How to Store Cigars Without a Humidor

Storing cigars without a humidor can be challenging, as maintaining the ideal humidity and temperature is crucial for preserving their quality and flavor. While humidors are specifically designed for this purpose, there are alternative methods that can effectively keep cigars fresh. 

This article explores various techniques and best practices for storing your cigars without a humidor, ensuring they remain in optimal condition for enjoyment.

Basic Principles of Cigar Storage

Proper cigar storage ensures a smooth smoking experience. To do this, maintaining stable temperature and humidity levels is essential.

Why Is Humidity Important for Storing Cigars?

Humidity plays a crucial role in cigar storage, directly affecting their quality, flavor, and longevity. Cigars are made from natural tobacco leaves, which are hygroscopic, meaning they absorb and release moisture from their environment. Using a proper humidor helps regulate these moisture levels, ensuring an optimal smoking experience.

The ideal humidity level for cigars is typically between 65% and 72%. This range helps to maintain the cigars' moisture content, preventing them from drying out or becoming overly saturated. 

Adding a Boveda pack can further help maintain the ideal levels by providing consistent two-way humidification.

If cigars are stored in an environment below this range, they can become dry and brittle, leading to a harsh smoking experience. Dry cigars are also prone to cracking and unraveling, which can further degrade their quality. Empty cigar boxes alone will not provide adequate protection, making a humidifier a crucial addition to maintaining air conditions inside a humidor.

One of the best solutions for maintaining ideal humidity is using Boveda packs—the industry standard for cigar humidification. These two-way humidity control packs automatically regulate moisture levels by adding or absorbing humidity as needed, ensuring consistent conditions inside your humidor. 

Unlike traditional humidifiers, Boveda packs require no maintenance—just place one in your humidor and enjoy perfect conditions for months.

Conversely, storing your cigars in an environment with too much humidity can lead to over-saturation. Excess moisture can cause the cigars to swell, potentially leading to issues such as mold growth and an uneven burn.

Mold can develop on the lid and surface of the cigars, rendering them unsmokable and potentially damaging the entire collection if not addressed promptly.

Key Insight: Regular monitoring of your cigar storage’s humidity levels is essential, as fluctuations can occur due to changes in temperature or other environmental factors.

How Does Temperature Affect Cigar Quality?

Temperature plays a crucial role in keeping your cigars fresh, as it directly influences the preservation of structural integrity. The optimal temperature range for cigars is generally between 64°F and 70°F (18°C to 21°C). This range helps to ensure that the cigars remain in a stable condition, preventing the tobacco from drying out or becoming overly moist. 

Temperature fluctuations can have a detrimental impact on cigars. Rapid changes in temperature can cause the tobacco to expand and contract, leading to potential cracking of the wrapper and compromising the cigar's overall structure. 

When storing cigars, consistent temperature is key to avoiding these physical changes, which can affect the draw and burn of the cigar.

Temperatures above the recommended range can accelerate the aging process, potentially leading to the development of off-flavors and the loss of the cigar's intended taste profile. 

High temperatures can also increase the risk of tobacco beetle infestations, as these pests thrive in warmer conditions. 

Direct sunlight or prolonged exposure to bright artificial light can dry out the cigar and cause the wrappers to crack, breaking down the essential oils in the tobacco leaves, and diminishing its flavor and aroma. 

To prevent this, cigars should always be stored in a dark, cool place, such as a closed humidor away from windows or direct light sources.

Conversely, temperatures below the optimal range can slow down the aging process, which may be desirable for some cigar enthusiasts seeking to preserve their cigars for extended periods.

What Items Can Help Maintain Humidity?

When you first learn how to store cigars without a humidor, finding the right humidification method is essential. 

Several items can be effectively used to maintain humidity levels, keeping your cigars fresh and ensuring they don’t dry out. These simple methods and humidification devices provide reliable moisture control: 

• Boveda Humidity Control Packs: The industry standard for cigar humidification. These two-way control packs regulate humidity by releasing or absorbing moisture as needed, ensuring a consistent 70% humidity level. We recommend using Boveda for reliable, maintenance-free humidification.

