Should You Store Cigarillos in a Humidor?
Cigarillos are small cigars that typically come in packs or tins of ten or twenty. They’re great when you’re craving a cigar, but you don’t have the time to dedicate to smoking a premium, handmade size like a Robusto or a Toro. When you’re organizing your humidor, should your cigarillos go inside? The short answer is no, it’s not necessary. As long as we’re talking about standard dry-cured cigars, cigarillos don’t have to be humidified. When you’re visualizing the differences between cigarillos and premium handmade cigars, think of the smaller, gnarly looking cheroot cigars Clint Eastwood smoked in Sergio Leone’s famous spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s.
Why Dry-Cured Cigars Don’t Need Humidity
The tobacco in dry-cured cigars is fire-cured, as opposed to humidified, like the tobacco used in premium handmade brands. That means the tobacco is basically baked, slowly, over the course of six weeks, and most of the humidity is removed. Most dry-cured cigars are machine-made, and there is no binder tobacco. The filler leaves under the wrapper are cut finely, therefore humidity also does not play a role in the construction or integrity of dry-cured cigars.
Cigarillos provide drier flavor that is sometimes characterized as acidic, even sour or peppery, particularly in the De Nobili and Toscano brands. Villiger is another major European brand of cigarillos, best known for its Export cigars. The smoothest cigarillos include Ashton Small Cigars, Arturo Fuente Cubanitos, and Padrón Corticos because these brands produce their small cigars from the remnants of the premium tobaccos that go into their handmade blends.
Storing Cigarillos in a Humidor Won’t Hurt
Most cigar lovers will consume a pack of cigarillos fairly quickly, i.e., they’re not storing or aging them for a long time. However, some folks will pick up a tin of cigarillos just for friends who might join them for a cigar but are only interested in smoking something very small and unintimidating. In that case, it won’t hurt your cigarillos if you store them in your humidor. Just keep in mind, dry-cured cigars will absorb a disproportionate amount humidity when you first put them inside. Be sure to monitor your humidity.
Premium Handmade Cigars Need Humidity
Traditional handmade cigars, that are simply rolled in smaller sizes, do need to go in your humidor. That’s because they’re rolled from humidified tobacco and humidity is critical to their freshness and flavor. You can store cigars in a humidor indefinitely, and long as you maintain the correct humidity and temperature – 65-72% RH (relative humidity) and 65-72 degrees Fahrenheit. Learn more about how to store and keep cigars fresh from our detailed guide.
