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Dry Boxing

CigSid

CigSid

Love this place...
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
6,243
There have been quite a few posts on dry boxing... here is one more :)

Cigars should be stored at between 67 and 70 percent humidity, to prevent the precious oils from drying up, and for maximum aging potential. However, smoking them at this humidity causes some problems... such as tunneling, re-lights, bitter and hot tasting smoke and more... The ideal humidity to smoke cigars is between 60 and 62 percent humidity. (especially Cuban cigars)

Many Europeans store their cigars between 55 and 62 percent, which I believe is a tragedy. Sure, they may smoke great at first, but after several years, you will have ruined your entire stock. Unfortunately, I have purchased many boxes stored just like this, and have not been very happy with the results.

You can purchase a small humidor from Amazon (just like this one) for 25 bucks, that works perfectly.

Here is a picture of mine:
closed.jpg

Here it is opened:
humi open.jpg

I use 60 percent Heartfelt beads (you can see them here) Buy a half pound, and they will last a lifetime. (I have had mine over 10 years and they still work perfectly) Make sure you only wet a small area on one side, so the beads can regulate the humidity.
Edit: For some reason, Heartfelt does not make the 60% beads anymore. I recommend 62% Boveda packs, you can see them here:

So, for around 50 bucks, you can have a perfect dry box setup. Believe me when I tell you it is worth it...

Make sure you "season" your dry box. (plenty of info on seasoning humidors on this site)

Here is a simple recipe for success:

1. Store your cigars between 67 and 70 percent humidity
2. One day each week grab enough cigars to smoke that week.
3. Put them in your dry box.
4. Smoke the smaller gauge cigars first, the larger gauge cigars last.
5. Rotate your cigars daily, this will contribute to an even burn.
6. Share this with at least one other brother (or sister)

Please let me know how much better your cigars are tasting and burning, after you do this.

CigSid
 
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All I do is store at 65-68 When I want sticks to smoke, I then dry box for 6 to 24 hours, depending on the way the cigar feels and my experience with the marca. For me, dry box means a cigar box with no artificial humidification whatsoever; in San Francisco, that is usually about 50-55 RH+.
 
With all the talking about dry boxing lately; I really should try it. My cabinet maintains 65+- a % or 2. No temp control but the house has AC so the temperature varies 65 and 75 depending on season. Nothing pisses me off worse than grabbing a 2008 Cohiba Genios and having it feel like a sponge half way through. Between this post and BBS's comments I need to create a program that works for me. Connecticut has four seasons with winter usually being sand dry and July and August being is sticky wet. Good info thanks!
 
CigSid said:
There have been quite a few posts on dry boxing... here is one more :)

Cigars should be stored at between 67 and 70 percent humidity, to prevent the precious oils from drying up, and for maximum aging potential. However, smoking them at this humidity causes some problems... such as tunneling, re-lights, bitter and hot tasting smoke and more... The ideal humidity to smoke cigars is between 60 and 62 percent humidity. (especially Cuban cigars)

Many Europeans store their cigars between 55 and 62 percent, which I believe is a tragedy. Sure, they may smoke great at first, but after several years, you will have ruined your entire stock. Unfortunately, I have purchased many boxes stored just like this, and have not been very happy with the results.

You can purchase a small humidor from Amazon (just like this one) for 25 bucks, that works perfectly.

Here is a picture of mine:
View attachment 18604

Here it is opened:
View attachment 18605

I use 60 percent Heartfelt beads (you can see them here) Buy a half pound, and they will last a lifetime. (I have had mine over 10 years and they still work perfectly) Make sure you only wet a small area on one side, so the beads can regulate the humidity.

So, for around 50 bucks, you can have a perfect dry box setup. Believe me when I tell you it is worth it...

Make sure you "season" your dry box. (plenty of info on seasoning humidors on this site)

Here is a simple recipe for success:

1. Store your cigars between 67 and 70 percent humidity
2. One day each week grab enough cigars to smoke that week.
3. Put them in your dry box.
4. Smoke the smaller gauge cigars first, the larger gauge cigars last.
5. Rotate your cigars daily, this will contribute to an even burn.
6. Share this with at least one other brother (or sister)

Please let me know how much better your cigars are tasting and burning, after you do this.

