Travel and cigars, two of life’s great pleasures. Combine the two and you’ve really got yourself a treat. Taking your favorite brand of cigar away on holiday with you, bringing that little familiar taste and smell to your vacation destination. This combination is such a great pleasure. However, travel can be the enemy of cigars. With so much motion and so many potential changes in the environment, cigar quality can really suffer on your travels. There are, however, some useful tools and tricks that can help you keep your favorite cigars fresh for a long time, even when jetting off around the world. So, let’s take a look at our top ways of how to keep your cigars fresh while you’re traveling.
Why Is Travel Bad for Cigars?
Let’s have a quick lesson on why exactly traveling is potentially bad for your cigars. Firstly, cigars are dry and brittle. While this is part of what gives them their fantastic flavor, it also means they don’t do so well when compressed or squashed in a bag. Cigars, for this very reason, react very badly to too much moisture or humidity. We spoke to the cigar masters over at gothamcigars.com who explained “Too humid, and the tobacco will rot. If it’s not humid enough, cigars can dry out and lose their wonderful taste.” Speaking of taste, improperly stored cigars are also extremely good at absorbing all sorts of flavors from their surroundings. So, as you can see, it is clearly very easy to ruin a cigar – or even a whole pack! But, you really want to take your favorite cigar on holiday to smoke with your buddies on your final night. So, how do you do it?
First, Choose Great Cigars
Let’s be honest. There’s no point reading this article if you’re talking about saving the cheapest cigar on the shelf. We are talking about wonderful, rich, pure cigars here. We want to help cigar connoisseurs keep their perfect stogies fresh for their big trips. So, the cigar is important. A well-constructed cigar made by a recognized brand will certainly travel better than a novice impersonation. Construction is a key element to a cigar traveling safely! It is also important to understand whether your chosen cigar has been crafted using the highest-quality tobacco. Now, you may think all cigars have the same great tobacco, but sadly some companies skimp on quality and drying time. Better tobacco will survive your travel days longer.
Then, Keep Them Fresh
Now you’ve chosen your perfect cigar it’s time to keep them fresh while traveling. Other than packing your cigars well and not simply throwing them in a bag, there are a few other tips to keep in mind. We’re assuming you’re taking a flight, so all of these tips are aimed at your hand luggage. Don’t put cigars in the hold. No matter what you have put them in, they will be exposed to far more extreme temperatures and handling than your own carry-on. Other tips include:
- Buy a Travel Humidor
The humidor is the device used by cigar stores, smokers, and companies to keep their cigars fresh. They use filters to keep the moisture level and humidity level within small limits to keep your cigars as healthy as possible. A travel humidor is designed to slip into your rucksack whilst holding a few of your favorite cigars.
- Leave Them In Their Wrappers
Most cigars come with their own airtight cellophane wrapper anyway. These are basically mini travel bags for your cigars – after all, this is how they traveled from the manufacturing facility to you in the first place! Whether using a humidor or not, keep your cigars in their wrappers for extra freshness. This added layer of protection means that your cigars will stay happy and bursting with flavor when you finally open the pack.
- Anything Airtight
If you can’t afford a humidor or you’re reading this too late and don’t have time to grab one before your flight, there’s a budget solution available to you. Simply throw them in an airtight container (still in their wraps!) and you’ll be able to preserve a good amount of freshness. Make sure they’re packed neatly and securely so they don’t get squashed in transit.
So, now you’ve got the best cigars and the best tips for keeping them fresh on the road. Whether it’s bringing back some Cubans from a far-flung destination or taking your favorite cigars to a special celebration, we’ve got you covered. Enjoy your travels, but most of all, enjoy smoking your favorite cigars wherever it is you go!
If you can’t take tobacco with you, Shishanova has some great alternatives.
