Bundling of Cigars

[Scarhead]

This is an odd question of sorts because the more I think about it the more I come up with reasons to either do it or not do it. In other words, for every pro I seem to come up with a con to the question.

I store my cigars in a cabinet. For the most part, the cigars come in their original box, but some cigars, such as samplers, are stored in boxes I have from other box purchases. I was thinking of arranging the cigars of like brand and vitola in bundles tied off with a ribbon like you would find in a cabinet or wheel. These bundles would be out in the open, sans the box, on the cabinet shelf.

On to the questions. Would this be beneficial to the aging of the cigars, would they lose anything or would it not matter by doing it this way?

After considering this a while I’ve begun to think that the cigars may lose something by not being in a “closed” environment such as a box. In other words, the free flow of air around the cigars may allow something to escape from the cigars. I can’t find the words to say what I mean exactly, but what I’m trying to say is perhaps the cigars will “air out.” Perhaps the best analogy would be if you have a pair of smelly shoes in your closet and you put them outdoors. Although the smell won’t be gone completely it will dissipate unlike if you were to keep them in the closet.

I believe the smaller the humidor the more restricted the airflow would be, of course. My cabinet is medium to large and has room for four boxes from side to side and five to six boxes stacked.

Thoughts?

[Ginseng]

After considering this a while I’ve begun to think that the cigars may lose something by not being in a “closed” environment such as a box. In other words, the free flow of air around the cigars may allow something to escape from the cigars...perhaps the cigars will “air out.” Perhaps the best analogy would be if you have a pair of smelly shoes in your closet and you put them outdoors. Although the smell won’t be gone completely it will dissipate unlike if you were to keep them in the closet.

I believe the smaller the humidor the more restricted the airflow would be, of course. My cabinet is medium to large and has room for four boxes from side to side and five to six boxes stacked.

Thoughts?

The phenomenon is real and incontrovertible. It is a fact of physical chemistry that volatile compounds, meaning those chemicals that can evaporate and diffuse into the air, will leave regions where they are highly concentrated and migrate to regions where the concentration is lower. No one should or could argue that this does not happen. But then this really isn't the million-dollar question.

The essential questions, and you expressed the idea quite effectively, are as follows: How quickly and to what degree do the volatile compounds in finished cigars diffuse out of the cigar under various typical conditions of storage? How importantly and in what way might these compounds contribute to the gustatory and olfactory experience of smoking a cigar? Does reducing the loss of these volatile compounds act to extend the performance curve of a cigar?

So think of it this way. One cigar is stored in an air tight capsule in the basement for 1 year. Its twin is stored, naked to the world, on the desk in my sunny office for the same amount of time. When you smoke them after a year, will they both taste of tobacco? Most assuredly. Will there be a discernible difference in the sensory qualities of the two cigars? Most would hope that this would be the case.

As a chemical engineer, it would be relatively straightforward, conceptually, to define a model of say a bundle, a box, a bare cigar, and specify the external conditions (tightly packed, loosely packed, in a jar, in a cardboard pack, temperature, humidity) such that one could calculate the processes of interest.

Wilkey

Informative links:

Link 1

Link 2

Link 3

A different take on the research reported in Link 3

[Ginseng]

Would this be beneficial to the aging of the cigars, would they lose anything or would it not matter by doing it this way?

I just realized that I didn't directly address your questions.

Theoretically, it should be beneficial. This is supported primarily by anecdotal accounts. There really isn't any well-controlled empirical research, however, the weight of personal experience carries its own validity. So, I am inclined to expect that bundling would be beneficial but I couldn't say to what degree and over what time frame the benefits would become apparent.

Wilkey

[cottierm]

Interesting. Thanks for the info Wilkey.

Best,

Michel

I just realized that I didn't directly address your questions.

Theoretically, it should be beneficial. This is supported primarily by anecdotal accounts. There really isn't any well-controlled empirical research, however, the weight of personal experience carries its own validity. So, I am inclined to expect that bundling would be beneficial but I couldn't say to what degree and over what time frame the benefits would become apparent.

Wilkey