Cigars are delicate and require special care to maintain their freshness and flavor. The simplest and most basic way to store cigars is in a Ziploc type plastic bag. When you buy a handful of individual cigars at a premium cigar store, they are often placed in a resealable case at the time of purchase. While the bag itself will help preserve the initial freshness of cigars, at least in the short term, a source of moisture will still be necessary if you plan to keep your cigars for more than a few days.
The first thing you should know is that cigars should stay in a humidor until they are ready to be smoked. To store cigars without a humidor, moisten a sponge with distilled water and place it in a plastic bag with the cigars. Make sure that the sponge does not come into direct contact with any pure cigar (without cellophane) and squeeze out the air while closing the bag. Every other day, check the sponge.
Cellophane is very common and has a number of great benefits that protect cigars from possible unwanted damage during the shipping process and when they are displayed on store shelves; however, it does not preserve the freshness or moisture of the cigarette. Cigars need access to a continuous source of moisture to stay cool, even if you leave the cellophane burning. When needed, you can store properly humidified cigars in a plastic bag sealed with a small, damp paper towel for about a day. But, if you want to become a true fan, a humidor is essential equipment.
If you always smoke the same type of cigarette, you can get a cover that fits your cigars exactly, with fingers of the correct diameter and with the possibility of using a telescope, if you prefer long cigars. Most premium cigars are packaged in wooden boxes, some of which can be quite elaborate and very decorative, however, most of them don't work as humidifiers. Before we discuss cigar storage options, it's important to understand the purpose of a humidor and how ideal cigar storage conditions can be achieved without it. Cigarette cases are made with the same craftsmanship as fine footwear, and they come in almost as many styles.
When buying a travel humidor, first make sure it can accommodate cigars of the size and shape you prefer. In some cases, cigars can be reconditioned for weeks in a good humidifier, but it's a complicated matter and it's best left to someone with a lot of patience and experience. Within this microclimate, you should introduce the driest cigars as far away from the humidification device as possible so that they recover adequate hydration as slowly and evenly as possible. Cedar absorbs and re-emits moisture in a way that helps cigars that are blended into a fine cigar to age and mature.
So, if there are still sausages left in your cooler from last week's outdoor meal, guess what your cigars will taste like? In fact, we recommend starting from scratch with a new cooler that you can dedicate exclusively to your cigars. Exposing a humidifier to extreme temperatures, such as direct sunlight or on top of an air conditioner or radiator, is bad for the humidifier and for cigars. Inside a humidor, the aromas of several cigars are mixed or combined, and subtle changes in taste can occur when cigars of one type are stored together with others that are very different. You're so busy sampling, accumulating and collecting new brands that you can't imagine finding a humidor cavernous enough to meet your needs, or you already have three or four humidors full to capacity in your man cave and you simply need more space.
