At what temperature should cigars be stored?
The best storage temperature for cigars is 16 to 18 degrees C. If you store cigars too cold they will lose much of their organoleptic quality, which is only noticeable upon consumption. If you store cigars too hot, at 30 degrees or higher, the lasioderma larva (tobacco parasite) can develop.
At what temperature should you smoke cigars?
The best temperature for consuming cigars, is between 19 and 21 degrees C.
At what humidity should you store cigars?
Cigars are best kept at a relative humidity of about 70%.
Can you age a cigar faster?
Yes, you can. To age cigars faster, cigars should be stored at a lower humidity level (about 65%) and then allowed to acclimate to 70% before consumption.
Can you age a cigar more slowly?
Yes, that’s possible. To keep cigars fresh, a higher humidity level is better (around 75%), but never above 80%. That’s roughly the mold threshold. Before smoking, you can “dry box” cigars. This technique involves letting the cigars rest for about a week in a wooden cabinet outside the cigar humidor. This is actually a good way to make cigars that are rolled too tightly or are “plugged” (have a lump in the tobacco) easier to smoke.
Should I check my cigars regularly?
Yes, that is wise, mainly if you do not store them properly, mold can develop. Check your cigars regularly. If you catch it in time, just wipe off the mold with a brush. Do not confuse flour with mold. Flower is actually crystallization of the oils from the cigar and is actually a sign that your cigars are maturing nicely. You can easily brush this off as well.
Do I need a cigar brush?
No, it is sufficient to use an ordinary painting brush or a shaving brush. The important thing is that the bristles on the brush are hard enough to wipe off the mold, but not too hard to damage the cover sheet of the cigar. In fact, a simple blush brush will suffice.
What kind of water should I use in my cigar humidor?
Use demineralized water. Distilled water is actually an unnecessary luxury. Demineralized water is sufficient. Ordinary water has bacteria in it and because of the high moisture content and bacteria you get unwanted visits in the long run. You can just find demineralized water in the supermarket (which is actually the water to put in an iron). However, the best is a mixture of demineralized water with propylene glycol. Propylene glycol not only has antifungal properties, but also keeps humidity at a constant level. You can find propylene glycol simply at the pharmacy.
What should you do if the cover sheet of the cigar comes off?
When checking your cigars, you may sometimes find that the wrapper is coming off. There is a very simple solution to this as well. After all, you can very easily reattach the cover sheet with gum arabic, which you can apply with a small brush under the cover sheet. Credo has those handy little bottles with a small brush in the lid. Super handy! The gum is odorless and tasteless and therefore has no effect on the taste of the cigar.
What should I pay attention to when I cut my cigar?
It is important that you never cut a cigar too far. If you cut the cigar too far there is nothing left holding your cigar together and it is quite possible that the wrapper will just come off and fray. As a good rule, all you need to do is look closely at the cap (that is the top or head of the cigar). If you look closely you will see that there are three lines (a Cuban cigar always has a triple cap). Definitely try to be below the last line. There are also good cutters that are closed on the other side so you can never cut too far. Always use a clipper with a double blade. Single bladed cutters or the so-called guillotine push your cigar between a blade and a side with the danger of damaging your cigar. In addition to regular cutters, there are also very nice scissors. They are not only very handy, but also look very nice on a coffee table. The disadvantage is that they are not easy to carry around. For this reason folding scissors have been around for some time. Finally, there is such a thing as the V-cut. This cutter makes a wedge in the foot. Generally the literature is very averse to this method because it can damage the cap, but it seems that this method is slowly coming back into vogue.
When do you drill a cigar?
Punching is a different method than cutting a cigar. In recent years, the method of punching has been gaining popularity. The system involves placing a cylindrical drill bit on the base to make a hole. These drills vary in diameter (6, 8 and 10 mm). The nice thing about this system is that you have a much more pleasant mouth feel (your mouth is no longer in contact with the tobacco) and the taste experience becomes much more intense. Most enthusiasts use the two methods (cutting and drilling) interchangeably and this allows for experimentation. A mild cigar will taste much more intense when drilled.
What should I pay attention to when I light my cigar?
Most forms of skew burn and tunnel burn can be traced to the cigar not being lit correctly. It is important to note that tobacco is not actually flammable per se. There is no point in keeping the flame in the foot. The tobacco will only char and give off a corresponding flavor. Simply hold the flame in front of the foot and rotate the cigar. The cigar will ignite by itself. At first, a red ring will form around the foot. Then you can let the cigar continue to ignite or put it in your mouth, hold the cigar in front of the flame and gently take a puff. A larger flame will immediately appear (the fire suddenly gets more oxygen). Then when you gently blow on the foot you will see that the foot has fully and evenly ignited.
If a crooked burn does occur (part of the cigar burns slower) then feel free to burn it up. Does the cigar go out. No problem. You don't have to immediately relight the cigar, let alone throw it away. Just let the side edge of the cigar rotate for a moment over a flame. Take another puff and you will see that you can just continue smoking your cigar. Note that this rule only works when your cigar is still warm. When the cigar has become cold, it is basically "dead." You can still try to light it, preferably after removing the ash, but it usually won't come back to life. The waste products have settled in the cigar and will take over for at least a certain amount of time.
Does the cigar become bitter. No worries. There is a simple trick for this as well: purging. The technique of purging or degassing consists of holding a flame in front of the cigar and blowing into the cigar. At some point the cigar will catch fire. The key is to keep blowing until the flame inside the cigar goes out. That way you will blow impurities out of your cigar which will then be burned. The cigar will taste a lot less bitter.
Should a cigar be kept in the dark?
Yes, preferably so, otherwise the cigar will discolor. UV rays in light are responsible for this discoloration, so if you choose a cigar humidor with a glass door, make sure the door blocks 100% of UV rays. The glass doors on EuroCave humidors block 100% of UV rays.
How many cigars can I store in a EuroCave cigar humidor?
With the ideal configuration, a EuroCave cigar humidor can hold 700 to 1,000 cigars. Currently, no other models are available.
How can I adjust the humidity in my EuroCave cigar humidor?
If the relative humidity drops below 65%for more than 72 hours (the % icon flashes), add 10 cl of water in each pozzolana cassette. Monitor the number of days water was added and the icon flashed. After a few hours, the icon will disappear.
If the cigar humidor cannot lower the humidity below the desired level, empty the cigar humidor (this is easy to do because the shelves are easy to remove) and take out the pozzolana cassettes. Clean the tank. Also remove the tube located at the bottom of the tank. This will immediately remove the moisture from the cigar humidor, restoring the relative humidity. Do not put the pozzolana cassettes back in.
