Storing Multiple Cigars in One Humidor

[Northern Neil]

I have yet another question for you knowledgeable gentlemen, I have about 5 different brands of cigars in my humidor at the present moment. None of them are flavored, and they are all of Cuban origin.
I know cigar flavors will transfer from one and other if stored in the same environment. Unfortunately, multiple humidors is not an option.
Right now I am dividing the different cigars by using the thin cedar liner that comes in cigar boxes. Does anyone have any other ways of separating different cigars to minimize flavor transfer?

 

[the rev]

I try smoking them really fast so they don't have time to pick up any ambient flavor, if you need help with that let me know

rev

 

[rothnh]

Neil,

Other than to keep the cigars sorted as you are doing -- since none of your cigars are infused/flavored -- I personally wouldn't worry about "flavor transfer" from stick to stick.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

rothnh, said it best.

I would only worry about flavored cigars.

 

[Northern Neil]

I'm glad to hear you guys say that. I was thinking I was worrying about nothing, but there are so many sources online telling people to keep all cigars separated. Maybe in a couple of years, if I've found some stogies I cannot live without, they might get a special humidor. Until then, my current practise will prevail.

 

[rothnh]

Yep, no worries, Neil.

I do keep my boxes separate, i.e., in the box the sticks came in, but as for my desk top humidors, I've kept a selection of various sticks in them over the years and never had a problem.

The one thing I'll note is that I find the optimum RH for cigars varies.  For example, Maduros and Oscuros smoke better at somewhat lower RH.  I've found that a good balance is to keep relative humidity between 62%-65% RH in the humidors.

 

[SteveS]

based on years of experience, I can assure you rothnh has hit the nail on the head with his advise (immediately above) ...

 

[rothnh]

Hey, it's all from 4 decades in this hobby.

But whatever works for you :| 

 

[Growley]

Well, for what it's worth, I keep an assortment of cigars, multiple tins of snuff and even some aromatic pipe tobacco in my box. I will readily admit that my cigars smell great...like aromatic pipe tobacco, ha.

I'm not a purist. I don't mind the transfer, but I wouldn't recommend it if you really want to know what your cigar is all about.

With what you're doing, I wouldn't be worried, but I would still guess that over a long period of time you'll have at least some minor blending of flavors and smells.

 

[keen smoke]

I agree with rothnh - I have a pretty large humidor that stays around 64-66% RH. The only thing I do (besides never including flavored cigars in the general population) is to keep similar cigars together - ie, I keep maduros all on one shelf, cameroon wrappers all in one section, etc, regardless of brand. If you have brand favorites and a lot of them, of course keeping them together is probably ideal.

 

[DaveyNY]

i have found that darker wrappers will "marry"with the lighter Cameroon/ conn shade wrappers pretty quickly if in touch with one another.

But here is the thing, once a cigar has been lit, smoked 1/4" and had its first purging of the tars, the marrying is not a factor really. in fact even though i can usually detect a marrying impartation of a cigar to another, it does not affect the overall smoking profile once you get it going. its just an initial taste and then its gone as 85% or so of the flavor profile is the filler and binder which is not really affected (in my experience anyway) with the marrying flavors.

YMMV

David

 

[MichaelM]

That is an interesting observation David. I find that the vast majority of flavor comes from the wrapper and would have expected a bigger effect from the marrying you describe. It is amazing how good we are at detecting minor nuances. If you have ever smoked to the band by mistake you will know what I mean. I've often had mixed wrappers in my humidor and never noticed an issue, but I move the cigars around a lot and the average lifetime of a stick in my collection is short ;-)
Mike.

 

[DaveyNY]

Yes isn't it?

I should expound a bit though. i smoke predominantly Churchills and Toro size cigars, so there is a lot more leaf than wrapper.

If i may blaspheme against ..eh.... everyone... i would liken the flavor of the wrapper to the "topping" of pipe tobacco. Sorry everyone. I can taste the flavor the wrapper imparts (especially Sumatran and oscuro wrappers in particular) but they add a nuance rather than dominate my palette.
Again this is just me. My 3 brothers all smoke together with me and each of us will describe a stick differently. Go figure.

And yes..smoking to the band....effeminately DOES dominate the flavor lol...

David