For many people, cigars are the ultimate indulgence. Often associated with luxury, cigars are usually placed under the same category as fine wines and other luxury items. And like fine wines, cigar connoisseurs are very particular about how to keep cigars fresh for maximum freshness and preserve their quality.
Cigar enthusiasts are fully aware of how cigars react to temperature and humidity and how improper storage can result in a stale cigar, losing all of the aromas and flavors that a fresh or well-stored cigar can give you.
Not only that, but keep in mind that quality cigars can be quite pricey, so improper storage can literally cost you money. Whether you’re a full-on cigar enthusiast or someone who likes to indulge in a cigar on special occasions or every so often, it’s always best practice to keep your cigars fresh so you can enjoy them whenever you want. Here are some professional tips to help keep your cigars in the best condition possible.
Understand Humidity and Temperature and How it Affects Cigars
When it comes to cigar storage, the most important thing that you have to remember are the two primary factors that affect the quality of your cigars: humidity and temperature. Humidity control is essential, as too much of it can cause the cigar to become damp, which can lead to mold growth and make it hard to light your cigar.
On the other hand, too little humidity can dry out the cigar, which leads to the loss of the flavors and aromas of the cigar. This also causes it to smoke poorly, ruining the cigar experience. The ideal humidity for cigar storage range from 68 to 72 percent, and ideal temperatures at 25° Celsius at most. With these two essential factors in mind, what is the best way to store your cigars?
Invest In a Cigar Humidor
For the best cigar storage, a cigar humidor is the best option available to you. These are designed specifically for cigar storage to keep them fresh longer. These devices can be adjusted to fit the storage needs of your cigars.
Cigar humidors come in a wide range, from small travel-sized ones that can fit around 5 to 15 cigars, all the way to large cabinet humidors that can store hundreds or even thousands of cigars.
The size of your humidor will usually depend on the number of cigars you want to store at any given time. A small desktop humidor should suffice if you only smoke cigars occasionally. But a bigger humidor is better if you’re an avid cigar smoker or you like to have a collection of cigars on hand.
Placing Your Cigars in the Fridge or Freezer
When people hear the effect that humidity and temperature have on cigars, they sometimes think that the best course is to place their cigars in the fridge. After all, this is a good way to keep food fresh for a longer time, so it must work for cigars, too, right?
Unfortunately, this is one of the worst things you can do to your cigars. The drastic change in temperature from taking your cigar out of the fridge and bringing it up to room temperature can cause the cigar wrapper to crack.
Additionally, the humidity inside a fridge or freezer is much lower than what’s ideal for cigars, so this will cause your cigars to dry out quickly. If you absolutely need to store your cigars in the fridge or freezer for some reason, make sure to put them in an airtight container first, so they don’t dry out. Here are some additional steps that you can take if you plan to store your cigars in the freezer.
Use Cigar Tupperware or Zip-Top Bags for Short-Term Storage
If you need to store your cigars for a short period of time and don’t want to invest in a humidor, using an airtight Tupperware or Ziploc bag is the next best option. You can place a wrung-sponge or damp paper towel inside it to keep its humidity at ideal ranges.
Don’t Mix Flavors in Storage
If you have different flavors of cigars, it’s best to keep them stored separately, so the flavors don’t mix. This is because cigars can absorb the flavors of other cigars they’re stored with, which can affect the taste of your cigar when you smoke it.
So, if you want to store different flavors of cigars, use a separate humidor or airtight container for each type. This way, you can be sure that the flavors won’t mix and ruin your smoking experience.
Proper Storage is Key to Preserving Your Cigars for Best Enjoyment
Here at Premium Cigars of Georgia, we fully understand the impact that humidity and temperature have on cigars, which is why our 350-square-foot humidor holds all of our cigar brands in a precise range of temperature to keep them fresh for our customers’ enjoyment.
If you’re looking to get into the cigar lifestyle, feel free to drop into our store to check out our range of cigar brands and accessories. You can also reach out to us at Premium Cigars of Georgia to see if we can find you the cigar brand of your preference or to ask us any questions you may have about cigars.
