How to Store a Cigar
Take a quick measurement of the climate., Store a few cigars in an open plastic bag until you're ready to smoke., Keep it in the cellophane or tube while in transit., Keep it out of the fridge., Ask for a box at the cigar store.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Take a quick measurement of the climate.
A good cigar is like a living, breathing thing: it needs to be in a very nice temperatured room, or it can dry out very quickly.
If you've come across a good cigar but don't want to smoke it that day, you can take a few simple steps to keep it fresh.
A cigar should be stored around 70 degrees F, with a humidity of around 70%.
In some climates, like Miami, a cigar can be left in its wrapper and stored for a short period of time without much concern for freshness.
If you're in Arizona or Alaska, however, the dryness will likely need to be addressed if you need to store the cigar for more than 24 hours.The tobacco in good cigars was grown in a tropical climate, somewhere between 65 and 72% humidity.
Cigars are made from whole wrapped sheets of tobacco, and the construction relies upon them staying oily and moist.
Cigars not stored at the optimum temperature and humidity can dry out, crack, or mold.
If you're a burgeoning aficionado and want to store lots of cigars for any length of time, you need to purchase a humidor and store your cigars in it.
Skip to the next method. -
Step 2: Store a few cigars in an open plastic bag until you're ready to smoke.
If you've got a cigar or two but can't smoke it right away, the best way to store it is in an open ziplock bag with a slightly-moist towel at the mouth of the bag, in a dark space kept at around 70 degrees.
Humidor bags are commonly sold at many cigar retailers, which can keep cigars fresh for several weeks.
At good cigar shops, the tobacconist will often ask you about how long you're going to keep the cigar, and might pack the cigar in one of these bags anyway.
Talk it out and ask; you stand to learn a lot.
The towel should be clean and only very slightly moist, preferably with distilled water.
After a few hours, check on the bag to make sure no dampness is accumulating inside.
If so, open the bag more and pull the towel back slightly.
Cigars can and do mold.
Alternatively, cigars can be stored in a clean plastic tub, covered with a very-slightly damp, almost entirely dry towel and kept at the proper temperature.
However you choose to store your cigars, the temperature is the most important factor. , If your cigar came wrapped in a cellophane wrapper, or came in a cedar sleeve, or other type of tube, it's perfectly fine to keep it in the wrapper until you plan on smoking it.
Cellophane will allow air to get to the cigar, while other types of tubes and sleeves will protect the cigar during transportation.
Cigar enthusiasts differ on the topic of removing cigars from sleeves or storing them in sleeves for longer periods of time.
For short periods of time, there's nothing to worry about.
All cigar smokers agree, though: for longer than a day or two, you either need to smoke it or get it in a humidor. , It's a common misconception that freezing or refrigerating cigars is an effective way of keeping them fresh.
Nothing could be further than the truth, unless you want a cigar that tastes like refrigerator.
Even if the cigar is overheated, or the temperature is too humid, or not humid enough, never keep your cigar in the refrigerator.
Cigars aren't stored in perfectly-sealed environments, because they need to breathe.
Don't put a cigar into a plastic box with a sealable lid, or keep it in the freezer, unless you want to ruin it.
Cigars stored with a moist towel in a plastic box will likely become over-saturated, and could even mold after a short time.
If there's absolutely nowhere to store your cigar at 70/70, keep it in a relatively cool place in your house, if you live in a warm climate during summer, or keep them in the kitchen (the warmest room in the house) if its winter in a cool climate.
Spritz some water periodically into the air to work a bootleg humidifier into the equation.
It's not ideal, but you can save a good cigar some grief.
Or you could always just smoke it. , When you're buying, if you know you don't have someplace to store the cigar, and you know you won't want to smoke it right away, ask for advice at the store, and ask if they've got an old cigar boxes lying around, preferably cedar for purchase or for free.
Sometimes, they'll just give them to you.
