Thinking outside the box

BlueRings

Cello vs non cello is always a discussion within the forums. Uncello'd is my choice. So I have moved on and now I am interested in boxed vs unboxed. I started to unbox last year half of a box when I receive them and keeping the others boxed in my cabinet. I wanted to revisit these cigars at three, six, and one year to see how the aging progresses changes the cigar. I will be reporting back on My Father 2010 limited. I just updated my last review from back in Feb on the unboxed version. You can see it under the review section. I will also update it with the boxed version for comparison. What are your experiencespreferences?

xmacro

Well, the main purpose of spanish cedar is to deter beetles, and act as a secondary humidifier/stabilizer (cigars themselves are your main source of humidity stabilization, from what I've read). I'd say that so long as you have some spanish cedar inside to help regulate RH, there's no real reason to keep the boxes; though for coolers I can see why keeping the boxes would be prefereable

Ken Light

I've got a small cabinet with a small top part that's compartmentalized and a bottom that's just shelves. Singles go on top, obviously, and I put boxes in the bottom, in the boxes. Out of the boxes they'd just become one big mess of a pile, that's my only reasoning for it. Never thought about aging differences, though clearly the ones buried in the box are kept a bit differently from singles and the ones on the top of the box. Definitely interested to see what you find, I like that you're looking at it so empirically!

Bob Luken

I was looking up questions about this topic and I found this one. Looks like the author abandoned any follow up posts like he had planned so I'm gonna go ahead and re-open this topic for discussion. And this is what I was about to name my thread anyway so,...................

So what about cigars left in the box (inside humi) compared with cigars taken out of their box and kept in the humi as singles. What kind of differences would there be? Long term? or Short term? Your thoughts?

And what about full boxes that aren't made of spanish cedar? (Either cardboard, or some unknown and non aromatic type of wood .) Aren't these cigars better off as singles in a humi rather than staying in their box (inside humi)?

PAtoNH

This is a really good question as I am researching storage/aging humidors and am curious as well. I think I'd like to keep some in the box but also get some fresh wheels for aging "in the buff". I know I'll un-cellophane the boxes so that I can occasionally test a sample to see how things are going along and move them into my day to day humi as the boxes empty out.

Do you guys write a purchase date on the boxes you store?

Bob Luken

I did find a review by BlueRings on a My Father Limited Edition (My Father Limited Edition Toro **Update 6 Months) but I noticed no mention of the comparison of the aging differences between boxed vs singles.

New Boots

This is just new guy talk here, so please correct me if I'm wrong here.

I would think, short term, storing in the (closed) box, in a humi cabinet would be worse for the sticks. Yes, the box (assuming ceder) is made to protect and store the cigars, but only on a short term basis. It will act as an insulator AGAINST the humidity in your cabinet.

Long term: The constant humidity level of the cabinet will eventually seep into the box, and then the cigars. At this point, you are getting better protection and storage.

If the temp/humidity level wavers in the cabinet, it will take longer for it to waver inside the box.

Therefor giving you added time to correct the cabinet w/o effecting the cigars in the box.

Singles however will be effected right away.

perkinke

Whenever I put a new box or coffin in my coolidor I always crack the lid for at least a week to allow the humidity to circulate into it, and then i close them as stacking needs dictate. I do kinda the same with the ziplock baggies (I keep some in them if I want to know who sent it to me) I keep them open as far as I can without them spilling out when I move them around.

jd50ae

BlueRings:

Cello vs non cello is always a discussion within the forums. Uncello'd is my choice. So I have moved on and now I am interested in boxed vs unboxed. I started to unbox last year half of a box when I receive them and keeping the others boxed in my cabinet. I wanted to revisit these cigars at three, six, and one year to see how the aging progresses changes the cigar. I will be reporting back on My Father 2010 limited. I just updated my last review from back in Feb on the unboxed version. You can see it under the review section. I will also update it with the boxed version for comparison. What are your experiencespreferences?

I'm like you about the cello question.
Years ago when I was able to buy pretty much what I liked I would remove my cigars from any cello and the boxes they came in. In my collection of "humidors" there were a few antiques and amber glass types. I would make sure that all were cedar lined and properly humidified.
One of the amber glass Indians (PC?) I purposely let sit for 6 months untouched and I swear the aroma was so much improved it was a real surprise.
So of course, now that I am again enjoying cigars, I will, when able, do the same thing (4 commas ?).