Best way to keep cigars in the humitor

Question

some of the cigars that i buy come wrapped, do i un-wrap them before i put them in the humitor ? also, what degrees should the gauge read. as you can tell i'm new at this.

Answer 1

First, with respect to aging and / or cigar freshness, keep in mind that most tobacco is normally aged by the cigar manufacturer for up to two years or more prior to rolling.  We of course are talking about manufacturers concerend about quality and not the cheap stuff sold in some convenience stores.  So the first question is ~ what are you trying to achieve in the storage process ?
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If your goal is to further enhance your cigars through additional aging, you may want to consider a separate humidor for this purpose.  It is not a good idea to keep the cigars you want to enjoy right now with the cigars you intend to age.  The opening and closing of your humidor and constant rotation of new cigars may end up defeating your purpose.  Regardless of your intentions, the question is ~ what is the ideal storage method.
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There are a number of different humidors on the market today, ranging in price from $25 up to the super fancy deluxe variety ~ which could cost up to $2500, maybe more.
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I do not know of one brand or model which could be said to work better than other.  The important feature for all humidors, irrespective of price,  is their ability to maintain the desired level of humidity and temperature.  In this regard, some of the "cheapo" models can work just as well as the fancy $1,000 units.  When purchasing a humidor, investigate to see how well the box is constructed.  Remember that the goal is to keep air and other elements out.  Tight fitting seams and secure closure are important.
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We would highly suggest a humidor that is constructed from, or in the least has liner of, Spanish Cedar.
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The desired ration of humidity and temperature that you want to maintain is 70% humidity and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  That is an easy formula to remember.  Some cigar lovers often keep the humidty too high.  You are not trying to recreate a rain forest, just keep a constant humidity level of 70% and you will do fine.
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Another question many cigar smokers ask about concerns the cellophane wrapper that some companies use. It cannot hurt to leave the cellophane wrapper on when placing your cigars in the humidor.  There are two reasons for this.  One is that the constant opening and closing of the humidor will allow air to enter.  By keeping the cellophane on, you are adding an extra level of protection.  The other reason concerns the other cigars in your humidor.  If the contents of the humidor are all the same cigar line, or one particular brand, the cellophane issue will not be such a big deal.  However, when you start mixing other cigar lines, your mild or sweet tasting cigars may start taking on the flavor of your stronger or more earthy type cigars.  You may want that, but we would advise against it.  The cellophane wrapper therefore also offers some protection from oil migration and flavor exchange.  Remember that the cellophane covering is certainly neither air nor moisture proof. So, even with the cellophane on, the above mentioned scenario could happen over time.  The only advantage of the cellophane wrapper is that it slows this process down.  The best way to place your cigars is in a horizontal fashion. This method seems to work best at keeping air damage or drying to a minimum.  If you have purchased longer cigars, like churchills for example, you may want to consider purchasing a humidor that is large enough to accomidate horizontal storage.