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Why a Cigar Humidor?
I don't need a humidor, I can just keep these cigars in a plastic bag...
For years, Spanish Cedar has gone hand in hand with cigar storage. Humidors are lined with it, cigar boxes are made of it, and even in the cigar-making process it's used for storage of raw goods.
The first obvious sign that a humidor is a good idea is the fact that a cigar box is basically a crude humidor. If cigars were meant to be stored in plastic bags, makers would ship them in plastic bags. Ahh, but they can't use bags, the cigars would be crushed! Well, why not Tupperware then? Spanish cedar boxes or humidors are what's needed for several reasons:
First of all, cigars are hygroscopic. That is, they absorb moisture from the air. Spanish cedar is hygroscopic as well. It readily holds moisture from the atmosphere. Putting a cigar in an airtight humidor ensures that it will be in an environment with plenty of available moisture it can draw from without said moisture disipating into the air. There isn't much moisture in a plastic bag. I'm sure we've all heard that cigars need to be maintained at 70 degrees with 70% relative humidity. This has become the mantra of cigar gurus and the misinformed for years. If you delve deeper into the issue, you'll find that many knowledgeable aficionados maintain their private collections at 65% or even as low as 60%. Since we are dealing with relative humidity, the higher the temperature, the lower the humidity can be while still keeping enough moisture in the air to sustain your cigars. I've found over the years that I prefer to smoke cigars that have been stored at 65% as they seem to draw better.
Another great property of Spanish cedar is that it is a natural repellent to the dreaded tobacco beetle. Any time your temperature or humidity gets too high you run the risk of a beetle outbreak. But how do the beetles get into the humidor? Okay, you might want to sit down...if you've ever smoked a cigar, you've probably smoked a tobacco beetle egg. The eggs are microscopic and are in nearly every cigar. You don't even notice them and there's no way to prevent them. They only hatch into a larvae if atmospheric conditions are right, namely a temperature over 70-75 with a humidity of over 75%. It's really hard to regulate temperature and humidity in a plastic bag.
In summary, plastic bags are for getting the cigars from the store to your humidor at home. They offer some short-term protection from damage and humidity loss. While some aficionados might not think they smoke enough to keep a humidor at home, remember a $20 investment in a small humidor can save you in the long run. Some even prefer to keep a 10-count travel humidor in the house as it can serve the purpose while you're at home or on the road. Humidors protect your cigars from being crushed, from beetles, and from your wife seeing what you just bought! She just admires the beautiful cherrywood box you have on your desk!
We have humidors ranging from $19.99 to $800 - come in today to see them all. And ask about the Tobacco Bowl private selection cigar and humidor package: One humidor with humidifier packed with a dozen Tobacco Bowl private selection cigars, all for only $39.99!
Posted by Richard Alley at June 30, 2005 11:07 AM