How to Keep Your Cigar in Perfect Condition

For people who smoke cigars, it can become something of an obsession. Over time, cigar smokers often develop precise rituals that they adhere to every time they smoke a cigar, and can be quite pedantic about how they store their cigars. If you're not privy to this obsession of smoking the 'perfect' cigar, then you also probably don't understand the need for a cigar humidor.

The basic purpose of a cigar humidor is to both store and protect cigars. Many cigar enthusiasts believe that cigars need to be stored at a precise temperature in order to maintain their peak flavor. That's exactly what the cigar humidor does - maintains a constant temperature. Opinions vary, but it's generally believed that the range between 68 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit is perfect for cigars. The humidity also needs to be controlled, and kept at a level around 70-72% humidity.

Cigar aficionados have long debated about the ideal temperature required for the storing of cigars. Some insist that even a slight fluctuation in temperature can prove detrimental to the flavor of their cigars, and insist on a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Others are a little more flexible and allow a slight amount of temperature fluctuation. Generally they all agree that the lower the temperature, the quicker the cigar will age, which will then cause a reduction in flavor. If you want to maintain the flavor, integrity and color of your favorite cigars, then a cigar humidor is essential.

What features should you look for when purchasing a cigar humidor? The one essential feature is that it must be completely closed once the lid is shut. If the lid isn't snug and secure, then it's possible that the temperature or humidity inside will fluctuate. A lid that's tight also prevents any other outside elements contaminating the cigars, and prevents any moisture exchange. It's helpful if the inside of the cigar humidor is smooth and seamless, to prevent snagging of cigars (or fingers!). It's also useful to have fittings inside the humidor to assist in the storing of the cigars.

You can choose from a variety of interior linings, but cedar is generally preferred. The best is Spanish cedar. Finally, make sure you know the exact size of your favorite cigars before you go shopping for a cigar humidor. Otherwise you might get home and find you can't fit them in! This is very important, because both cigars and humidors come in a wide variety of sizes. As soon as you get your cigar humidor home, start using it, so that your cigars will have a long life, minimal aging and the best flavor possible.

Steve Dolan enjoys the finer things in life, like a good bottle of wine, an excellent port and a fine cigar. Click Cigar Humidors to find out more

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Inexpensive Humidor Solution

Hi everyone. I know its been a while since I've been back on here. But I'm happy to be back. Today I'm going to be talking about cheap and effective solutions to not having a humidor. Using my Facebook profile Cigar Czar, I've seen a trend lately where people were having a problem procuring a good humidor. This led me to creating today's blog. This will also be helpful for those who are trying to start smoking and keeping cigars of there own.
What you need to do first is go to your local tobacconist's and ask if they have any high quality cigar boxes they can either part with free, or at a low cost. When I started I managed to get a very elegant looking Monte Cristo cigar box with a painted mural of a city on the lid, the rest of the box was silver and black, which conveniently matched my furnishing in that room. When they offer you some of these cigar boxes, make sure that they are large enough to house all your cigars, with enough circulation and enough space for the humidifier and the gauge. You will also need to make sure that when you get the cigar box, that it has a good, tight seal. This is very important for obvious reasons.
Once that's done and you've taken your make-shift humidor home, you will then need to 'prime' the humidor. The way you do that is take a clean cotton cloth and apply a small amount of distilled water to the cloth and wipe the entire inside of the make-shift humidor. this will help the wood absorb the moisture without waiting a long time with just the humidifier alone. But make sure not to use too much water as this can warp the humidor and cause an improper seal or a potential for mold.
This kind of humidor will require a bit more upkeep than a standard humidor, as it is a cigar box, and not a true humidor. However the upkeep is still relatively simple, make sure if you use a silica style tube humidifier (which is what I recommend for this kind of humidor) the silica is always moist, never let it dry out, and keep your levels at that perfect 70%. Another means to keep them moist was discovered by a friend of mine. He took the silica beads you find occasionally in clothes (in those little bags they tell you not to eat), found a retailer who sold the beads bulk and applies an ample amount into a flat bowl and just adds water occasionally. This to my experience for personal humidors has been the most reliable and stable form of keeping a humidor at an even 70%. However this method is best applied in larger humidors given the space needed for the bowl. Hope this helps and happy smoking!