Expert: James Yee - 10/9/2010

Question
have receievd a box of cohibas that were left at room temp in orignal box, wrapped individually in celophane for @ 9 months.  they feel dry and brittle,,how do i rescue them?  Need to travel over seas in 2 days..What can i do?

Answer
Hi James,

To rehydrate your dry cigars, all you need to do is store your cigars in a humidor or humi-pouch at 70% humidity and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  Your cigars should be fully hydrated and ready to be smoked in 2-3 months.  Because the cigars are extremely brittle and dry, it's best to leave them in the original box and cellophane wrappers during the first month of rehydration.  After the first month, the cigars should be firm enough to be handled by hand.  After 1 month of rehydration, you can also remove the cellophane wrappers if you prefer but this is purely optional.  The cellophane wrappers actually protect your cigars and are not 100% airtight so it's not necessary to remove them.

If you do not own a humidor, your next best option is to purchase a humi-pouch.  Humi-pouches are plastic Ziploc-style bags that have a built-in humidified lining.  They're designed for short-term cigar storage/travel and can automatically humidify your cigars for up to 3 months.  After the 3 months, you will need to replace the bag or relocate the cigars to a permanent humidor.

Humi-pouches are available in a variety of sizes and can accomodate everything from a few single cigars to whole boxes.  They're available at most cigar stores and depending on the size of the bag, will cost between $5-$15 per bag.

If you're travelling overseas with your Cohibas, the humi-pouch is your best option.  They're inexpensive, much lighter than a travel humidor and 100% user friendly as they require almost no supervision and maintenance.

I hope this helps.  If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James