Expert: James Yee - 12/8/2007

Question
QUESTION: I seem to be finding that my (quality) cigars tend to not be as flavorful after they have been in my (reasonable quality, well maintained) humidor compared to if I smoked them as soon as I got them. I was wondering if the flavors are blending, or if the humidity might be affecting flavor. (I used to tend to have higher humidity (low 70s%) and now they are drier in the high 60s%. Can these factors affect the favor, or if not, what might be going on? My favorites are no longer nearly as good as when I first got them.

Thanks

ANSWER: Hi Dennis,

Cigars can actually soften and mellow in flavour and strength the longer they're aged.  If you have a lot of cigars (a full humidor) in close proximity to each other, the individual cigar scents can indeed blend (slightly) so keep the cigars separated with cedar dividers or organize your cigars and keep them separated by your humidor's storage trays, drawers and/or storage compartments.

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

Regards,
James

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: There was the other part of the question that I really wondered about and wanted your opinion:

... if the humidity might be affecting flavor. I used to tend to have higher humidity (low 70s%) and now they are drier in the mid 60s%. Can this affect the favor?...

Thanks again,
Dennis

Answer
Hi Dennis,

Yes, insufficient humidity can actually cause a cigar to taste bland.  The more dry a cigar is, the more "stale" it will taste.  The safe humidity range is between 67-74% humidity (with 70% being considered perfect) so if your humidor's humidity dips and holds at 66% or lower, your cigars may begin to soften in flavour.

Enjoy your weekend!

James