Cigar Humidors

Most everyone knows that cigars are made from the leaf of the tobacco plant. However, not so many people understand that cigars need to be kept in a certain environment to ensure their quality. Cigars should be kept in temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Humidity levels should remain constant at 70-75 percent. These conditions allow a cigar to maintain its life for countless years. Without these conditions, your cigar could be worthless within a few days.

Keep Your Cigars in Top Condition

If cigars dry out, they start to peel and crack. Burning a cigar that is dry will not be a very pleasant experience. They burn quickly and taste very harsh. Placing these cigars in a humidor may restore them. If it does not, you should return them to the place where you bought them (if they were purchased in this condition). If you were the cause of their dryness, you have learned an expensive and valuable lesson.

Cigars that are too moist do not burn well, either. They are difficult to light, and do not have good air circulation. They can also promote the growth of microscopic organisms that you don't want to breathe into your system. To know if your cigar is in good condition, you should do the pinch test. The wrapper should be tender, but not too soft.

A humidor may be an unknown term to someone who is not familiar with cigar terminology. A humidor is simply a box that is used to store cigars. Many are simply wooden boxes crafted out of cedar or rosewood. Others are more elaborate with a hygrometer that gives humidity readings. However, you should never rely solely on the readings of these meters. The cigars themselves will tell you if the conditions inside are right.

Cigar, Anyone?

Some people choose to simply store their cigars in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel rolled up inside to keep the air moist. This is certainly a less expensive way to store cigars. You should always make sure the bag is sealed, and not left in an area where the temperature changes throughout the day.

Cigar smoking is on the rise, despite the health warnings of the Surgeon General. Many people are putting down the cigarettes and lighting up the stogies. This resurgence of cigar smoking may be due to the fact that many people believe that cigar smoking is not as bad as cigarette smoking. (You do not inhale cigar smoke.) However, reports show that cigar smoke can be as damaging to your health as smoking cigarettes.

Hollywood stars have been known to publicly tout their cigar smoking habits, which may explain why it is being accepted in mainstream society. If you are popular, rich and the envy of others, your actions will be mimicked. . .whether the imitation is aimed at your fashion style, your choice of car, or your habit of smoking cigars. Many people are more comfortable around cigar smokers than cigarette smokers. Cigar smokers seem to exude a feeling of power and sophistication, while cigarette smokers are often forced to hide out for a quick puff.

Many hotels, fine restaurants and clubs are catering to the cigar smoker by providing cigar smoking rooms and lounges. Cigarette smokers may feel ostracized by this move since they are being banned by many businesses. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in years to come. In the meantime, cigar smoking continues to be an increasingly popular diversion for some, and a passion for others.