CigSid
Click to expand...

This is absolutely a great process and starting point for those new to the Dry Box concept.
Start here, and adjust to your individual taste and needs.

Cigars, while they can bring all of us here together, are such a personal endeavour. It is so hard to find a single solution for events simplest of issues.

T
 
thinde said:
With all the talking about dry boxing lately; I really should try it. My cabinet maintains 65+- a % or 2. No temp control but the house has AC so the temperature varies 65 and 75 depending on season. Nothing pisses me off worse than grabbing a 2008 Cohiba Genios and having it feel like a sponge half way through. Between this post and BBS's comments I need to create a program that works for me. Connecticut has four seasons with winter usually being sand dry and July and August being is sticky wet. Good info thanks!
Click to expand...

I just ordered a small Cherry Humidor from Amazon to match my M-Plus cabinet.......Now I can't wait to explain to my wife why I need a small humidor to sit on top of my big humidor.....THANKS BILL!
 
I haven't approached your level of performance there, but I do have a small humidor that has no humidification in it that I use for this purpose. As a humorous aside, this was the first little humidor I bought, thought that would be plenty big enough for my smokes. Yeah, for about 40 minutes.....:rolleyes:

But, though my dry box works well, after reading your post I may have to re-think it just a bit.

Thanks for the post - so much good info there..!!
 
My pleasure gentlemen! (and sorry Tom :) )

As subjective as people's taste are, the difference in taste and burn after dry boxing correctly is substantial... When I started doing this 10 years ago, the main thing I remember was thinking... dammit, I wish I had started this 10 years ago...
 
CigSid said:
There have been quite a few posts on dry boxing... here is one more :)

Cigars should be stored at between 67 and 70 percent humidity, to prevent the precious oils from drying up, and for maximum aging potential. However, smoking them at this humidity causes some problems... such as tunneling, re-lights, bitter and hot tasting smoke and more... The ideal humidity to smoke cigars is between 60 and 62 percent humidity. (especially Cuban cigars)

Many Europeans store their cigars between 55 and 62 percent, which I believe is a tragedy. Sure, they may smoke great at first, but after several years, you will have ruined your entire stock. Unfortunately, I have purchased many boxes stored just like this, and have not been very happy with the results.

You can purchase a small humidor from Amazon (just like this one) for 25 bucks, that works perfectly.
CigSid
Click to expand...

I started doing the same thing about 8 months ago. I also converted my very first desktop box. I agree, it really makes a difference.
 
Turns out that the ambient RH in my house with the heat on (and pouring rain outside) is 58-60%. Which explains why my passive dry box method works pretty well.....
 
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In Colorado Springs the AVG High RH is 62% and the low is 34% with a daily avg of 50%
Which is why I don't leave them out for tooooo long.

T
 
BlindedByScience said:
Turns out that the ambient RH in my house with the heat on (and pouring rain outside) is 58-60%. Which explains why by passive dry box method works pretty well.....
Click to expand...
Tom, this is extremely rare, and you are very fortunate... Most areas are either too moist or too dry.

The point I am trying to make is this... Everywhere on the planet (except for Tom's house :) ) will have fluctuations in temperature and humidity. IF you consider yourself serious about the "hobby" of cigar collecting and smoking, you have already spent thousands of dollars over the years on cigars, humidors, etc... and a great amount of "time" it takes to properly store your cigars. How could you "not" spend another $50 to give every cigar you smoke an opportunity to be the very best it can be?
 
I dry box when I can...I have a nice desktop that I use for the purpose. However, I rarely know what I'm going to smoke for the week. I like to open up the humi, stare at it a bit and have something jump out at me. So I don't get to take advantage of dry boxing often.

I think your information has merit though.
 
Some flexibility is good, in addition to a system. Pleasant surprises sometimes occur in the vagaries of inconsistency.

Don't forget, inconsistency is the hobgoblin of the small mind! ;)

Like not dryboxing a cigar you usually would only to find more complexity or flavor.
 
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