First boxes enroute. How to store.

[wildduk]

I have a few boxes coming, my first order.  Monte #2 and some R&J short Churchill’s.   
I’ve read I need to age these.  
How long?   And should they stay in the box or should I take them out?

I use a tupperdore so the humidity is correct but the temp I cannot control perfectly.   However it is in a basement to it’s fairly consistent.  
 

Thx

 

[smbauerllc]

I've smoked plenty of each with 2018, 2019 and 2020 box dates immediately and they were plenty tasty to me.

Aging may improve them, but I don't feel that it's a necessity in my experience

Also, I leave mine in the boxes and they are just fine

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[nKostyan]

Aging is not necessary if the cigar is smoked comfortably and tasty. But if you have a lot of boxes in rotation, you can observe how the same cigar changes over the years, revealing new nuances of taste. This is amazing.

[wildduk]

If you leave in the box, do you leave the box cracked open?    Ot leave shut….

[smbauerllc]

If you leave in the box, do you leave the box cracked open?    Ot leave shut….

I have done both and never noticed any difference. Now I have to store them closed since all I have is a 74qt tupperdor, not my 6ftx6ft cabinet where I could leave them open

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[gustavehenne]

1 minute ago, wildduk said:

If you leave in the box, do you leave the box cracked open?    Ot leave shut….

Open slightly but I wouldn't worry too much.

Humidity (in my view) no more than 65% for Cubans and I would try to keep temperature hovering around 65F. You're at risk of beetles above 70F but don't worry too much about it. I spent the first six months of my cigar days fretting over temperature, humidity etc. that I wasn't enjoying my cigars as much as I should.

You can get fairly inexpensive humidors and throw some Boveda packs in... always seem to do the trick.

On the ageing, I don't really do this as I've not been in the game long enough but I do recommend putting the sticks away for 30-90 days to acclimatise to your humidor setup before setting fire to them. I've had a lot of luck straight out of the post but the consensus seems to be to let them rest.

Enjoy and looking forward to seeing how you get on  

[joeypots]

Get a cooler. I'd start with one that would hold at least 10 boxes. Get some Bovida packs. 65% work fine. get a few big ones.  Keep something a little heavy of the lid to make sure it's closed. It's worthwhile to at least rest the cigars after they have traveled around the world. The cigars are apt to have jet lag. 30 days minimum. Buy lots of cigars and have fun.  

[smbauerllc]

Get a cooler. I'd start with one that would hold at least 10 boxes. Get some Bovida packs. 65% work fine. get a few big ones.  Keep something a little heavy of the lid to make sure it's closed. It's worthwhile to at least rest the cigars after they have traveled around the world. The cigars are apt to have jet lag. 30 days minimum. Buy lots of cigars and have fun.  

Many do seem to use coolers with great success, but I personally went with an Iris 74qt, gasketed lid, airtight and 6 closure clips tupperdor.

My Bovedas are just as plump as when I got them 6 months ago and it has about 300 cigars in boxes with room for a few more. Also returns to 65% rh in minutes after opening.

Great container for like $30 to $40, I forget exactly.

Have a second one plus supplies for it on my Christmas list


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[tywindsor44]

Not to high-jack from the OP but does anyone here recommend freezing the sticks prior to putting them in with the rest?


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[smbauerllc]

Not to high-jack from the OP but does anyone here recommend freezing the sticks prior to putting them in with the rest?


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I never have and haven't had a problem in 15 years.

Most people reccomend it though...

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[rckymtn22]

2 minutes ago, tywindsor44 said:

Not to high-jack from the OP but does anyone here recommend freezing the sticks prior to putting them in with the rest?
Yup, do a search lots of info on here about that.

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[wildduk]

So what exactly do they say freezing does for the cigars?

[smbauerllc]

Its supposed to kill any tobacco beetles, larvae and eggs.

Habanos S.A. says all Cigars are frozen in Cuba before distribution, and I'm told many distributors freeze them again.

I have never bothered and been fine for 15 years and it can't just be all luck with the number of Cigars I have had in that amount of time

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[SCgarman]

9 minutes ago, wildduk said:

So what exactly do they say freezing does for the cigars?

Eliminates any chances for viable beetle eggs to hatch and devour your cigars. Some choose not to freeze. I prefer to be safe than sorry, so all new boxes get frozen for 48 hours at -10F

[wildduk]

Probably couldn’t hurt.   But if there are bugs would this kill them?   Or just hibernate them for a bit.  🤷‍♂️

[BrightonCorgi]

If you can, hold off from smoking your cigars for 30 days in their final resting spot.  I get wanting to smoke one right out the mailbox, but don't go crazy if you can.  Unless you live in a high temp locale a regular household temp fluctuations are fine.  You have a basement, so it cannot be too hot where you live.

[wildduk]

That’s all good info thanks.  
I keep my cigars now in cedar trays inside the tuperdore.
But I only now buy 5 packs online. 
I thought that maybe if kept in boxes they would not get good airflow, but guessing that doesn’t really matter by reading responses.  
 

Thx 

Edited November 2, 2021 by wildduk
Wording

[danielfairfax]

would you rest them in their ceiling wrap or with the wrappers off?