Kept in a cigar box, in a cool room, cigars will be fine for a while. -
Step 3: Keep it in the cellophane or tube while in transit.
-
Step 4: Keep it out of the fridge.
-
Step 5: Ask for a box at the cigar store.
Detailed Guide
A good cigar is like a living, breathing thing: it needs to be in a very nice temperatured room, or it can dry out very quickly.
If you've come across a good cigar but don't want to smoke it that day, you can take a few simple steps to keep it fresh.
A cigar should be stored around 70 degrees F, with a humidity of around 70%.
In some climates, like Miami, a cigar can be left in its wrapper and stored for a short period of time without much concern for freshness.
If you're in Arizona or Alaska, however, the dryness will likely need to be addressed if you need to store the cigar for more than 24 hours.The tobacco in good cigars was grown in a tropical climate, somewhere between 65 and 72% humidity.
Cigars are made from whole wrapped sheets of tobacco, and the construction relies upon them staying oily and moist.
Cigars not stored at the optimum temperature and humidity can dry out, crack, or mold.
If you're a burgeoning aficionado and want to store lots of cigars for any length of time, you need to purchase a humidor and store your cigars in it.
Skip to the next method.
If you've got a cigar or two but can't smoke it right away, the best way to store it is in an open ziplock bag with a slightly-moist towel at the mouth of the bag, in a dark space kept at around 70 degrees.
Humidor bags are commonly sold at many cigar retailers, which can keep cigars fresh for several weeks.
At good cigar shops, the tobacconist will often ask you about how long you're going to keep the cigar, and might pack the cigar in one of these bags anyway.
Talk it out and ask; you stand to learn a lot.
The towel should be clean and only very slightly moist, preferably with distilled water.
After a few hours, check on the bag to make sure no dampness is accumulating inside.
If so, open the bag more and pull the towel back slightly.
Cigars can and do mold.
Alternatively, cigars can be stored in a clean plastic tub, covered with a very-slightly damp, almost entirely dry towel and kept at the proper temperature.
However you choose to store your cigars, the temperature is the most important factor. , If your cigar came wrapped in a cellophane wrapper, or came in a cedar sleeve, or other type of tube, it's perfectly fine to keep it in the wrapper until you plan on smoking it.
Cellophane will allow air to get to the cigar, while other types of tubes and sleeves will protect the cigar during transportation.
Cigar enthusiasts differ on the topic of removing cigars from sleeves or storing them in sleeves for longer periods of time.
For short periods of time, there's nothing to worry about.
All cigar smokers agree, though: for longer than a day or two, you either need to smoke it or get it in a humidor. , It's a common misconception that freezing or refrigerating cigars is an effective way of keeping them fresh.
Nothing could be further than the truth, unless you want a cigar that tastes like refrigerator.
Even if the cigar is overheated, or the temperature is too humid, or not humid enough, never keep your cigar in the refrigerator.
Cigars aren't stored in perfectly-sealed environments, because they need to breathe.
Don't put a cigar into a plastic box with a sealable lid, or keep it in the freezer, unless you want to ruin it.
Cigars stored with a moist towel in a plastic box will likely become over-saturated, and could even mold after a short time.
If there's absolutely nowhere to store your cigar at 70/70, keep it in a relatively cool place in your house, if you live in a warm climate during summer, or keep them in the kitchen (the warmest room in the house) if its winter in a cool climate.
Spritz some water periodically into the air to work a bootleg humidifier into the equation.
It's not ideal, but you can save a good cigar some grief.
Or you could always just smoke it. , When you're buying, if you know you don't have someplace to store the cigar, and you know you won't want to smoke it right away, ask for advice at the store, and ask if they've got an old cigar boxes lying around, preferably cedar for purchase or for free.
Sometimes, they'll just give them to you.
Kept in a cigar box, in a cool room, cigars will be fine for a while.
About the Author
Debra Nguyen
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow DIY projects tutorials.
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