Who's the King

[Rconectn]

Since my last thread concerning Tatuajes(Keeping the Fire Going), I am considering pulling the trigger on 60% humidity beads, but before I do does everyone agree that 60% RH is the new 70% for storing cigars. I know most will say that it is a matter of preference, but really it seems that most cigars benefit from them being stored at 60%. What do you say?

 

[CoventryCat86]

I like storing my cigars at 60%RH. I keep my coolers in my finished basement. In the summer, the temperature never gets over 70 down there and the beads maintain 65%RH. During the winter, I keep the thermostat in my house set around 55 for the winter months so the basement is around that temperature as well. I notice that in the winter though, the RH in my coolers drops to 60% and stays there.

My conditions are probably out of the ordinary but back to your original question, I think 60% - 65% is the range you want to shoot for and if anything, the lower end of that range the better.

 

[H311oLHD]

I've got all 65% beads...I love them! I reallyyyy do not like when cigars get up around 70+...brings back bad memories (not so long ago) of my ultra-newb days!

 

[Tapewormboy]

I agree with CC.

If I had to choose 60% or 65%, I'd go with 60%. I have the Cigar Oasis set at 64.5%, but the seperate hydrometers all read around 61-62%. Anything remotely close to 70% is bitter and harsh; I can't seem to taste the flavors.

Storage is the most important place humidity matters. But for me, there's also the issue of where I smoke. I find that I don't like smoking during the humid summer months or in the humidified walk-in at my local B&M. Just like having an overhumidified stick tastes bad, sucking humid air through the stick isn't optimal for me.

Of course, this is all up to the individual. EVERYONE has a different opinion on humidity%.

I like storing my cigars at 60%RH. I keep my coolers in my finished basement. In the summer, the temperature never gets over 70 down there and the beads maintain 65%RH. During the winter, I keep the thermostat in my house set around 55 for the winter months so the basement is around that temperature as well. I notice that in the winter though, the RH in my coolers drops to 60% and stays there.

My conditions are probably out of the ordinary but back to your original question, I think 60% - 65% is the range you want to shoot for and if anything, the lower end of that range the better.

 

[Mr Peat]

I feel it depends on what type of cigars you have. I've had it at 60% and some of them just smoke horrible and taste odd. But they are fine at say 68%. So I try to keep it around 65% so its a happy medium. While the humidor was at 62%, 3 of my Opus which was different sizes tasted bland and not even Opus like at all. It was a pretty disappointing experience. But now that the humidity is around 66%, they are recovering like champs that they are.

 

[N2Advnture]

I store at 65% RH and dry box for a couple of days prior to smoking. This is by far the best setup I have found in 16+ years. :thumbs:

Hope this helps Christian!

~Mark

 

[Dave]

I store at 65% RH and dry box for a couple of days prior to smoking. This is by far the best setup I have found in 16+ years. :thumbs:

Hope this helps Christian!

~Mark

x2

 

[Ginseng]

I store at 65% RH and dry box for a couple of days prior to smoking. This is by far the best setup I have found in 16+ years. :thumbs:

Hope this helps Christian!

~Mark

How funny! Lately I've been moving in the opposite direction. I keep my long term storage at 63% or less and the stuff in my smoking cooler closer to 67-68? I think cigars smoke better, are more flavorful and supple at the slightly higher humidity. In fact, if I must smoke from the storage coolers, I usually run them under filtered water to wet the wrappers. It does absolute wonders for a well-stored cigar in the lower 60's.

Wilkey

 

[NullSmurf]

I also agree with CC. I have 65% beads that want to hold closer to 60 when its cold, and closer to 65 when its warmer.

 

[Rconectn]

I store at 65% RH and dry box for a couple of days prior to smoking. This is by far the best setup I have found in 16+ years. :thumbs:

Hope this helps Christian!

~Mark

How funny! Lately I've been moving in the opposite direction. I keep my long term storage at 63% or less and the stuff in my smoking cooler closer to 67-68? I think cigars smoke better, are more flavorful and supple at the slightly higher humidity. In fact, if I must smoke from the storage coolers, I usually run them under filtered water to wet the wrappers. It does absolute wonders for a well-stored cigar in the lower 60's.

Wilkey

I trust you Mark :thumbs: and I also trust your judgement Wilkey and you also Loren. So far it looks like I'll be staying put at 65% and dry boxing them. I would still love to hear what everyone else thinks about big boned women vs skinny women....lol...no, no give me more opinions on your RH. Thanks

 

[Zeebra]

How funny! Lately I've been moving in the opposite direction. I keep my long term storage at 63% or less and the stuff in my smoking cooler closer to 67-68? I think cigars smoke better, are more flavorful and supple at the slightly higher humidity. In fact, if I must smoke from the storage coolers, I usually run them under filtered water to wet the wrappers. It does absolute wonders for a well-stored cigar in the lower 60's.

