Cigars are like bottles of wine, getting better with age.
However, how well they age depends entirely on how you take care of them, especially when it comes to storage.
Cigar aficionados often use cigar humidors to store their cigar collections and allow them to age, but how long can a cigar last in a wooden cigar humidor?
If you've been wondering the same thing, we'll help you figure out if your cigar humidor can really extend the aging of your cigars.
Cigars are made from delicate and fragile tobacco leaves, which means they can be easily damaged. The natural oils on the surface of the cigar provide flavor, softness, and moisture to the cigar, but they can also speed up the deterioration of the cigar. Over time, these oils evaporate into the air, reducing the benefits the cigar gets from it.
On the other hand, they can also seep into the tobacco leaves, affecting the overall quality of the cigar. Without proper storage, even the best cigars can turn into dry and bitter leaf rolls. This is where a wooden cigar humidor becomes crucial.
If done properly, cigars can generally last for decades in a wooden cigar humidor.
However, if you do it wrong, your cigars will quickly go bad, even if you store them in a quality wooden cigar humidor.
In fact, premium cigars will still retain their best flavor after being aged for five years in a sturdy, well-constructed, well-kept wooden cigar humidor.
On the other hand, if you leave your cigars outdoors, even for a short period of time, the temperature changes will cause them to go bad. This can take days or weeks, depending on the environment, the extremes of temperature, and the degree of sunlight the cigars are exposed to.
Remember, the best environment for cigars is not too humid or too dry, but somewhere in between.
The wrapper of a dry cigar will crack under considerable pressure. On the other hand, cigars that are left in a cigar humid environment for a long time will easily become too wet and moldy.
In fact, one of the simplest rules of thumb to check the moisture level of a cigar is to gently press the body of the cigar with your thumb. After a few minutes, see if the cigars will recover.
Some iconic cigars are wrapped in Spanish cedar wood. This wood enhances the aroma, absorbs moisture when the cigar humidity is too high, and releases it when it is too low. That said, how long you want to age your cigars is almost a matter of personal preference.
We recommend buying large wooden cigar humidors so that you can store multiple series of cigars from the same brand. It also allows you to take out a cigar after a few months to test how the aging process has affected the cigar.
What you need to know is that the environment and atmospheric conditions surrounding the cigar will affect the taste and aroma of the cigar.
If it is exposed to sunlight, it will deteriorate quickly. When placed in an airtight container with other cigars, it will flourish.
That is why you have to make sure they are aged in a balanced environment. Still, this is not always just about keeping cigars close to each other.
If a mild cigar is placed in the cigar humidor tray with a full-bodied cigar, you may ruin the flavor of each cigar.
We recommend that you store your cigars in the cigar humidor that comes with them.
Brand compatibility, flavor intensity, and overall quality will be best maintained if they are kept consistent with similar products.
Some cigar aficionados try to mix and match their cigars. These unusual flavoring methods can extract different flavors, and you never know how your cigars will taste. Whether they are good or bad is up to you.
Still, you can learn how to calibrate your cigar humidor, as this can significantly affect the flavor of your cigars.
Generally speaking, a traditional wooden cigar humidor is enough to keep your cigars fresh; but if you don't live in a tropical area, you may want to be extra careful.
Those who experience different seasons, such as cold winters and hot summers, may find that extremes in temperature and cigar humidity ruin their cigars.
If this is a common problem for you, it is best to invest in a climate-controlled cigar humidor.
Humidors usually come with a humidifying unit, a digital hygrometer, and temperature control, a combination that allows you to maintain a consistent internal temperature inside the unit.
You can also adjust the humidity level and monitor how the air inside the storage unit affects the cigars.
On the other hand, if you use a traditional wooden cigar humidor, we recommend turning your cigars every one to three months.
The internal cigar humidity of a humidor can sometimes lead to excess water vapor at the bottom of the tray, which can cause an uneven aging process for your cigars. This is especially important if your cigars are stacked up to the edge of the humidor's lid.
So, how long can cigars last in a humidor?
Generally speaking, when they are kept in a high-quality cigar humidor, their lifespan is almost unlimited. However, the flavor profile at different stages of the aging process is another matter entirely.
A storage period of at least three months is essential.
For best results, you should age your cigars in a cigar humidor in a balanced environment for about five years.
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