Why storage matters
A cigar isn’t a finished product when you buy it, it’s still alive. The tobacco continues to age and develop inside the wrapper and the oils that give a cigar its flavour need moisture to remain stable. Get the conditions wrong and you’ll either dry the cigar out causing it to burn harsh and will taste bitter and thin. However, if you over-humidify it, it won’t draw, burns unevenly and can go mouldy or get tobacco beetles. Proper storage isn’t just a nicety, it’s what separates a great smoke from a ruined one. So if you’re not considering a humidor, catch a grip of yourself for fuck sake.
The golden numbers
The classic rule of thumb is 70% relative humidity (RH) at 21°C (70F). In practice, the recommendation I’d lean toward is a slightly lower 65–70% RH, particularly in the UK climate. This keeps the cigar supple without being over-saturated and it tends to produce a cleaner, more consistent burn. Temperature matters too, so keep it stable and away from direct sunlight or heat sources. This is where the mighty Humidor comes in.
Humidors!
A humidor is simply a sealed box designed to maintain a consistent humidity environment. Yes, there are massive walk-in humidors typically at the tobacco shops, but for you and I mere mortals, we need to downsize a bit. I am on the verge of having to up-size my humidor as it’s consistently at capacity but mine has done me for many years now and is able to house approximately 50 sticks. It is made from Spanish Cedar and this cedar is key: it absorbs and releases moisture gradually, buffers against spikes, and adds a subtle aromatic quality to the cigars over time. BUT… you need to season it prior to putting any cigars in.
Seasoning a new humidor is essential before use. You need to slowly introduce moisture to the cedar before putting any cigars in, otherwise it will absorb all the humidity away from your sticks. The easiest method is to use distilled water and a clean cloth, wipe down the inside of the humidor thoroughly to get the wood damp, then place a small dish of distilled water inside with the lid closed for 24–48 hours. This will get the humidity levels established before the addition of your precious cargo.
Truthfully, for simplicity, I just used Boveda packs after that. A 60g pack with 69% RH was ample for my needs and has been for years. Keep an eye on it every week or so and when you give the pack a gentle squeeze it should be soft and squishy, when it starts to go hard and get crunchy, you need a new one. These packs can typically last for 2-3 months and aren’t a large cost.
Cigar review – Arturo Fuente – Don Carlos Belicoso
This cigar is an absolute banger. It is 5 inches in length with a 52 ring gauge. It is wrapped in a Connecticut shade wrapper with the binder and filler being aged Dominican. It is described as mild – medium bodied in complexity and is of medium strength.
1/3 – When toasting the foot of the cigar I got a sweet aroma and the first draws had very light spices and a strong creaminess. A nice easing in to the cigar. Prior to lighting, I should mention, the cold draw was very smooth and earthy.
2/3 – This got heavier on the spice and leather, my own palate perhaps isn’t developed enough to identify more as I’m aware reviews have gone in depth regarding this cigars complexity on the middle third. But for me, nice warm spices and leather were the overpowering notes on the retrohale. Lots of rich velvety smoke backs up every draw and who doesn’t love that.
3/3 – The final third saw the same notes as the second third but I could definitely taste the dark chocolate coming through, I was wondering if and when I would get it on this stick. The chocolate notes have balanced out the cigar for me perfectly, rounding off the experience.
Typically I prefer to go for a cigar with sweeter notes and a natural wrapper. I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar. With its balance of flavours it made it particularly palatable for me and I believe that the shade wrapper in this case had a big part to play in that with how delicate and smooth it was.
My review of this cigar is that it is outstanding, I genuinely intend to always have some of these in my collection because of everything it offers. This cigar gets a score of 9/10. Superb. Fuck yes.
I purchased this item online from Havana House cigars in the UK and here is the link for it. If you are new to cigars and want to make sure you get the most from your smokes, I have some other posts with simple advice on how to enjoy them here.
The whole point of me doing this blog as I have mentioned from the start is for me to immerse myself in the cigar world and develop my knowledge, all the while hopefully providing info to anyone interested in the cigars I smoke in terms of reviews to see if it is something they would maybe purchase themselves. But a huge part of me doing this blog and social media is to appeal to newcomers, to bridge the gap for them and simplify the world of cigars and help them find their feet.
The cigar world caters more to seasoned smokers in my humble opinion and I want to help with that. So if you have any questions, as always, get in touch either here on the website or on my instagram.
Take care