Friday, November 20 2009
By Gary Korb
Because most cigar smokers buy their cigars from online retailers like
Famous Smoke Shop, they have to wait for their cigars to arrive. As a result, I'm often asked how long cigars should be allowed to rest in the
humidor before smoking them.
Actually, the cigars should be ready to smoke right out the box - the shipping box that is. After all, most cigars are ready to smoke right out of their factory boxes. But whether they're purchased online or in a cigar store, premium handmade cigars tend to smoke better after being allowed to settle in your home cigar humidor.
Consider this: The cigars get some resting time while on the truck, and if packed properly, the packing materials help insulate the order, which should also help keep the cigars fresh whether they be in a factory box, a bundle or a sampler. Of course, the conditions the plane and/or truck is exposed to en route such as extreme heat, cold or dampness, could possibly affect them in some way.
Regardless of how long it takes the package to get to you, unless you're really Jones'n for a cigar the moment the box hits your doorstep, I've found that cigars tend to smoke and burn much better when given at least a week to rest after leaving the warehouse, even if the vendor's warehouse or humidor is kept at optimum conditions.
I've also discovered that as each week passes, the cigars taste better, too. Try it yourself by smoking a cigar right out of the box, then smoking one a week later, then two weeks later, etc., and you'll see, or better yet, taste. (_[ca]__{{{