• Humidification Beads: Designed to help regulate moisture in a humidor, these reusable beads absorb excess humidity and release it when needed, maintaining a stable storage environment for your cigars.

• Xikar Travel Case: A durable, airtight cigar travel case made to protect cigars on the go. This lightweight case is perfect for both local outings and travel. Built to withstand wear and tear, the Xikar Travel Case keeps cigars fresh, secure, and properly humidified wherever you take them.

• Distilled Water Method: A small dish of distilled water allows moisture to gradually evaporate, helping maintain humidity levels. While this is a low-cost alternative, it requires frequent monitoring to ensure consistency.

• Sponge (Not Recommended): A clean, unused sponge dampened with water may provide temporary humidity. It’s inexpensive, but we don’t recommend this method due to the high risk of mold and contamination.

If you're looking for expertly crafted cigars, check out Renegade Cigars' best-selling selections. Here are some top picks to elevate your smoking experience

Padron 1964	ADVentura Queen's Pearls	Rocky Patel Perfect Timing
Strength: Medium + Tasting Notes: Chocolate fudge, earthy cocoa bean, espresso	Strength: Mild - Medium Tasting Notes: Vanilla, citrus fruits, black tea	Strength: Medium Tasting Notes: Sweet, creamy, rich leather
Check Price	Check Price	Check Price

How Often Should You Check on Your Cigars?

When you store your cigars without a humidor, regular monitoring is essential. Inspect the cigars at least once every few weeks to ensure humidity and temperature levels remain within the recommended ranges (65-72% humidity, 64-70°F).

How to Calibrate a Hygrometer

A hygrometer is a device that measures humidity levels, helping you track moisture conditions to prevent cigars from drying out or becoming too moist. To ensure accurate humidity readings, follow these steps to calibrate your hygrometer using the salt test:

1. Fill a bottle cap or small dish with table salt.
2. Add a few drops of distilled water until the salt becomes damp (not dissolved).
3. Place the salt dish and hygrometer inside a sealed plastic bag or airtight container.
4. Let it sit for 24 hours at room temperature.
5. After 24 hours, the humidity inside should read between the recommended range. If your hygrometer displays a different number, adjust it accordingly (if your model allows) or note the difference when reading future humidity levels.

Using a hygrometer and thermometer can provide accurate readings, helping to prevent excess humidity or dryness as long as they are calibrated regularly. However, we trust Boveda packs more than Hygrometers as they require no calibration.

Signs of Improper Cigar Storage

Regular visual and tactile inspections can help detect storage issues. Look for these warning signs:

• Mold growth (white or blue-green spots)
• Dryness or brittleness
• Swelling or excessive moisture
• Musty or sour odors
• Changes in texture (too soft or too hard)

Plastic bags or empty cigar boxes can work as short-term storage solutions, but without humidity control, they will not provide long-term protection. 

Checking cigars frequently and adjusting moisture levels as needed can help preserve quality and freshness.

Preserve Your Cigars

Storing cigars without a humidor requires careful attention to maintaining appropriate conditions. Alternative storage methods, such as plastic containers, resealable bags, and coolers, can be effective when combined with makeshift humidification systems to help cigars stay fresh.

Regular monitoring and maintenance are essential to ensure cigars remain fresh and undamaged. Understanding the basic principles of cigar storage and employing practical solutions allows enthusiasts to protect their collection, even outside a traditional humidor. 

Whether you're storing single sticks or full cigar boxes, proper care is key to preserving flavor and quality.

Ready to elevate your cigar maintenance game? While these tips help, nothing beats a humidor for long-term protection. Explore Renegade Cigars, your go-to cigar shop, for a carefully curated selection of premium cigars and accessories. Our knowledgeable team ensures you get the best smoking experience with expert advice and top-tier customer service. Don’t wait—experience the difference today!