Do you remove your cigars from cellophane before putting in humidor?

brainfrz · March 2010

I should have asked this long ago as everything that is placed in my humidor is naked. Does it make a difference? I have a 50ct humidor.

Goldy · March 2010

I leave mine on for protection.

brainfrz · March 2010

Goldy:
I leave mine on for protection.

Ignorant question, but from what?

doromath · March 2010

I leave them on to protect my cigars from me. I'm an incessant checker/prodder and I'm not the most graceful person.

Leaving the cellophane on prevents the wrapper from getting damaged from me digging around in there, smelling the gars when I'm choosing one, shuffling them when I add new stock, etc. etc.

Cellophane is gas permeable, so there's no real harm that I can see in leaving it on. If you have a dedicated aging humidor that you don't open often and don't mess with much it might help, but probably not enough to risk wrapper damage. Just my two pennies.

brainfrz · March 2010

doromath:
I leave them on to protect my cigars from me. I'm an incessant checker/prodder and I'm not the most graceful person.

Leaving the cellophane on prevents the wrapper from getting damaged from me digging around in there, smelling the gars when I'm choosing one, shuffling them when I add new stock, etc. etc.

Cellophane is gas permeable, so there's no real harm that I can see in leaving it on. If you have a dedicated aging humidor that you don't open often and don't mess with much it might help, but probably not enough to risk wrapper damage. Just my two pennies.

So I open my humi maybe every 2-3 days... But it's glass top so I know exactly what I'm going in there and grabbing. Besides wrapper damage is there really any other damage that could happen? I ask because I only have about 15 or so sticks in there and just ordered 14 today, I'm debating whether or not to remove the cellophane from those before placing in humidor. Will they age if left in the cellophane?

xmacro · March 2010

Standard advice is to remove the cello if you're putting the cigar in an aging humi since the cello only slows down the aging process, and an agin humi isn't one you're gonna be rooting through much.

If the cigar is in a humidor you open often or paw around in, leave it on since the cello serves two purposes: 1) Protects the wrappers from getting scuffed by your hands, 2) Serves as a buffer of sorts - the cello allows humidity to penetrate, but at a much slower rate, so frequent opening doesn't change the humidity inside the cello as much since the cigars are encased in their own little microcosm.

You can provide protection and humidity exchange by just cutting the cello off at the foot - this will allow quicker aging (eg - it'll be about the same as if you took the cello off), while also providing protection for the wrapper, though this will eliminate the benefit of the microcosm that the cello provides.

Personally, I leave the cello on, untouched in my everyday humi, and take the cello off completely in my aging humi (mostly aesthetics - there are two things I love looking at naked - a hot woman, and a fine cigar)

jlmarta · March 2010

Well, I take all the cellophanes off. I believe it makes it easier to maintain the RH in spite of the fact that the cello is gas-permeable. I also like to be able to pick up a stick, feel it, sniff it, etc. before choosing which one I'm going to burn right then. My humi or coolidor is like a like a wondrous box of treats for me and I like to surprise myself with which one I choose.

Spontaniety.....one of the joys of life. Can't do that with the cellos on.

Marty

The Cank · March 2010

If your going to take the celo off make sure you put like cigars next to one another because the cigars oils will mesh together causing the flavors to change

brainfrz · March 2010

Good information here- thank you all for your responses. I've got some thinking to do.

Goldy · March 2010

In my opinion cigars taste better when kept in the cello. If you take 2 sticks that are the same and take one cello off and leave one on after 6 months or a year the one with the cello on smells noticably stronger than the other one. I believe that the flavor is stronger in the cello one too. Again, just my opinion, but I really think taking them out of the cello dilutes the individual taste/smell and combines it with the other sticks and cedar of the humidor.

I'm sure someone has the opposite view though.

As for what to protect against: Nicks, wrapper dammage, slight water damage etc.

cabinetmaker · March 2010

I do on some, but the one's I'm planning on aging a while and the ones I know to have delicate wrappers I leave in the cello's.

jlmarta · March 2010

Goldy:
In my opinion cigars taste better when kept in the cello. If you take 2 sticks that are the same and take one cello off and leave one on after 6 months or a year the one with the cello on smells noticably stronger than the other one. I believe that the flavor is stronger in the cello one too. Again, just my opinion, but I really think taking them out of the cello dilutes the individual taste/smell and combines it with the other sticks and cedar of the humidor.

Good point. I guess I'll have to give this more thought. I'm in favor of more flavor but I also like all the points I mentioned earlier. Hhmmm.

Marty

xmacro · March 2010

Goldy:
In my opinion cigars taste better when kept in the cello. If you take 2 sticks that are the same and take one cello off and leave one on after 6 months or a year the one with the cello on smells noticably stronger than the other one. I believe that the flavor is stronger in the cello one too. Again, just my opinion, but I really think taking them out of the cello dilutes the individual taste/smell and combines it with the other sticks and cedar of the humidor.

I'm sure someone has the opposite view though.

As for what to protect against: Nicks, wrapper dammage, slight water damage etc.

It's also said that leaving the cello on slows the aging process due to reduced air/humidity exchange. Also, when it comes to long-term aging with the celli, I've heard the opposite as you Goldy, that leaving the cello on long-term can be harmful - the theory goes that when the oils from the cigar turn the cello yellow, what's actually happening is that the oils are clogging the pores in the cello, essentially sealing off the cigar and preventing humidity/air exchange.

I've no idea if this is the case or not; just going on what others have said.