Home Cigar 101

Aging in lower humidity?

MonteWhiteMonteWhite Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 200
It seems to me that many people age their cigars at a lower humidity. Why is that? I would imagine that keeping your aging cigars with the others, at a higher humidity, such as 65-70%, wouldn't impede the cigars' abilities to age.

Comments

  • boydmcgowanboydmcgowan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,101
    So I'm not an intentional ager. The only times that I end up aging cigars are with the second half of a full box because I'm not smoking them down fast enough.

    Given that, I'll give your question a shot.

    First off, I don't think people intentionally age cigars at a lower humidity then they prefer for their smoking stock. If anything it would be the reverse. Some people do prefer to have a lower humidity (65%) for both their aging and their smoking humidors, while some people prefer to have a higher humidity (70%) for both their aging and their smoking humidors. this is just personal preference.

    I could be wrong but to get technical, storing cigars at a lower humidity slows the aging process down SLIGHTLY but some people prefer the better burn they get while smoking, while storing at a higher humidity accelerates the aging process SLIGHTLY, but can lead to burn issues. That being said, the higher the humidity, over ~72%, increases your chances for mold and beetles especially if the temp is up too, so trying to maximize your humidity to increase the speed at which your aging cigars is NOT a good idea. Its such a slight change in the aging process that you won't ever notice it, and its way to big of a risk. Plus with this hobby . . . . have patience. you can't rush the hands of time, so there's no way to cheat the aging process.

    So the debate of 65% vs 70% just comes back to personal preference. The only combination people might do is to have their aging humi at 68% - 70% while their smoking humi is set at 62%-65%. That way they get the benefits of the higherhumidity to age while their smoking stock is set to the humidity they prefer to burn.

    I don't think that much about it and shoot for 70% on everything, but thats just me because I prefer the heavier chewier smoke, so think about how you want to play it and mess around with it. Thats the cool part of the hobby. A while back DSwarmack said something about, read a bunch, learn a bunch, then "make your own normal." Couldn't have summed it up better myself.
  • DSWarmackDSWarmack Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,426
  • jj20030jj20030 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,448
  • boydmcgowanboydmcgowan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,101
    DSWarmack:
    ^Know it all!
    HAHAHA

    Sorry I get long winded sometimes. couldn't have done it without your help on the conclusion though brother. That make your own normal line was priceless. I've been using that.
  • DSWarmackDSWarmack Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,426
    I've been making my own normal for years! I love it, however people look at you funny sometimes... One time I tried to make my own normal in the middle of the road in Helen, Ga (but it was Octoberfest so I was good)!
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    DSWarmack:
    ^Know it all!
    made my post in this thread easy
  • boydmcgowanboydmcgowan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,101
    DSWarmack:
    One time I tried to make my own normal in the middle of the road in Helen, Ga (but it was Octoberfest so I was good)!
    HAHAHA
  • boydmcgowanboydmcgowan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,101
    kuzi16:
    DSWarmack:
    ^Know it all!
    made my post in this thread easy
    sweet . . . thanks man.
  • MonteWhiteMonteWhite Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 200
    Thanks Boyd. That is very informative
Sign In or Register to comment.