigars will get properly humidified in the cellophane and if this were not the case the cigar manufacturers wouldn’t use it. Take a visit to a cigar factory and ask if they like placing every cigar in a little plastic sleeve. I would be very surprised if you found one who enjoyed it.

If you don’t have a humidor and are in the market for one I hope I have made your choices a little easier. If you already have a desktop humidor and you’ve had problems keeping the levels right, I hope I have helped you out as well. If you have an active system then make sure you stop by one of our stores and we will assist in keeping it stocked with the finest cigars in the world. Now, if you are one of those with cigars in your refrigerator—don’t feel ashamed…just get them out of there. My thought is that if you have room in the fridge for your cigars then you obviously don’t have an adequate beer supply. We can help you with that as well.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney

ABC Fine Wine & Spirits regional manager in Jacksonville. Follow him on Twitter @chrisgnole