Without question, the most important thing for cigars is proper humidity: the amount of moisture in the air surrounding them. A distant second is proper temperature. Cigars are tropical creatures. They were made in the tropics and they do not like leaving home. You need to “fool” them into thinking they’re still in the tropical climate or they will not be pleased and consequently neither will you.
What happens to a cigar in different temperatures and humidity levels?
Too Dry
If the humidity around your cigars drops below 60 percent, moisture and essential oils that pack a lot of the flavor begin to evaporate from the cigar. The lower the relative humidity, the faster this process occurs. The cigar gets dry, brittle, and hard. If you smoke it in this condition, the wrapper will probably unravel and the dry tobacco will burn hot and fast.
Almost any state in which you need heat during the winter is much too dry for cigars. Heat dries the air, which is already dry because the cold weather has robbed the air of ambient moisture.
Cold is not the only enemy of your cigars. A desert climate is also too dry for unhumidified cigars. Even if you live in Florida, where the humidity rarely drops below 60 percent your cigars are not safe. Air conditioning removes moisture from the air, so if its 75 percent humidity outside, the climate inside might be too dry for cigars. You need to humidify them. Remember, a humidity level that’s comfortable for you is not comfortable for your cigars.
Too Moist
On the other hand, if the humidity exceeds 80 percent, mold can start to develop. In the early stages, you can wipe off the mold. If it lingers unattended, however, it will take over your cigars, and moldy cigars taste like a musty basement smells. The excess moisture will also be absorbed at a faster rate by the springy filler tobacco than by the binder or wrapper, so the filler will swell and split your cigar wide open.
Too Hot
If your cigars are exposed to a heat source such as a radiator or heating duct, it will be tough to keep them humidified because the moisture will evaporate very quickly. If you live in a hot, dry climate, the cigars will tend to dry out unless they live in a regulated environment. Cigars cannot stand long periods of intense heat, so don’t lock them inside an automobile on a hot summer day.
Cigars also hate sunlight, so never put them near windows or in a car. At best, they’ll discolor and very quickly give up the essential oils that contain most of their flavor. At worst, they’ll dry out and split open. Unlike your friends and co-workers, your cigars will thank you for being kept in the dark.
Too Cold
You probably couldn’t stand indoor temperatures lower than 60 degrees Fahrenheit for very long, but as long as your cigars are humidified, they can tolerate this temperature. Even if you leave your home for extended periods and turn the heat down to 50 or 55 degrees, the cigars should be fine if humidified.
On the flip side, however, cigars can get too cold. A myth prevails among smokers that refrigeration or freezing preserves cigars. In fact, this treatment ruins them because freezers and refrigerators, like air conditioners, remove moisture. Never, ever chill your cigars. For the same reason, don’t leave them in a car during winter.