How to Store Cigars

Keep cigars at about 65–70% relative humidity and 65–70°F, away from sunlight. A humidor does that for months or years; for a few days, a sealed plastic bag with a two-way humidity pack works fine. Left out in normal room air, a cigar will start drying out within days.

Why cigars need humidity

Cigars are made in the humid tropics. Too dry, and the oils that carry the flavor evaporate, the wrapper cracks, and the cigar burns hot and fast. Too wet, and it will be hard to light, burn unevenly, and may grow mold. The goal is to keep them in the same conditions they were rolled in.

The numbers to remember

• Humidity: 65–70%. Many smokers find 65% gives a better burn; 70% is the traditional target.
• Temperature: 65–70°F. Above about 75°F, tobacco beetle eggs that may be present in the leaf can hatch and eat through your cigars.
• Away from light and heat. No windowsills, and not on top of the fridge.

Choosing a humidor

A humidor is a box, usually lined with Spanish cedar, that holds humidity steady. Buy one bigger than you think you need — most people fill theirs faster than expected, and an over-packed humidor does not circulate well.

• Desktop humidors hold roughly 25 to 150 cigars and are the most popular starting point.
• Travel humidors are small, sealed cases for carrying a few cigars.
• Humidor cabinets hold hundreds of cigars for serious collectors.

Browse our humidors and hygrometers.

Setting up a new humidor

New cedar is dry and will pull moisture out of your cigars, so it needs to be seasoned first.

1. Wipe the inside lightly with a clean cloth dampened with distilled water. It should look damp, not wet. Never use tap water, which leaves minerals behind.
2. Charge the humidifier (or add humidity packs) and put it in the humidor.
3. Close the lid and wait. Give it a few days to a week for the wood to absorb moisture and the reading to settle before adding cigars.
4. Check the hygrometer. Once it holds steady in the 65–70% range, you are ready.

Keeping it right

• Check your hygrometer weekly. Most inexpensive ones drift; calibrate them occasionally with a calibration kit or the salt test.
• Refill with distilled water or humidifier solution when humidity drops, or replace humidity packs when they go hard.
• Do not open it constantly. Every opening lets humidity escape.
• Rotate cigars now and then so the ones near the humidifier and the ones far from it stay even.

Short-term storage and common questions

I just bought a few cigars and have no humidor. What should I do?

Put them in a zip-top bag with a two-way humidity pack and keep it somewhere cool and dark. They will be fine for weeks. Without any humidity source, smoke them within a few days.

Should I take the cellophane off?

Either is fine. Cellophane slows humidity changes and protects the wrapper, which is handy if you move cigars around; removing it lets them age a little more quickly.

Can I keep cigars in the fridge?

Not for storage — a refrigerator is far too dry. Freezing is sometimes used on purpose to kill beetle eggs, but it is a specific process, not a place to keep cigars.

What is plume, and what is mold?

Plume, or bloom, is a fine white dust of crystallized oils that wipes off easily and is harmless. Mold is fuzzy, often blue-green, and stains the wrapper. Throw moldy cigars away, and lower your humidor's humidity.