OK folks, I know that my question is one that has probably been asked and answered numerous times, but bear with me.......I'm new and learning.

When I purchase cigars in cellophane or tubes, I assume that is is best to unwrap them before putting them in my humidor. Am I correct? My thinking is I want my smokes to uniformly air and breath. Having said that, I've heard others suggest that leaving my cigars unwrapped might cause different styles and flavors to corrupt one and other. What's the deal?

Leave the cello on. It's not airtight and it protects the cigar from damage. Youe cigars will breathe and age just fine with it on.

Av-Ken, take the cello OFF. This will allow your smokes to be stored properly if you intend on keeping them in your humi for an extended period of time. The cello will act as a barrier and may even dry out your smokes. Now in terms of damage, I don't think there is a party going on inside your humi so it won't make one bit of good to leave it on for protection. That is just my perspective so take it as you will.

I leave the cellophane ON and I have been storing cigars in my cabinet for years. They smoke just fine.

Cellophane is moisture and air permiable and keeping your cigars in cello is not a disadvantage.

Tubos, in most cases are not air tight either. Some are less permiable than others, but they protect your cigar from damage.

If in doubt, remove the caps from the tubos and clip the end off the cellophane.

I know a guy who had a Cuban Romeo y Jullietta Churchill in an aluminium tubo in his humidor for about a year. When he finally decided to smoke the cigar he opened the tubo and found hundreds of tobacco beetles and the remains of his cigar. The Tubo prevented the beetles from getting to the rest of his cigars.

Oh good grief! The cello isn't airtight, look at the ends. It's not sealed! Leave it on. It's extra protection from your fingers when you are rummaging around in there looking for a smoke. It's protection when you ship them to someone, it's protection when you carry them to the golf course with you. It doesn't hurt a thing, they will still age just fine, not slow down one bit. I just removed one from cello with a nice plume on it, so don't tell me they aren't fine in there. Ken, you may want to take them out because they look pretty, but that's your choice.

OpusX=Goodtimes, are you really serious? Do you really think the cello will dry out your smokes? Good grief, look at the stuff. It's not airtight!

Ken, do a search here, "find" actually on this BB...it will give you lots of other discussions on this topic.

Cellophane is permeable to water and air allowing their transfer through its surface, but not as easily as without the cellophane. It will most cetainly NOT dry out your cigars.

Cello on or off it doesn't really matter from a moisture perspective or a flavor perspective. Some like it off becuase they think it looks better in the humi. I tend to leave it on. Helps protect the wrapper when transporting, mailing or rummaging.

The difference in opinion on this matter is not limited to cigar smokers. Some cigar makers do not put their stogies in cello, some do. What's a consumer to think? This one thinks it's much ado about nothing - largely a matter of personal preference. I take them off because I like the look. The cello wrappers remind me of the plastic slip covers my mother used to put on the living room furniture to protect it from my brother and me when we were kids.

According to Cigar Aficionado:

Q. Many cigars are sold in individual cellophane overwraps. Should I remove the cellophane prior to placing the cigars in my humidor? What about tubes and bands? Are cigars best stored "naked"?

A. Cellophane serves several purposes on a cigar -- in states that require each cigar to have a warning label, it makes this notification much easier to accomplish, and it prevents damage to the cigars from excessive handling in cigar shops. But once you've bought the cigar and are placing it in your humidor, we recommend you remove the cellophane. Cellophane will prevent humidity from reaching the cigar, and you'll find the cigars will respond to humidification better if the overwrap has been removed. The same holds true for cigar tubes, whether glass or aluminum; these tubes will completely close off a cigar to humidification if left on. However, if you intend to transport your cigars \(such as in a coat pocket\), it may be a good idea to keep a few tubes or cellophane overwraps handy to protect the cigars during transport.

As far as bands are concerned, it's a matter of personal preference. Some people like to remove them, but when possible, we generally choose to keep the bands on \(outside of our tasting procedures, of course\). First, it makes identifying the cigars much easier, and it also prevents inadvertent damage to the cigar's wrapper that can occur while removing the band.

Link

But I guess it just depends on your personal experiences with it.

Alright, I know that if you leave the cello on it will not go completely dry. That was not what I was saying. If that was the case they would not package them that way. My PERSONAL PREFERENCE is to take it off. That is all I was getting at. I have found that a cigar tends to store better in the humi if it can be fully available to the RH inside. Now if you are planning on sending some off to someone else, you would want to leave the cello on. I was just talking about personal use. If he wants to leave it on his Humi or anyone else, that is their preference. Yes, I will admit my original statement may have been a bit off but that is my opinion and I am sticking to it.

I guess if CA agree's with me (See Above Post), I must not be too crazy!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: OpusX=GoodTimes,

Clearly the staff at CA are the last word in cigar knowledge. This is evident with the expert and accurate ratings they magically produce.

Obviously CA has knowledgeable people working for them, but I've been hanging around long enough now that I'd go with Docbarry's advice first. If you've seen his posts, you'd know the man has a lot of good experience and knowledge (in general, but especially with cigars). He doesn't speak on things he doesn't know about, but if he does offer advice, it's a good bet that it's sound advice. Plus I don't believe for a second he would do anything that could be bad for his cigars. Have you seen his "tonights smoke" posts. The cigars he's smoking are all super premium sticks. You can bet he's taking good care of them.

In the end it's going to ccome down to personal preference, but the only reason I see for taking the cello off is aesthetics.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lorax429,

This is too funny . . .

If the cello is a good barrier, maybe they should be used as condums?

Great idea, that would be like a two-for-one deal. Better find some with higher ring gauge!

Not to mention the extremely sensual wet crackly sound (always a turn-on)!

Leave the darn cellos on!!!

Question to Ken - How many cigars are you storing and how long do you keep a cigar before smoking it?

Binder....where are you in our time of need???

Cello on Cello off??????

quote:

Originally posted by csmithnj:
Question to Ken - How many cigars are you storing and how long do you keep a cigar before smoking it?

Right now I'm just starting out, i've got 80 or so in one humi and just ordered another humi so I can buy by the box. As far as how long I plan on keeping a cigar before I smoke it.....that's a tough one right now. Because I'm a newbie, I don't have a stockpile and I enjoy smoking my sticks too much to let them sit around for a few years. I'm building up my stock by beginning to buy boxes instead of singles so that I can begin a rotation to an "aging" humidor.

You'll decide what you want to smoke within days or weeks of purchase, and which box "investments" or precious CC acquisitions you will make with the intent to age for months or years. With the availability of most premium NC's, you won't make any catastrophic mistakes.

BTW - Leave the darn cello on (oh, I already said that earlier).