Tubos-to cap or not to cap?

[qualudecosby]

Just received my first box of tubos. Never really thought much of the tube itself but see it provides protection during travels.

So I'm trying one out last night and give my the kid the empty tube. He promptly fills it with water and puts the cap back on. I ask him if any water is leaking out and there is not. This made we wonder, if these are in my humidor cap on sealed, are they getting any benefits of the steady humidity or will they slowly dry out? Any advise on whether I should remove all the caps would be great.

By the way the Bolivar #1 in the tube was a very nice smoke. Started a wee bit edgy but quickly settles down. First cigar that I have noticed some fruit notes.

[irratebass]

Just because I am paranoid I leave them in the cap, with the top off in the humi, but this for NCs only.....I don't have experience with CC tubes.

[CaptainQuintero]

Some seem better constructed than others, randomly to me too.

Personally I stick the whole box, as it came into my humi

I planned to take the lid of each tube and let them all acclimatise to my humi levels and then put the lids back on, but I never bothered

I personally wouldn't keep tubed cigars outside of a humidity for longer than a couple of weeks depending on the rh of the room/car/etc they are in just because the seals aren't always brilliant

[Orion21]

IF the cap is on super tight the chance of air exchange is minimal. That being said, I would be more worried about temp swings than actual humidity. The tubes are painted aluminium, unless there is a gap in the seal they are pretty airtight.

Doesn't everyone's tubos smell of sea breeze and Cuban rum when they open them???

[ChiTownHuck]

I personally leave the caps on.

[DWC]

I've read numerous times that tubos seem more prone to mold. So when I finally got around to getting some, knowing that most overseas vendors ship cigars a little on the wet side, I took them all out of the tubes and put them in a tuperdor with a hygrometer. When the rh came down to where I wanted them, I put them back in the tubes and put the box away in the cooler. And yes, they were shipped a lot wetter than I would have been comfortable storing.

It's probably excessive but it gave me peace of mind.

-Dan

[garbandz]

" if these are in my humidor cap on sealed, are they getting any benefits of the steady humidity or will they slowly dry out? "

well they cannot dry out more than your humi,can they?

I find that tubo cigars are very aromatic and age that way.I feel that tubes slow the effects of age while keeping the essence intact.

Lately I have been enjoying some '07 Punch tubos,the aromas are nice and flavors really pop.....

[garbandz]

" It's probably excessive but it gave me peace of mind"

worth the effort in my opinion............I have done this too...........

[vinnyvega]

Caps on.

[sactochris]

I check them all when I first get them and if they seem properly humidified then I just put them back in the tubes. HU Corona Majors are one of my mainstay cigars so I usually just leave them in the box and grab a few when I'm going some place. That's my favorite thing about tubos they are travel ready.

[PapaDisco]

I too like the way a tubo seems to age and I leave the caps on. They won't dry out in your humi since they'll be surrounded by positive vapor pressure. Even though the tubo is snug, it's not a watertight seal, to my mind it's just severely restricting the flow of air and that keeps more of the flavor compounds in the stick to age.

I agree with Captain Q and DWC that your only risk with tubos is the cigar being put in too wet and then a temperature drop (either in storage or shipping) and this will lead to mold. So best to inspect on arrival before putting them to bed in your humidor.

[RWhiz]

I had picked up a handful of Boli #1's and H. Upmanns along with a few Punch PCs. I stored them with the cap removed, didn't have any issues, they smoked great. I still have one of the Punchs left, it smells very nice. This is just my 2 cents, I'm no expert but they stored, and smoked fine over a two year period.

[maxcjs0101]

Caps on, but loosened.

[Afineash]

Caps on but loosened as well.

I check on them every so often by opening them up to inspect

[Mattygukas]

If you have a box and they will age, I would take them out of the tubes. I like cigars to age without tubes or cellophane. If they are a few singles then I would slight loosen the cap.

[topdiesel]

I put them in my humidor and check on them one at a time as i smoke them.

[mcease022]

Caps on snug for me. I am under the impression that it accomplishes the same thing as putting your boxes in something airtight for ageing. I read that some people put their boxes in ziplock bags and then in their humi. I personally don't do that, but I have some Monty tubos with the caps on snug that I put away over 10 years ago now and they are lovely.

[NSXCIGAR]

When in doubt, I leave all cigars in original packaging.

My general understanding based on my experience is that for short-term aging, it may be preferable to remove the caps from tubes or cigars from boxes to expose them to more ambient air. For long-term aging, the less ambient air the better. That means tube caps on, leave non-tubed cigars in boxes.

Varnished and/or lacquered BN boxes are generally considered the ideal storage packaging, followed by foil wrap, and then I'd figure closed tubes.

[MaxG]

I remove the cigars from the tubes, then keep the tubes for travelling. The only cigars I've ever received with mold on them upon arrival were tubos, fwiw. Great single stick traveldors though...

- MG

[Easttide]

New to me but growing in my collection. I've been removing them completely and keeping the tunes in a separate box with caps off. The few Ive smoked so far after one month in my humi in the tubest with caps off burned great in the first 1/2 then got bad leading me to believe it was because they had acclimated that far? I keep the tubes/cedar with a boveda so if I want to throw one in the tube for travel it's in the same condition.

[Fuzz]

Just received my first box of tubos. Never really thought much of the tube itself but see it provides protection during travels.

So I'm trying one out last night and give my the kid the empty tube. He promptly fills it with water and puts the cap back on. I ask him if any water is leaking out and there is not. This made we wonder, if these are in my humidor cap on sealed, are they getting any benefits of the steady humidity or will they slowly dry out? Any advise on whether I should remove all the caps would be great.

By the way the Bolivar #1 in the tube was a very nice smoke. Started a wee bit edgy but quickly settles down. First cigar that I have noticed some fruit notes.

Watertight doesn't mean airtight.

[canadianbeaver]

In the tube, in the box, as they arrive from the store.

[Fugu]

Untube - check - let acclimatize - retube cap-on

[Smallclub]

Cello on,

and that's mold, not plume

[JamesNYC]

I leave the caps on after opening all of them to inspect for condition issues.

Into the humi for the whole box and wait.

Great for traveling and great for gifts!