Have you ever been in a position where you don’t know how to store a cigar properly?
Well, of course, you can buy a fancy humidor off Amazon, but why spend a lump sum if you are not even into cigars?
You may have just received an assortment of such in weddings, bachelor parties and you need to know how to store cigars without a humidor to keep it fresh till then.
..and now you need to store them lest they get ruined, you might have saved some cigar for later use.
With humidors off the charts, what are your options? Do you just put it on your bedside table and forget about it? Or will the freezer be the perfect place? After all, it does keep the vegetables fresh.
Do yourself a favor and drop all these options. Your cigar is not a stationary item to be preserved in the drawer, and neither is it a piece of fruit or vegetable to be kept in the chiller!
Both of these options are going to ruin your cigar. Fortunately, there are ways to preserve it (without a humidor)
But before you get there, knowing the optimal conditions for storing the cigars would help.
Perfect Condition to Store Cigars:
Before knowing how to store cigars without a humidor.
If there are fluctuations in humidity and temperature, the cigar’s ability to burn and subsequently its taste will be impacted.
To keep that in control and to make your cigars taste like a dream, you need 70% humidity and 70 degrees in the storage unit.
There is a slight wiggle room, of course. You can keep the humidity level between 65-72% and the temperature in the same range as well.
But would all cigars do well even if stored properly? Maybe not. There are tons of misconceptions around it.
Let’s go pop one of the major bubbles.
Cigar myths:
Let’s know about a few myths to clear your misconception regarding how to store cigars without a humidor.
If you are under the impression that spongier cigars are the best, you couldn’t be more wrong!
In no world does it mean that such cigars are fresh. In fact, if the cigar is too moist and soft, it will not burn properly and will suffer from tons of other issues.
Ideally, the “perfect” cigar should have a soft firmness and should be able to bounce back once you give it a gentle squeeze between your fingers.
But yes, you need to control the pressure of the squeeze. We don’t want the wrapper leaves to crack.
Please note that all cigars are not the same. There are some blends that are packed more densely and are more firm. Other cigars are maybe softer to touch than these.
As a rule of thumb ( if you are buying your own cigar), take a good look at the shape.
If it is from a premium brand, it will have the ideal shape and softness, and you will have to maintain that.
Alright, so where does a humidor fit in all this?
Purpose of humidor:
The sole purpose of the humidor is to maintain the optimal temperature and humidity level for the cigar.
Most of the humidors thus contain a wooden box with a lid and cedar lining on the inside.
There are additional pieces of equipment on the high-end humidors like a reservoir and a hygrometer.
The box needs to be seasoned before use and from time to time so that it can store the cigars well and promote their aging.
Talking about the investment, the range is varied. While the inexpensive ones are at a pocket pinch of $30, the high-end ones can cost $500 or more.
While all this sounds lovely and very desirable, humidors may not be for you if you are not a cigar fan. Or maybe you don’t want to spend on this right away.
Check: DIY Humidor - How to Make Cigar Humidor Of Your Own
But no worries, there are other ways regarding how to store cigars without a humidor, and we will look at a few options:
How to store cigars without humidor: Simple Methods
Ziplock bags:
The easiest and simplest way to store your cigars is by having them in ziplock bags. If you have noticed, premium brands always wrap the cigars in a plastic sleeve during the time of the purchase.
So, just stick to the basics and use the same.
However, this is a short time arrangement. The bag does take care of the temperature issue, but you still need a humidity source to make your cigars last longer.
Thus enters humidity pouches.
Humidity pouches:
You can use these pouches or pillows along with the Ziploc bags. These pouches are engineered to take care of the humidity concern right away.
They release moisture through their skin and adds around 65%, 69%, or 72% humidity (predetermined level)
The best part about these pouches is that they require no additional maintenance. All you need to do is keep it shut firmly, or the humidity will escape.
Tupperware storage:
If you want added protection to your cigars, a Tupperware box or a glass jar can be ideal. In fact, this can be your makeshift humidor.
However, do not forget to use a sponge to keep up the humidity level. Soak the sponge in distilled water and no other water.
Standard tap water contains chemicals that can deteriorate the taste and the quality of the cigars. In the worst-case scenario, your cigars might grow molds!
Cooler:
While the storing methods mentioned so far are for short-term use, a small cooler can be a long-term alternative to a humidor.
You might as well not require to buy a humidor! How cool is that?
A small cooler will work perfectly and keep your cigars fresh; the only thing you need to ensure is that it is tightly sealed.
So, these are the way regarding how to store cigars without a humidor.
However, you would still require some amount of humidification for this arrangement to work. For that, you can pick up a humidification unit. A digital hygrometer is a good deal to look into. However, a lot will depend on the number of cigars you aim to stock up.
In addition to the mentioned techniques of storing cigars, there are a few other things that you need to keep on your mind.
Few Other Things Regarding how to store cigars without a humidor
Cigar rotating: Make sure you rotate your smokes regularly so that the same cigars are not always close to the humidity source. Ideally, all the cigars in your case should get equal humidification.
Keep them free of smell: Always keep in mind that cigars are very similar to sponges. They tend to absorb all smells around them. Thus this greatly applies to your flavored cigars ( if you have any). Do not keep your vanilla, coffee, and cherry-flavored cigars with the regular ones. The best thing to do is have the cigars packed up in a Ziploc bag or use some other means of storage.
Re-humidification: Yes, your old shriveled cigars can be revived based on the conditions they are in. For starters, you can put them in a Ziploc bag or a Tupperware box and have a humidification source. However, the rejuvenation process is gradual. You don’t put your cigars in a full humidity blast. The wrappers can crack if you shock them with too much moisture. Introduce humidity gradually, and over time, the cigars will revive.
With the weekend right ahead of you, it may be time to smoke a cigar and knowing how to store cigars without a humidor may come in handy
But to enjoy such bliss, you need to first keep your cigars stored properly, and yes, you can do it without a humidor too! So gear up and pamper your smokes.