Question from a Newbie about Vacuum Packed Cigars in Transit

jeff yarchin

I have recently come to enjoy fine Cigars. In my normal slippery slope type of way, I now have a Humidor full of top shelf goodies and I have out grown it.

I have a box of 25 special cigars on the way and have ordered an additional, larger Humidor that may not make it here before the cigars do. The cigars are vacuum packed and have been traveling for about 5 days.

Should I un-box the cigars when they arrive and put them in Ziploc's with some water pillows until the humidor arrives?

Or, should I put these more special cigars in my Humidor and put the other cigars in a Ziploc?

Or should I panic and go by a humidor locally at full retail?

Thanks in advance!


JY

doromath

Are they actually VACUUM packed, or just packed in tight plastic?

While I haven't had experience or knowledge of it directly, vacuum packaging cigars is a BAD idea from a physics standpoint. Proper humidification is all about vapor pressures really, the goal of which is to keep a set amount of moisture evenly distributed throughout the cigar. Dry conditions cause moisture to leave the cigar quickly, wet conditions will force moisture into the cigar. Having a negative pressure in a sealed container will cause some of the moisture in the cigars to transition into the gas phase and migrate out (it's freeze drying without the cold).

Your cigars may be fine, though. Just because the science says it's a bad idea doesn't mean it translates into the real world. If the cigars look like they're still under vacuum, with little air in the package then they should be fine. The more "air" there is in the bag, though, the closer you are to having an issue, as this "air" is actually liquid moisture in the cigar that has vaporized.

Either way, though, I would say put the special cigars in the humidor and your less prized stogies in a Ziploc with the water pillows.

jeff yarchin

I asked the shipper how RH was maintained in shipment and they told me they are indeed vacuum packed.

Thanks for your reply, I appreciate it.

I'll come back and report how they arrive, when they do.

JY

ironhorse

doromath:

Are they actually VACUUM packed, or just packed in tight plastic?

While I haven't had experience or knowledge of it directly, vacuum packaging cigars is a BAD idea from a physics standpoint. Proper humidification is all about vapor pressures really, the goal of which is to keep a set amount of moisture evenly distributed throughout the cigar. Dry conditions cause moisture to leave the cigar quickly, wet conditions will force moisture into the cigar. Having a negative pressure in a sealed container will cause some of the moisture in the cigars to transition into the gas phase and migrate out (it's freeze drying without the cold).

Your cigars may be fine, though. Just because the science says it's a bad idea doesn't mean it translates into the real world. If the cigars look like they're still under vacuum, with little air in the package then they should be fine. The more "air" there is in the bag, though, the closer you are to having an issue, as this "air" is actually liquid moisture in the cigar that has vaporized.

Either way, though, I would say put the special cigars in the humidor and your less prized stogies in a Ziploc with the water pillows.

+1 and most people run into the not enough space issue. A coolerdor or a tupperware for the time being is the usual procedure. You'll have to open it every 2 days or so to circulate some air because the seal on these are air tight, but its a perfectly acceptable way to store cigars till some space in the humidor opens up.