 |
Cigar Adviser
The Editors
Published in: December 1, 1998
Published November/December 1998
The Cigar Adviser
Dear Reader,
Over the past few years, Cigar Aficionado readers have consistently asked certain questions, the FAQs of the cigar world. Here are the answers to the top four.
Q: What is the proper level of humidity and temperature for the optimum storage of cigars?
There is an easy way to remember the perfect temperature and humidity for cigar storage: 70/70. That's 70 percent humidity and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, roughly matching the growing conditions of the tobacco. There is a small range for both that will keep your cigars in ideal smoking condition, although any deviation from 70/70 should be watched carefully.
There is little harm done if the temperature climbs a few degrees above 70 or if humidity levels reach 75 percent. But as those two measures climb, you run the risk of problems. Tobacco beetle eggs, which are sometimes present in cigars, will hatch at 75 degrees and above. With higher humidity levels, you run the risk of a greenish blue mold forming on the cigars, which can cause damage, and the cigars can begin to feel spongy. (By the way, many British smokers prefer a cigar with an ambient humidity level in the mid-60s; I find those cigars too dry.)
You should also remember that for every drop in degree of temperature, you need to boost the humidity to maintain the ideal level. Some people ask if it's OK to store their cigars in a 55-degree wine cellar. In theory, there's nothing wrong with that temperature; it will prevent the hatching of any tobacco beetles; at worst, it will simply slow down the aging process of the cigar. But at that temperature, you would need about 80 percent humidity to keep the cigars in smokable condition. Q: What can I do to save my cigars if I find a tobacco beetle in my humidor?
Tobacco beetles can destroy a humidor full of cigars with amazing speed, so there's only one thing to do: throw out the cigars with holes and immediately put the remaining cigars in a plastic bag and freeze them. Leave them in the freezer for two or three days. That will kill any beetles or larvae present. Then, move the cigars from the freezer to the coldest part of the refrigerator for at least 48 hours. That allows them to defrost slowly. If you have a slightly warmer section of your refrigerator, say, a vegetable bin, put the cigars in there for another couple of days before putting them back in your humidor. But before you do that, be sure you wipe down the humidor completely with a clean, lint-free cloth dampened with distilled water. Then give the cigars about a week in the humidor to return completely to room temperature.
I'm often asked if the freezing process damages the cigar. If you're careful, the damage should be minimal or nonexistent. But it's clearly not a good thing to freeze organic material. On the other hand, it's not as bad as a beetle infestation, which will leave all your cigars unsmokable.
Q: How far down should you smoke a cigar?
There's no single rule here. The basic fact of cigar smoking is this: as you smoke, there is a buildup of tars and nicotine at the head of the cigar. Therefore, the more you smoke, the stronger the taste of the cigar will become.
Some people prefer that stronger taste and like to smoke the cigar to the knuckle-burning stage. Others find that the taste becomes harsh and/or bitter, and they prefer to stop smoking at about the halfway point. The only rule of thumb is to stop smoking the cigar when the taste becomes unpleasant.
Q: Should you keep the band on the cigar or remove it?
This is a cultural decision as much as anything. In some countries, it is considered very ostentatious to leave the band on. But in others, it is considered perfectly acceptable. In the United States today, it is generally accepted that people will leave the band on the cigar. Most cigar manufacturers prefer people to leave it on, because it serves as advertising for their brand. And, in the cigar bar environment, many people find that the band serves as a conversation piece as in, "What are you smoking?"
However, it is true that some people leave on their bands as a status symbol. If you don't like that message, don't do it.
RSS