4 Storage Hacks to Help Make Your Cigars Last Longer

Cigar smokers understand that good cigars, like wine, can improve over time. However, unlike wine, your improvement period is limited. After you’ve already purchased cigars, it’s important to make sure that you maximize their freshness. To make sure that your cigars are enjoyed at the peak of freshness, consider the tips below.

1. Don’t Age Cigars for More Than a Year

Pre-packaged and individually wrapped cigars will have about a year before they need to be enjoyed before they start to lose flavor. To keep your cigars at the peak of freshness, consider marking their containers with the date of purchase. This way, you can keep your stock rotated so nothing ages past the point of pleasant mellowness.

Every cigar producer uses different methods to stabilize the flavor of their stock. If you find that aging your cigars makes no difference, you may be able to stock up when the price is right. However, overbuying fresh cigars may not result in a positive smoking experience without special storage tools.

2. Maintain Humidity

Cigars need to be maintained at 65-70% humidity to stay fresh without risking mold. Refrigerators can work for a time, but their relative humidity is a bit too low for best results. A humidor may be your best investment if you enjoy cigars on a regular basis.

Monitor the humidity inside your humidor each time you remove a cigar. If possible, place your humidor in an area that is both dark and cool. Consider placing your humidity-detecting tool within sight of the glass on the top of the humidor.

3. Keep Cigars Out of the Light

Many humidors have a clear glass top. This can make it easy to check your stock and note the purchase date, but too much sunlight is not good for cigars. They need to age and mellow in dim light; UV damage will cause uneven aging and may damage flavor by drying them out.

As possible, store your humidor far from the windows. If you have a room in your home with northern windows only, place your humidor on a low shelf where it can be free of sun exposure.

4. Monitor the Temperature of the Space

Warmth is only good for cigars when you light them up! Keep cigars cool. Many smokers choose to add a special heating and cooling system for their smoking area, which also reduces the amount of cigar smoke that enters the main living area of your home. In addition to avoiding sunlight, keep your cigars far from heat sources, such as furnace vents, fireplaces, and space heaters.

The box or humidor where you store them should stay cool to the touch. It’s not really risky to freeze them; there are cigar producers who freeze them to stabilize them before transport. However, a warm ambient temperature can damage the flavor profile of your best cigars.

Cigars can be a wonderful treat. Monitor your socialization and smoking plans to make sure you have enough cigars to enjoy without allowing any to sit for too long.