Like fine wine, cigars are natural products that live, breathe and age. They’re loaded with natural oils and sugars that provide all the character, flavor and the foundation for improving with age. In fact, we even speak of the “marriage” of the wrapper, binder and filler, where the respective oils and sugars contribute to a harmonious whole. To really appreciate the harmony of flavors in fine cigars, they need to age--allowed to mellow and develop the “bloom” that naturally occurs as the oils and sugars mature into the rich, smooth nuanced flavors that were the reason you bought the cigars in the first place.

And like all natural products, they must be cared for properly to fully enjoy the potential the cigar master intended you to have when you actually smoke them. To do that, you need to know some of the basics about cigar care, and indeed, about cigar tobacco.

Tobacco is “hygroscopic”
An important factor is that tobacco is “hygroscopic," meaning it has the characteristic to readily draw moisture from the surrounding environment as well as give up its moisture. Unfortunately, this makes it difficult to maintain the natural oils and sugars contained within the blend.

Humidity Fluctuations and Cycles are Bad for Cigars
The biggest enemies to fine cigars are fluctuations and/or cycles in humidity. The first problem is caused by the environment while the second is caused by the products that attempt to control it.

In other words, humidity fluctuations are caused by the normal changes in ambient temperature and humidity, whereas cycles in humidity are caused when using any refillable humidification device. Both are bad for your cigars.

The humidity inside your humidor climbs higher when any refillable device is first filled with water followed by a steady drop in humidity as the water evaporates. During each of these cycles, some of the natural oils and sugars contained within the cigar’s blend dissipate along with the moisture, robbing the cigar of its character, flavor and its foundation for improving with age.

Furthermore, the jolt in humidity that happens when a refillable device is filled with water also create an environment for your humidor to acquire mold, mildew and bacteria. This not only can cause off-flavors in your cigars but can also cause degradation during the aging process.


Eliminating Fluctuations and Cycles in Humidity is Required for Cigars to Improve with Age
Two-way humidity control continually responds to the environment and maintains a very stable and precise RH. It is this stability that prevents loss of the natural oils, sugars and flavor as your cigars age.
Click here to learn more about two way humidity control.

Should I Remove the Cellophane Wrapper?
It’s a personal choice. The cello physically protects the cigar from handling damage, but it also prevents the cigar from marrying with its neighbors and absorbing character from the cedar lining. So if all the cigars are the same style…e.g. all Connecticut Shade, you may choose remove the cello. But if you have multiple types of cigars in your humidor…perhaps some Maduros, some CT Shade, some Rosado… you might want to keep the cello on so that each type maintains its unique character.

How Long Can I Age Cigars?
For the most part, it’s a matter of conjecture and results will vary with the type and quality of the tobacco. Some folks say up to 10 years, but many collectors including the staff at Cigar Aficionado magazine have tasted pre-embargo Cubans that have aged for over 40 years and they were clearly fantastic. So use your own judgment…Just like cellaring wine, you should taste one every year or so to see how they’re doing. The bottom line? Cigars will improve very nicely with age…but only if they’re stored in a proper aging environment.

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