Storage of 3 & 5 packs

[JimC]

Some 10 and 15 count boxes I purchased came in cardboard 3 & 5 packs.

Do you store them in the cardboard packs or loose in the humidor? Dunno if it makes much of a difference.

[Cohiba Stevie]

I prefer to store them loose in the humidor, but it will do no harm keeping them in their cardboard boxes provided your conditions are ok.

[jimb2u]

Depending on how long I plan on ageing them I will either leave them in the cardboard sleeves in the box or if I plan on puting them aside for more than a couple of years, I tend to transfer them to an empty Cab box to age in ceder.

They are fine in the packs but I have found that some of them pick up some cardboard taste elements after long periods (anyone who has smoked any of the '05 Magnum 46's in 5X5 cardboard that are now available in several places might have picked some of that up)

[SeeGar]

I don't like my cigars in contact with cardboard, though strangely I don't have a problem leaving them in paper-lined dress boxes..

I take them out of the cardboard if I'm going to age them, and put them in SLBs like JIMinNYC.

I keep the cardboard boxes handy in case I want to trade or transport them.

[ramon_cojones]

Throw the cardboard away.

[JimC]

They are fine in the packs but I have found that some of them pick up some cardboard taste elements after long periods (anyone who has smoked any of the '05 Magnum 46's in 5X5 cardboard that are now available in several places might have picked some of that up)

Yes, I have some of those Mag 46's from 05 from Ravi. I'll try one tonight to see if I can taste the diff from my 2010 cab.

[Lotusguy]

Cigars need to breath to mature and improve so remove all packaging and cellophane wrappers and place in your humidor kept at around 70% RH and between 16 to 18 degrees C temperature

Tobacco is an hydroscopic sustance which means that it absords or releases moisture to equilise to it's local humidity, so dry cigars will absorb moisture and damp cigars will release moisture until they are equal to the humidity within the humidor, leaving your cigars wrapped or boxed makes your humidor useless and it just becomes an expensive wooden box

Questionable advice - for example many of us prefer how cigars smoke and age at 65% or even less. Also, many of us want to slow down the aging process and even seal boxes in plastic to limit air exchange. I wouldn't generalize like that, if I was you.

[Ophidion]

I'm pretty sure boxes aren't air tight or devoid of any air in the boxes so I'm pretty sure the previous advise was completely contradictory.

I personally store singles in 5-6 finger bags with the bag unsealed and on the top shelf of my fridge. Everything else is in boxes or cabs with the lids shut. The only box I have "sealed" is my one a year robusto t OR box that is wrapped in glassine paper.

[CanuckSARTech]

Cigars need to breath to mature and improve so remove all packaging and cellophane wrappers and place in your humidor kept at around 70% RH and between 16 to 18 degrees C temperature

Tobacco is an hydroscopic sustance which means that it absords or releases moisture to equilise to it's local humidity, so dry cigars will absorb moisture and damp cigars will release moisture until they are equal to the humidity within the humidor, leaving your cigars wrapped or boxed makes your humidor useless and it just becomes an expensive wooden box

The humidity varies with your location, if you live in a dry humidity area you need to keep your cigars towards 75% if you live in a damp area then 65%, the feel of your cigars and how they smoke is more important then looking at an hydrometer

You can keep your cigars in biscuit tins, cardboard or plastic boxes as you wish but for a humidor to do it's job of standardising the humidity of your cigars your cigars must be unwrapped

Yeah, um, no.

No matter how your cigars smoke, and what RH you prefer to smoke them at, storing them above 70%, especially at 75% can lead to mould issues. And, a humidor does it's job no matter the storage source inside - cardboard definitely included. Something has to be "water vapour impermeable" for a humidor to not work - an example would be a ceramic jar (and even then, it depends on the quality of the cork/rubber/silicone seal). But cardboard is far from impermeable to water vapour.

Many of us still store our tubos cigars in the tubes, closed, and still in a humidor. All it does is just slow down the process. Even those of us who ziplock bag or freezer/vacuum-seal our bags are just slightly isolating and slowing down the process. The vapour / RH level will still adjust and change slowly over time, believe it or not.

[Wil]

I was under the impression that cellophane is permeable.

[CanuckSARTech]

I was under the impression that cellophane is permeable.

Correct.

[warren516]

Yes, I have some of those Mag 46's from 05 from Ravi. I'll try one tonight to see if I can taste the diff from my 2010 cab.

Definately looking forward to your review.

[Lotusguy]

Where is pigfish when you need him?

Calling Ray - cleanup in aisle 3

[Hubba]

Where is pigfish when you need him?

Calling Ray - cleanup in aisle 3

i was thinking the same thing.

[LLC]

Where is pigfish when you need him?

Calling Ray - cleanup in aisle 3

LMAO

[CanuckSARTech]

Where is pigfish when you need him?

Calling Ray - cleanup in aisle 3

LOL. Your smoke signals might be drifting over to him... LOL.

[PigFish]

Fluoride in drinking water... Now this!!!!

It is a Communist plot!!! -LOL

[PigFish]

Boys, boys, boys!!!!

Remember to ask Colt while I am gone. An rH number without a corresponding temperature is worthless. Of course you can make an assumption regarding an envelope of temperature, but you might as well then make the same assumption regarding relative humidity.

It is not the rH that kills you. It is the percent moisture content of tobacco. As far a biologic growth is concerned, I would say that tobacco containing more than 15 water is where you start having problems.

I don't like cardboard in with my cigars. That is a personal preference. Cardboard, like other hygroscopic media will support biologic growth on its own with or without tobacco and.... remember, it has hygroscopic properties and adsorption isotherms different than that of wood or tobacco. I have found that in temperatures and humidities that are actually symbiotic with tobacco can still raise a mildew odor out of cardboard. I remove it! In a nutshell, this means that cardboard can support biologic growth at levels different than other items in your humidor.

I prefer my cigars in boxes. While dress boxes do have paper, the glossy stock is not as susceptible to the biologic growth at the water activity levels of cardboard. I have no proof of this, just empirical evidence.

Since I use climate controlled storage and some variation is inevitable on both the temperature and humidity 'axis' the box provides a sub-micro climate protecting my cigars from even the slightest variation. This can be proven easily, as I have done it many times, by data logging the interior of an individual box while data logging the humidor immediately outside the box. Cardboard then will provide the same protection and results, but frankly, I don't like cardboard! Since I have many old SLB boxes of varying sizes, I will often use those for cigars bought in straight cardboard.

I do not feel that cardboard is in and of itself detrimental at all to cigars. But if it gets too wet, you may have a hellofa stink on your hands!

If I have missed anything. Tinkerbell will find me!

Cheers my friends. -Mr. Piggy

[Lotusguy]

Thanks, Ray!

[JimC]

Definately looking forward to your review.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

These 05 Mag 46s are right in my wheelhouse... ordering more today!

[mk05]

There's a past discussion on this on search. A lot of people assert storage medium doesn't matter, but I prefer cabinet. There is a definite smell that settles in from cardboard after a while.