Moisture and humidity play crucial roles in the proper storage and ageing of cigars. Cigars are made from aged and fermented tobacco leaves, which require specific conditions to maintain their flavour, aroma, and overall quality.
To ensure you are getting the best smoking experience from your cigars, you need to ensure that your cigars are kept at the right level of moisture and humidity. Here we will explain everything you need to know about how humidity and moisture affect cigars, why they need to be stored correctly and how to keep your cigars at their optimum humidity level.
What is the Difference Between Moisture and Humidity for Cigars?
Moisture refers to the amount of water present in the tobacco leaves. It plays a vital role in maintaining the cigar’s pliability, preventing it from becoming brittle and easily damaged. Humidity, on the other hand, relates to the moisture content of the surrounding environment.
Why Do Cigars Need to Be Kept Humid?
Cigars are hygroscopic, meaning they can absorb and release moisture, making them highly sensitive to changes in humidity levels. If the air is too humid, cigars can become spongey and damp, while too dry means your cigar will become brittle and crack.
An important thing to consider is that cigars are predominantly produced in countries with high levels of humidity and moisture, like Cuba.
When a cigar first leaves the factory it has been made in, it will have between 12-15% moisture content. If the moisture levels of your cigar are higher or lower than this when you go to smoke it, the burn can become uneven and destroy the smoke, flavour and aroma of the cigar, or it will burn too hot, creating an unpleasant taste.
Cigars need to be kept in conditions similar to this for optimum smoking results. In other countries, like the UK, the humidity levels will be different or inconsistent, and so a humidor is required to maintain a consistent level of humidity for your cigars.
What Humidity Should Cigars Be Kept At?
When we talk about humidity levels for cigars, it refers to the relative humidity in the air. By controlling the relative humidity in the air around your cigars (in your humidor), you can control the moisture content in your cigars.
The best humidity level to store cigars is a relative humidity (RH) of between 65-70%. For everyday smokers, an RH of 65-70% will keep your cigars fresh and flavourful with a decent burn.
If you wish to store your cigars longer term for ageing or collecting, you may want to adjust these levels to suit your specific cigars. The size of the cigars you are storing can have an impact on the optimal humidity. Cigars can be stored between the range of about 62% to 80% humidity. The average that is recommended is 70%.
What Happens If There Is Too Much Moisture in a Cigar?
If a cigar is kept in too humid conditions, then it will become damp. Most cigar smokers will agree that going over 70 percent humidity is too much. A cigar that is damp will become difficult to draw smoke through, as the tobacco leaves swell as they absorb moisture.
The burn of the cigar will also be affected, typically causing a tunnelling effect where one side of the stogie will burn faster than the other. The excess moisture in the cigar will also produce far more smoke than a properly-stored cigar would, and this can overload your senses, muting your ability to properly enjoy the taste of your cigar.
You can tell that a cigar is too damp if it feels spongy and soft. Excess moisture and humidity can lead to other problems, such as mould or holes from tobacco beetles, which both thrive in damp and humid conditions. If there is evidence of these issues on your cigar, then it should be thrown away, and your humidor should be thoroughly cleaned.
What Happens if a Cigar is Too Dry?
Cigars gain, retain or lose moisture from the environment depending on the conditions they are kept in. A cigar left in the sun or near a heater might dry out within a few hours.
If left for too long and the cigar dries out completely, the oils found in the cigar will have evaporated, taking much of the cigar’s flavour with it. While introducing the cigar to high levels of humidity can help the cigar to regain some moisture, the cigar will never taste as bold and delicious as it once did.
A dry cigar will also present issues with its burn, causing it to smoke fast and hot. This will again cause damage to the oils, making any flavour that remains evaporate before you get the chance to appreciate it!
A dry cigar will feel brittle and may show some cracks in the wrapper. A cigar that has been stored at the right temperature will have a smooth wrapper with a slightly oily feel.
How to Keep Cigars in the Right Condition
The best way to keep cigars in their optimum conditions is to use a humidor. A humidor is a humidity-controlled box, often made from Spanish cedar wood, that regulates the humidity levels within it, allowing you to store your cigar collection safely.
Our definitive guide to cigar humidification will explain everything you need to know about these essential cigar storage containers.
Moisture and humidity have a significant impact on the quality and enjoyment of cigars. Maintaining proper moisture levels helps preserve the flavours, aromas, burn, and draw characteristics of cigars, enhancing the overall smoking experience. By investing in a humidor, monitoring humidity levels, and following proper storage and humidification techniques, you can ensure that your cigars remain in optimal condition.
Remember, the art of cigar smoking lies not only in choosing premium cigars but also in the careful preservation of their integrity through proper moisture and humidity control. So, embrace the science behind cigars and savour the complexities they have to offer.
