AI Asks MMC - What Is The Ideal Humidity Level For Storing Cigars?
We've started a new series where we've turned the tables on AI. Instead of us asking AI questions, we've tasked AI with asking US questions about cigars!
You’ve probably heard the “70/70 Rule” a million times. It suggests that you should store your cigars at a 70% relative humidity (RH) and at 70 degrees.
Well, you’ve heard wrong…sort of.
While the 70/70 rule is not the worst, it’s just not ideal for many cigars and cigar smokers. It’s more of a max level than an ideal level.
Let’s take a look at why…
Rule of thumb is that the higher the humidity gets, the more your cigars will:
- become damp and have a sponge like feel
- lose flavor
- burn improperly
- taste acidic
On the flip side, the lower your humidity gets, the more your cigars will:
- become more dry and brittle (if too low)
- burn way too fast (think kindling)
- taste bitter
Temperature plays just as important of a role in storing your cigars as humidity and as mentioned above, 70 degrees is more of a max temp rather than ideal.
If your temperature and humidity get too high (72/72 and above) not only are your cigars going to be damp, you open yourself up for risk of tobacco beetles which thrive in high temperatures.
From there it only takes tobacco beetle eggs about 6-10 days to hatch. The larvae will then feed on the tobacco in the cigar for about 5-10 weeks. After that, the larvae will pupate and eventually emerge as adult beetles.
Not only is that gross, but you might as well burn your money instead of buying cigars since your cigars will be ruined. It just takes a little longer for tobacco beetles to ruin them for you.
So we recommend an ideal RH range for storing your cigars to be between 60-67%, and an ideal temperature to be between 60-67 degrees. 64-65% RH and temp is our preferred sweet spot.
If the temp or RH go a little bit lower, don’t panic! You can make simple adjustments to get them back to that ideal range.
We hope that this helps you when it comes to storing your cigars and keeping your investment safe so they are more enjoyable.
Want to stay up to date on this series? You can continue check back on the MMC Blog or you can follow us on X (Twitter) @MyMonthlyCigars as we'll be posting this series there as well!