Habanos are a natural product and keep changing after they leave Cuba. Stored well, they keep for years and many improve. Stored badly, they dry out, crack, go mouldy or attract beetles.
Humidity: 65 to 70%
Most collectors keep Cuban cigars between 65% and 70% relative humidity. Below that, wrappers dry and crack. Above it, cigars burn poorly and mould becomes a risk. A digital hygrometer tells you where you are. Two-way humidity packs make holding a steady level easy.
Temperature: cool and steady
Aim for roughly 16 to 20°C (61 to 68°F), away from sunlight and heat sources. Steady matters more than exact. Tobacco beetle eggs can hatch in warm conditions, generally above about 24°C (75°F), so a warm room in summer is the biggest risk.
Choosing a humidor
- A desktop humidor suits a few boxes’ worth of cigars.
- A cabinet or cooling humidor suits a growing collection and controls temperature as well as humidity.
- A sealed plastic container with humidity packs works well for boxes and costs little.
Keep cigars in their boxes
Cedar boxes protect the cigars and help them age evenly. Keep boxes closed and store them flat. Sealed boxes can stay sealed: they still breathe through the wood.
Warning signs
- Small round holes in wrappers, or fine dust: tobacco beetles. Remove affected cigars and check the rest.
- Fuzzy blue or green patches: mould. Lower the humidity and separate affected cigars.
- Fine white crystals that brush off easily are “plume”, and usually harmless. Fuzzy growth is not.
Building a collection
Well-stored boxes from other collections are often the best way to get aged Habanos. Each month we email what we have, at fair prices. Join the list.
Have cigars to sell?
Tell us what you have. We’ll review it and tell you plainly whether it fits what we buy. There’s no obligation.
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