How to Keep Cigars Fresh Without a Humidor
I'm Gerard from Mardo Cigars, and on this episode of Mondays with Mardo I'm answering one of the most common questions I get: how do you keep cigars fresh without a humidor? Picture it. You're at a wedding or on vacation, you don't have your cigar case, and somebody hands you a really special cigar you can't always get. You don't want to smoke it right away, you want to save it for the right moment. The good news is you don't need an expensive setup to protect it. With a couple of cheap items you already know, you can keep cigars fresh without a humidor until you get back home.
Quick answerDrop your cigar in a Ziploc bag with a damp (not soaking) paper towel and seal it. That little pocket of humidity keeps the cigar fresh in the interim until you reach a humidor or your house. For a small collection, a Boveda storage bag does the same job for up to about a year.
Why Cigars Need Humidity
A premium cigar is rolled from natural tobacco leaf, and that leaf needs the right amount of moisture to stay in good shape. Leave a cigar sitting in dry air and it slowly gives up its moisture, the wrapper can dry out and crack, and it simply won't smoke the way it was meant to. A humidor exists to hold that moisture steady. The catch is that a humidor is an investment, and sometimes you just need a quick fix on the go. That is exactly when knowing how to keep cigars fresh without a humidor saves the day.
The Ziploc Bag Method (Step by Step)
The simplest way to store a cigar without a humidor is the humble Ziploc bag. You can buy a whole box at almost any store for a dollar or two. Head to a Dollar Tree or 99 Cents store and a full pack runs about a buck seventy-eight. Here is how I do it:
- Bag the cigar. Place your cigar inside the Ziploc bag and give it a couple of gentle rolls or flips to ease the air out.
- Prep a paper towel. Take a paper towel, dampen it, then squeeze out as much of the water as you can. You want it damp, not dripping.
- Add humidity. Drop that damp paper towel into the bag and seal it up. Voila, you now have something humid keeping your cigar company.
Damp, not soakingSqueeze that paper towel well. Too much water is what harms a cigar, so the goal is light humidity, not a puddle inside the bag.
The Double-Bag Method for Cigars Without Cellophane
What if the cigar did not come with a cellophane sleeve and you're nervous about it touching the damp paper towel? Easy fix. Use a second bag so the cigar never sits against anything wet:
- Put the cigar in a Ziploc bag and roll the bag up around it.
- Place that rolled-up bag inside a second Ziploc bag.
- Add the damp paper towel to the second bag only, then seal it.
"It's not going to be touching anything that's wet that's going to harm your cigars. So that will keep your cigar humid in the interim until you get to a humidor or you get to your house."
Storing a Few Cigars Long-Term
Let's say you were gifted five or ten cigars and you don't smoke enough to justify a full humidor. You don't have to buy one. You can grab Boveda packs on Amazon or right here on our website, and Boveda also makes resealable storage bags in medium and large sizes. Drop your cigars in with a pack and they hold a shelf life of about a year. These bags usually run somewhere between eight and fourteen dollars, so they really don't hurt the bank. It is the easiest way to keep cigars fresh without a humidor when you have more than one to protect.
If you already keep Boveda packs around, you may wonder what to do once they harden up. We put that to the test in our guide on whether you can recharge your Boveda packs, and the answer might surprise you.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using a soaking-wet paper towel. Excess water can damage the wrapper. Always wring it out first.
- Leaving the bag in a hot car or direct sun. Heat works against you, so keep the bag somewhere cool.
- Treating it as permanent. The bag trick is a great interim fix, but a humidor or a Boveda storage bag is better for the long haul.
Watch: How to Keep Cigars Fresh Without a Humidor
See the whole trick in action straight from the episode on Mondays with Mardo:
Final Thoughts
You don't need fancy gear to protect a good cigar. Whether it's a single Ziploc bag with a damp paper towel or a Boveda storage bag for a small collection, you now know how to keep cigars fresh without a humidor and enjoy that special smoke whenever the moment is right. When you're ready to add a few more to your stash, take a look at our cigar samplers to find your next favorite.
Mardo Cigars sells premium tobacco products intended for adults 21 and older. Please enjoy responsibly.
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