How do you store a cigar properly?

A cigar is a cylinder formed of a succession of tobacco leaves rolled together, or of a single tobacco leaf rolled in a spiral around chopped tobacco.

Tobacco is a plant, that is to say an organic, vegetable substance valued for the various aromas it can offer depending on the variety.
It can absorb any surrounding smell, which is one of the reasons a cigar can lose its character.

Knowing how to store a cigar properly therefore means knowing the main precautions to take. Long-standing cigar enthusiasts will tell you:

– that heat above 20°C encourages a pest insect with a strong appetite for tobacco, the lasioderme, which destroys cigars,
– that excessive cold halts the ageing of the cigar and therefore dulls its aroma,
– that swings in humidity do considerable damage to a cigar’s qualities.

To avoid all these drawbacks and store a cigar properly, it should first be kept in a neutral, odour-free space, and two factors essential to good storage should be observed: temperature and humidity.

The ideal temperature for storing cigars is put at between 18 and 20°C, with a humidity level of around 70%.
These figures may vary somewhat, however, according to the taste and preferences of the smoker.

Humidity is usually measured with a device called a hygrometer, but many connoisseurs simply press the cigar between their fingers to judge how well humidified it is. After being pressed, the cigar should immediately return to its original shape. It must therefore stay very supple.

For storing cigars there are also humidors, most often made from Spanish cedar.

Cigar smokers pay particular attention to the strength and the aroma a cigar gives off, which is why knowing how to store it properly matters. A humidor takes the form of a cabinet of variable storage capacity, generally fitted with an electronic system able to measure humidity: a humidifier. The cabinet also has a fan, an anti-UV system, storage shelves and a key.
For smaller quantities, however, it is possible to buy a small fitted cigar box, very practical for travelling and often made of rosewood or maple.

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