Cigars how long

In a pinch, you can use a big Ziplock bag and put in a very small piece two inches square, perhaps of damp, not wet, paper towel to add some humidity. Those general rules about how often you need to refill your humidification unit go right out the window.

Fill it often, every day if your cigars aren't moistening up. From amatista to zafadores, we define 26 cigar-industry terms every aficionado needs to know. While veins may not be pretty to look at, they can be full of flavor. The stems, too. At the center …. The mystique behind Fuente Fuente OpusX has endured for 25 years since its birth in Cigars can last for many years in a humidor that is properly maintained. But is that really all to consider?

The short answer: No. Longevity does not necessarily always correlate with the greatest or most ideal amount flavor and indulgence one can experience from a cigar. Similar to fine wines, fine cigars will grow better with age, but eventually they will reach a peak for potency of taste and aroma. We recommend experimenting a bit. Smoke one on your way out the door of your local retail smokeshop, and smoke another after 6 days, 6 weeks, 6 months, or even 6 years in your humidor and take note of the difference.

The key is that you are tasting the flavor profile you believe best suits your palate and indulges your senses the most. Maintaining your cigars in a well-made humidor is the best way to guarantee your investment in cigars is protected. View the discussion thread. Place them in a humidified environment, such as humidor or Ziploc with sufficient humidity, and they can gradually be re-humidified.

This process can take several weeks, or even months, if your cigars have been dried out for a lengthy period. The key here is that dry cigars need gradual humidity. Exposing dry cigars to too much moisture quickly will shock them. Also, keep in mind, there is a point of no return, when a cigar is simply too dry to be resuscitated. If the wrapper leaf is flaking off or crumbling like a potato chip, you will likely have less success re-humidifying your cigar. Excessive humidity can damage cigars, too.

That is not the case. Cigars that are too soft, or squeeze too easily, are either under-filled, or too moist.

Pay attention to your cigars at the time of purchase. Essentially, those are the conditions you want to maintain. Too much humidity can also produce mold, which can ruin your cigars, as well as your entire humidor. When a cigar has been stored in a humidified environment for a long period, small white crystals can appear on the wrapper.

You can simply brush off the small white spots of plume and enjoy the rich, smooth flavor and aroma that well-aged cigars are known for. While plume is a harmless substance and a welcome sign of proper cigar maintenance, mold is quite the opposite. Mold can occur when cigars have been humidified with tap water, as opposed to distilled water. Mold typically appears as a bluish or green substance.

It harbors a musty smell and will not brush off your cigars. In some cases, cigars can be reconditioned through weeks in a good humidor, but it's a tricky business, and best left to someone with great patience and experience.

If you insist on trying to do it yourself, proceed slowly. Over a period of several weeks, gradually move the cigars from the outer corners into the center of your humidor. All of the other myths about how to restore dried-out cigars are just that -- myths. Remember that a cigar has many layers of tobacco. It's disastrous for the various layers to become moist or dry out at different rates. For example, if a cigar is placed in a hyper-moist environment, and then taken out of that moist environment, the outside dries and shrinks while the inside is still swollen, and the cigar splits open.

Not a pretty sight. Here are some of the odder suggestions we've heard. Don't try them. When you take cigars with you on your travels, you need to protect them from physical damage, as well as from drying. Travel humidors are an ideal solution. Many are compact enough to easily slip into your briefcase or the small bag you take onboard aircraft not that it's likely that you'll be allowed to smoke there. When buying a travel humidor, first make sure that it will accommodate cigars of the size and shape you prefer.

Then check it for durability. No matter how careful you are, your travel humidor will get jostled quite a bit. Make sure that it has a hinge that will stand up to a bit of abuse and repeated openings. If you're a frequent international flyer, you'll find yourself constantly opening the case for customs inspectors who are hunting for Cuban cigars. One long "piano" hinge that runs the length of the humidor is generally better than two or more hinges. Also, check to be sure that the humidification unit will stay in place as you sprint for a taxi or jam your bag into an overhead compartment.

Even if you don't travel a lot, you may still want a travel humidor. They are extremely convenient for setting up a temporary depot of cigars in another part of your home.

They are also perfect for keeping a few cigars humidified during the transition from a store's humidor to your own. Sometimes, however, even a travel humidor is too much. Then you may want to rely on tubos and cigar cases. Tubos -- cigars that come packed in tubes, which help them stay properly humidified after they are taken out of a humidor -- are a good one-at-a-time solution.

You can also purchase elegant silver or wooden tubes that will keep individual cigars properly moisturized for up to 72 hours. The drawback is that you will need several such tubes to carry a day's supply. On top of that, your tailor will hate them: they tend to be bulky and heavy and, when placed in a pocket, they ruin the "drape" of a garment.

Often the answer is to carry an elegant leather cigar case, loaded with the cigars you hope to smoke that day, and return any that you don't smoke that day to the humidor each evening. If you always smoke the same kind of cigar, you can get a case that fits your cigars exactly -- with "fingers" of the right diameter, and with the ability to telescope, if you favor long cigars.

Fingered cases offer the best protection because even a single cigar is held firmly in place and does not roll and bounce around within. If you smoke a varied selection, however, you will probably want to get an "open" case -- one without dividers or molded fingers -- which will accommodate a variety of sizes. When you buy a cigar case, wear the coat or jacket that has the smallest pockets of all the garments in your wardrobe.

Make sure that the case fits, and that you can live with the resulting bulge. Conversely, next time you go to have a suit, jacket or coat fitted, be sure to bring your cigar case. A good tailor will be able to adapt the garment so you can carry the case without looking as if you're packing a pistol. Also, when shopping for a case bring several cigars. Or use the occasion as an excuse to buy a few.

The first test of any case is how well it fits your cigars. Load the case and see if the you can slip the cigars in and out with reasonable ease.

Close the case, to make sure that it is not too short for your cigars.