Wilkey

You run your cigars under water before smoking them? I've never heard of this before. Did I read this correctly?

I used to store at 70% when I first started, but have since moved to 65% and I don't mind if the beads get bone dry and it drops to slightly under that. I find that I have smoked many great cigars since lowering my humidity and I think the lower humidity is making all my cigars smoke better for me.

 

[cookie_1978]

Ok - stupid question, what does "dry boxing" them mean?

 

[Brickhouse]

Ok - stupid question, what does "dry boxing" them mean?

I have a 20ct humi with nothing in it humidification wise. I use this as my dry box if necessary.

My main humidor is storing cigars at 63% currently and I love it. My humi that contains most of my primos runs at 66%, but I don't smoke out of there as often.

Bottom line for me: For smoking I like below 65% and for storage I like 65-68%.

 

[jabba]

65% is a good number because plus or minus 1-2% shouldn't cause you any worries. I do find that in the low 60s certain cigars lose a noticeable amount of flavor... but there are also some cigars like the Tatuaje brand that aren't smokeable above 62%

 

[Mrepp]

Hmm some cigars smoke better at different RH’s like people said but I honestly think the key is consistency. My buddy has a small but very nice humidor that is constantly at an RH of 70 365 days a year and is very consistent and his cigars smoke wonderfully, no burn problems and there all tasty. Just my 2 cents.

 

[antaean]

I go with 65% for long term storage (2+ years, only recently started trying to age stuff) and most smokes 65% for smoking. But like some others here, I have noticed that some cigars seem to taste better a bit wetter, up to 70%. So I also keep a 70% humidor for some cigars and 65% for others. Still experimenting with this though.

BTW, as far as pouring water on the wrappers: most of it just runs off and is not absorbed. However, I have noticed that this seems to help reduce split wrappers during cold, very low humidity smoking sessions. I read somewhere about someone doing this so I tried it and it seems to work very well. Back in the day, I used to lick overly dry cigar wrappers before smoking...but those were not premium smokes...ugh.

Cheers,
antaean

 

[BlindedByScience]

My coolers run right at 65% year round, and I try to keep my desktop close to 60%. Cigars usually move from the coolers to the desktop and sit there for at least a week before being smoked. Best setup I've found, to date. But, as has been said, it's very much a personal preference.

Regards - B.B.S.

 

[Strayvector]

I store at 65% RH and dry box for a couple of days prior to smoking. This is by far the best setup I have found in 16+ years. :thumbs:

Hope this helps Christian!

~Mark

How funny! Lately I've been moving in the opposite direction. I keep my long term storage at 63% or less and the stuff in my smoking cooler closer to 67-68? I think cigars smoke better, are more flavorful and supple at the slightly higher humidity. In fact, if I must smoke from the storage coolers, I usually run them under filtered water to wet the wrappers. It does absolute wonders for a well-stored cigar in the lower 60's.

Wilkey

I'm with you on this, Wilkey. My long term storage is at about 60-65%, but to smoke, I'll transfer the cigar to my desktop humi for at least a couple of weeks which runs at about 70% humidity. I definitely prefer the taste of the wetter cigar. As Wilkey mentioned, I find the flavors are a little more intensified. Granted the burn might not be as good as those cigars I pull straight out of the frigador, but the flavor is definitely better. The way I see it, flavor is more important because I can always correct minor burn problems.

I haven't tried running the cigar under water though, might have to try that and see if the flavors is as good as the sticks that are humidified all the way through.

 

[CoventryCat86]

Ok - stupid question, what does "dry boxing" them mean?

I have a 20ct humi with nothing in it humidification wise. I use this as my dry box if necessary.

My main humidor is storing cigars at 63% currently and I love it. My humi that contains most of my primos runs at 66%, but I don't smoke out of there as often.

Bottom line for me: For smoking I like below 65% and for storage I like 65-68%.

Cookie, I think he meant to tell you that what is meant by the term "dry box" is that you take a cigar you want to smoke out of your regular humidor and put it in a "dry box" or a humidor with no humidification so that the cigar can "dry out" a little bit before you smoke it. The length of time people keep their cigars in a "dry box" varies on their preference.

I personally never cared for the whole "dry box" ritual nor do I ever utilize it. The way I see it, if you want your cigar drier than it's being stored in your humidor prior to smoking it, then just leave it out on the table for a while, it'll "dry out" just fine, especially in the winter. I guess supposedly using a "dry box" decreases the chances of the cigar drying out too much, at least that's what the proponents will lead you to believe.

 

[lucasbuck]

I have been preaching 60% for a long time now. Certainly it's not for everyone but it is for me. I never have draw or burn problems and flavors are consistent. I've never had a cigar that was too dry but I've had many that were too wet.