Expert: James Yee - 9/8/2008

Question
I was given some fine cigars as a gift; however, the cigars were not kept in a
humidor and therefore are dry and some are starting to peel.  What can I do?

Answer
Hi JT,

Dry cigars with extreme peeling must be repaired first before rehumidifying them (otherwise they'll peel more) so if your cigars are beginning to peel/flake, what you can do is purchase a cigar repair liquid adhesive to repair the cigar.  The most common brand of cigar adhesive is "Cigar Dr." and to use it, simply brush a layer of this liquid under the peeling tobacco leaf and then press the loose tobacco leaf down and it should hold in place.  Wipe away any excess adhesive and allow the cigar to sit for at least 5 minutes so that the adhesive can set and dry.  (You're basically using the adhesive to glue the peeling tobacco in place.)

These liquid cigar repair adhesives are non-toxic and does not affect the cigar's burn, smell or taste.  Alternatively, you can also use pectin or vegetable glue instead of commercial cigar adhesive.  Pectin/vegetable glue is available at most supermarkets and food specialty shops and Cigar Dr. is available at most cigar stores.

Once the cigar is restored with the repair adhesive, you can return it to a humidor and let it re-humidify.  Depending on how dry the cigar is, it will have to sit in a properly maintained humidor (70% humidity, 70 degrees Fahrenheit) for anywhere between 2 weeks to 6 months.  (If you're in no rush to smoke them, the longer the cigars sit in a humidor, the better.)

If you don't own a humidor, then you can keep your cigars in a humi-pouch.  Humi-pouches are Ziploc-style bags with humidified linings built into the plastic.  They're designed for short-term cigar storage and travel and can properly humidify your cigars, at 70% humidity, for 3 months.  After three months, you would need to replace the bags.  Humi-pouches are available in a variety of sizes and can accomodate everything from a few single cigars, to whole boxes.  Depending on the size of the humi-pouch, they retail for anywhere between $5 to $15 per bag.  You can find these at most cigar stores and tobacconists.

As another alternative to owning a humidor and using humi-pouches, you can also maintain your dry cigars in a clean, brand new Tupperware container.  Simply line the container with Spanish cedar sheets and use any type of humidification device that's available at most cigar stores. (Usually available for less than $5.)  When using "tupperdors", it's important to remember that the container is almost airtight so you will have to vent the container periodically.  If not, the cigars can split and peel from over-humidification.  You will also require a hygrometer (either analog or digital) to accurately measure the humidity and temperature level inside the container.

Hope this answers your question. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James