Expert: James Yee - 5/10/2011

Question
A friend of mine just returned from Cuba (I live in Japan) and brought me a box of Cuban COHIBA Splenddidos cigars - straight from the factory - in their own cedar lined box.

There are 24 of them and I do NOT have a humidor. How can I store them to prevent drying out or mold?  I dont smoke cigars daily - only on occasion - and I would like them to last as long as possible.  Can I store them in their original wooden box?

Thanks.  

KLB

Answer
Hi Kevin,

If you don’t store your cigars in a humidor (or a similar humidified environment), your cigars will dry up within 1-2 weeks.  Even if you keep them in the original cigar box, they will still eventually dry up and this will cause the cigars to taste stale and bland.  Your cigars may even become brittle and crack from the slightest touch.  To keep your cigars smokeable, it's best to keep them stored at the proper conditions.  (The ideal storage conditions for cigars is 70% humidity and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.)

If you do not own a humidor, the next best option is to keep your cigars in a "Humi-pouch".  Humi-pouches are plastic, Ziploc-style bags that have a humidified lining built into the membrane of the plastic.  They're designed for short-term cigar storage and travel and can properly maintain your cigars - with little maintenance and supervision - for up to 90 days.  After 90 days, you will need to replace the bag(s).  Humi-pouches are available in a variety of sizes and can accommodate everything from a few single cigars, to whole boxes.  Your can buy them at any cigar store or tobacconist and depending on the size of the bag, they will cost anywhere between $7-$15.  (For more information on Humi-pouches, go to www.humipouch.net)

As an inexpensive alternative, you can also store your cigars in a clean, plastic Tupperware container.  To humidify your cigars, you will need to purchase a small passive humidifier from a cigar store and charge it with distilled water.  To make sure that the Tupperware container is holding the proper humidity level, you will also need hygrometer which is also available at most cigar stores.  Also, to help the Tupperware absorb and regulate humidity properly, you should line the interior with thin Spanish cedar wood.  (The cedar sheets found in cigar boxes works well.  Most cigar stores have these sheets free for customers or for very little money.)

If you do decide to use a Tupperware container, it is important to remember that these plastic containers are almost 100% air-tight so you will need to vent the container to release excess humidity.  If you don’t vent the container, the cigars will either grow mold or swell up and crack/split from the excess humidity.  If you use a Tupperware container, do not seal the lid closed.  Simply let the lid rest closed but loose and this will allow the excess humidity to naturally escape through the small gaps in the lid.

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