In many ways, fine cigars are like a fine wine. They are natural, organic and sensitive to their environment and must exist in a carefully controlled combination of temperature and moisture. Appropriately so, you might be worried about your cigars drying out during the winter months. But don’t be. Even with low humidity levels this time of year, we have a few simple ways to keep those stogies fresh even in drier climates.

Humidor

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In order to control the environment in which you store your cigars, you must own a humidor. This is a no brainer, but will inevitably keep your cigars from going stale. We suggest keeping your humidor close to a radiator in your home to help maintain a temperature as close to 70° as possible. Next, get a humistat. Depending on the size of your humidor and how many cigars you are storing at any given time, you may opt for a second humistat to provide just the right amount of humidity. Available at cigar shops or even music stores, these pocket sized humidifiers are a priceless safeguard in especially dry climates.

In addition to small humidifiers, we also recommend that you wipe the inside of your humidor with a moist washcloth using only distilled water as tap water could contain chlorine, minerals and other deposits that could prevent the humidifier from working. Do this every two or three weeks to achieve the best results.

Because humidors are often made overseas (China, the Philippines and Indonesia are the US’s main supplier of humidors), they’re constructed in countries with considerably high humidity levels. By the time a humidor reaches the drier climates of the US, the case can become warped as the wood begins to dry out. If the lid of your humidor begins to warp, you can try to refit it by adjusting the hinges. For a quick fix, try setting a heavy book on top of the case to heal seal the lid.

We suggest paying close attention to your cigars during the colder months, just to make sure they’re kept in a highly-controlled environment. It’s a small price to pay to keep your prized investments fresh and delicious all winter long.

Sources: oakbrooktobacco.com