How To Make Those Cigars Last As Long As Possible - Without A Cigar Humidor

Thrift isn't always fashionable. For example, think of the period that ended almost a decade ago.

During the 1990s, as the decade loped along and the economy inched further and further upward--eventuating in the longest period of peacetime economic expansion in living memory. Those ripped dime-store flannel shirts that were OK earlier in the decade (thanks to the combined effect of Cobain, Copeland, and Richard Linklater's indie classic Slacker) were gradually replaced by the extremely expensive, professionally-ripped, only-apparently-dime-store flannel shirts popularized by fashion designer Marc Jacobs.

Right now, though, all the trends are pointing the other way. Thanks to the economy, and the worsening ecological situation, it's gradually become cool to find ways not to spend money. Or, at least, if you must spend money, not to flaunt it. It's hip to take care of your things, and unhip to let them go to waste.

And so many cigar smokers are probably wondering, right now, how to make sure their sticks don't "go bad" before they've had a chance to smoke them. So--and I can't stress this enough--if you buy and smoke cigars, your best storage option is a cigar humidor.

Nothing beats a cigar humidor, and reasonably-priced but effective options are on the market. But if, at the moment, your situation precludes buying a cigar humidor; or you just really, really don't want one for some reason--there are some less-effective, but (in the short term) perfectly workable alternatives.

The first thing to remember is that tobacco is mostly grown in semi-tropical conditions. The storage system that best replicates those conditions--temperate warm temperatures (around seventy degrees), mild moistness/dampness without outright wetness (you don't want them to spoil), seventy percent humidity or so, and no exposure to tobacco beetles--is the storage system that'll keep your cigars viable the longest.

First of all, buy your cigars from a good shop that pays attention to or specializes in cigars, or from an online emporium that has the cash to spare for decent storage. Cigars that came from a cigar humidor in the first place will hold up longer than those that don't.

Often new-bought cigars come fresh from the cigar humidor in a plastic or Ziploc-style wrapping. Keep them rolled up tight in that wrapping. If you smoke them within a month of purchase, they're likely to stay in pretty fine shape.

Keep them in a relatively dry part of the house, in a plastic bag that can be closed tightly, with a slightly moist handkerchief or paper towel to create the effect of tropical humidity levels. (The level of dampness you're aiming for here is about that of a cool cloth that you might put on a sunburned person's forehead--a drippy paper towel is too much.) Wet it a little, wring it out thoroughly, wad it, and place it in the bag's corner, experts advise.

One mistake many cigar smokers make (perhaps remembering what is sometimes done with cheap cigar packs) is to place their cigars in the refrigerator, thinking that, perhaps, what works for bread and milk will work for your tropical-warmth-requiring, excessive-moisture-heating cigars. Unfortunately, refrigerators are about as good for cigars as they are for bananas. They'll turn your cigars into hot, icky-tasting messes--and the "refrigerator burn" effect poses even further risks for your cigars' tastes. Keep cigars out of the fridge at all costs.

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