How to Stack Cigars in a Humidor

Your cigars are an investment. Storing and caring for them properly is necessary to insure they’re in perfect shape whenever the right occasions pop up to fire up. If you’ve been fretting over how to arrange the smokes in your humidor, here are a few helpful hints and answers to some common questions.

Can You Mix Different Cigars in a Humidor?

Mixing different cigars in a humidor is completely acceptable. Some cigar lovers prefer to keep stronger cigars separate from milder brands. It’s a matter of personal preference. Cigars are like sponges. They absorb the taste and aroma of what is near them. When different cigars are stored together in a humidor, they naturally tend to exchange flavor profiles, especially if they’re stored for a long period of time. A lot cigar lovers enjoy the effect. If your humidor includes a tray or an interior divider, you can always separate different brands with a barrier. Or, you can organize your cigars according to their wrapper varietal or country of origin.

Never Store Flavored Cigars in Your Humidor

Unless you exclusively smoke flavored cigars like Drew Estate’s Acid or Java brands, never store flavored cigars in your humidor. It’s best to keep any and all flavored cigars separate from your non-flavored brands. Because flavored cigars are infused with oils that are not natural to the tobaccos they’re made from, their flavors can overwhelm the environment they’re kept in. Storing a single flavored cigar in a humidor, even for a very short period of time, can cause all of your other cigars to taste like they’ve been flavored. In turn, your humidor and humidification unit will absorb and pass the flavored taste onto any cigars you store in the future. Isolate flavored cigars in a ziplock bag with a humidity pouch.

Cellophane or No Cellophane?

Generally speaking, it’s best to take the cellophane off – at least if you plan to age your cigars for a while. The natural bouquet of flavor and aroma premium cigars emit evolves over time. Removing the cellophane encourages the exchange of oils between cigars and the aging process. The one exception to removing the cellophane is if you plan to travel with your cigars or transport them. In that case, it’s best to leave the cellophane to protect the wrapper when you’re hauling a few handmades over to your buddy’s man cave.

Rotate Your Cigars

However you stack your cigars, rotate them every week or two. It’s not ideal for the same cigars to always sit closest to your humidification source. Move the cigars from the bottom rows to the top and vice versa on a semi-regular basis.

Leave Some Extra Space in Your Humidor

Whether you store your smokes in a traditional Spanish cedar humidor or a cavernous coolerdor, don’t fill it to the gills. Leave at least 20-25% of the space in your humidor free. This gives the air and humidity a better opportunity to circulate.