Cigars have been around since Christopher Columbus’ first voyage to the New World, and even after years of war against cigarettes and tobacco, they are still popular. They may even be growing in popularity. According to the CDC, only 5% of adults smoked cigars in 2013, but 8% of teenagers did. Cigar aficionados know that there’s a world of difference between a fine cigar and the cheap cigarillo you purchase at the convenience store. If you’ve come to appreciate, and invest in, fine cigars, you’re going to want a humidor to store them in. If you don’t have one, here are three good reasons why you need one.
1. First, a humidor is a place to store cigars and keep them fresh. Technically, you could keep them fresh by sticking them in plastic Tupperware, but no cigar lover would stoop to that. Normally, a humidor is a wooden box that sits on a table or desk to keep cigars handy for smoking. “They should be kept at consistent temperature and humidity levels because some areas are hotter and more humid than others,” said Pine Cigars. Keeping a humidor indoors where you can store and enjoy your cigars will do the job.
2. A good humidor is a conversation piece, and they come in all sizes, shapes, and designs you can think of. If you’re a millionaire who’s also a cigar lover, you can have a walk-in humidor, and serious cigar lovers of lesser means might have an entire cigar cabinet. There are models standing six feet high, made of rich cherry woods in classical styles that hold 4,000 cigars and are internally climate-controlled by hidden electronics. The more humble desktop variety can be found or custom made to satisfy any taste. Popular woods include burled walnut, Spanish cedar, black oak, and various others, and the lids are often engraved or monogrammed. The fact is, almost anyone will instantly recognize a humidor, and those who appreciate a good cigar will appreciate a good humidor.
3. Cigars are sometimes aged. While aging won’t transform a bad cigar into a premium cigar, it will improve the taste of good cigars when done properly. Many sources feel that a cigar’s best flavor comes out when it’s stored at 65-70% humidity and 64 degrees Fahrenheit. Most experts recommend a minimum of 2-3 months aging before smoking. For some brands of cigars, two years might bring out the best taste, but in most cases you want to smoke them within ten years for best flavor.
If you appreciate good cigars in a way that goes well beyond smoking them, and want to show them off, a humidor is really the only choice.
