A premium cigar is the result of the rigorous treatment tobacco leaves are subjected to. Being that it is a totally organic product, it can not be kept by artificial means such as chemical conservants. Therefore, cigar storage must be given the same special care as the mother leaf was given. In other words, temperature and humidity must be controlled, keeping them stable in order to alter the cigar’s environment in the least way possible. Cigars respond to the environment they are kept in, which has great influence on the cigar’s composition, varying its taste, combustion and draw.

The ideal instrument designed to store cigars is the humidor. It is a box with a firm and equilibrated structure, holes that allow for a little ventilation and it is equipped, in its interior, with a hygrometer or devise which creates a microclimate of relatively stable conditions where the temperature should ideally fluctuate between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius and hold a relative humidity of between 70 and 72%. The humidor contains small boards and plywood to distribute the cigars.
 

Though the humidor provides constant regulation, humidity concentration is not uniform; it is higher the closer it is to the hygrostat. Smoker enthusiasts take into consideration the needs of each cigar they wish to store and for example, the drier ones are paradoxically placed as far as possible from the source of humidity, in order to obtain a paused and uniform hydration. They are then moved towards the center.


On the other hand, the humidor in itself requires maintenance, such as changing the distilled water from its hygrostat, keeping it far from air conditioning or sun exposure, and complete periodical cleanings.

Cigar storage is important so that selected cigars become neither fragile nor brittle, last longer and especially because it is an aspect that completes the ritual of the cigar.
Note: Even the finest cigars may contain latent microorganisms in the leaves that reappear due to the humidor’s heat and deteriorate them. It is advisable to get completely rid of those that have been infested by the tobacco’s mold or beetles, in order to avoid infesting the rest of the stored cigars. If that were the case, you may freeze the rest of the cigars in a plastic bag for around 48 hours and then defrost them gradually so the wrappers don’t detach. You may then proceed to put them back into the humidor after having cleaned and aired them properly.