Vacuum Sealing Aged Stogies

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briarbuck

Lifer
Nov 24, 2015
2,287
5,492
I have a bunch of sticks with 10+ years on them. They're probably at their very peak in terms of aging right now. The collection is in a converted thermo-electric wine fridge in a cool dry place. The unit is air tight and I only have to add some moisture (distilled H2O and beads) about every 2-3 months.

I really don't smoke that many cigars now, but I am sure at some point in the future, I will again.

Here's the question. Should I bundle and vacuum seal for the future?

Prevents any possible future mold/bug issues.
Keeps them from becoming overly aged.

I'd hate to have an "issue" that would wipe out the collection. Vacuum sealing could prevent it. I have a fair number of Fuente and Fuente, Presidentes, Sharks etc that would hurt to lose.

What say ye...
 
Jan 28, 2018
12,955
134,688
67
Sarasota, FL
I don't see any reason to vacuum seal them but I'm not sure it would hurt them either. I've smoked 15 to 20 year old Fuentes that were quite good and had been stored in a regular humidor. Sounds like your humidor is solid, what issue do you think you're protecting against?
 

shanez

Lifer
Jul 10, 2018
5,188
24,084
49
Las Vegas
I would think the vacuum seal pressure could damage the sticks.

I have a NewAir brand electric humidor/cooler that keeps temps just below the published hatching temperature of beetle eggs. I have found nothing that is as close to a quality temperature and humidity controlled professional retail humidor.

I'm set at 69 degrees (calibrated) and the lowest hatch temperature I've found is 72 degrees. I'm also set at 69% humidity. I'm incredibly happy with this and I wouldn't recommend any other long term storage solution.
 

tfdickson

Lifer
May 15, 2014
2,115
40,895
East End of Long Island
I would definitely not vacuum seal them. I used to use a converted igloo cooler as a humidor which worked fine as long as I opened it once a day. As I moved from both cigars and pipes to nearly exclusively pipes the cooler went unopened for a long period of time aside from periodic checks for humidity. Nearly every cigar went bad- they developed a strong amonia oder that made them unsmokable. I asked a tobacconist and he told me that unlike pipe tobacco cigars require air exchange although I don’t remember the mechanics of exactly why.
 

Bengel

Lifer
Sep 20, 2019
3,116
14,243
I would definitely not vacuum seal them. I used to use a converted igloo cooler as a humidor which worked fine as long as I opened it once a day. As I moved from both cigars and pipes to nearly exclusively pipes the cooler went unopened for a long period of time aside from periodic checks for humidity. Nearly every cigar went bad- they developed a strong amonia oder that made them unsmokable. I asked a tobacconist and he told me that unlike pipe tobacco cigars require air exchange although I don’t remember the mechanics of exactly why.
Now I am worried as mine are in here
5413
And only gets opened for the occasional cigar or to add water too the beads?
 
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briarbuck

Lifer
Nov 24, 2015
2,287
5,492
I don't see any reason to vacuum seal them but I'm not sure it would hurt them either. I've smoked 15 to 20 year old Fuentes that were quite good and had been stored in a regular humidor. Sounds like your humidor is solid, what issue do you think you're protecting against?
Overly careful I guess. I can see most of these not being touched for 10 years.
 

greeneyes

Lifer
Jun 5, 2018
2,126
12,193
I vacuum sealed some cigars. The results were hilarious. Even with the cellophane wrapper, the cigars shrunk into raisin-sticks with wrinkled skins; even after removing them the vacuum and letting them sit before smoking, they never recouped their original form in the slightest.

If you want to surround them in some type of box of other supportive structure so this doesn't happen in your case then I assume it would work fine. Bear in mind that whatever humidity is left in the enclosure is quickly going to be redistributed equally in the atmosphere within. Thus, to ensure your cigars don't dry excessively (that is to say, the cigars themselves become the "Boveda" pack for the enclosure) don't make the enclosure much larger than the area occupied by the cigars themselves.
 

briarbuck

Lifer
Nov 24, 2015
2,287
5,492
I vacuum sealed some cigars. The results were hilarious. Even with the cellophane wrapper, the cigars shrunk into raisin-sticks with wrinkled skins; even after removing them the vacuum and letting them sit before smoking, they never recouped their original form in the slightest.

If you want to surround them in some type of box of other supportive structure so this doesn't happen in your case then I assume it would work fine. Bear in mind that whatever humidity is left in the enclosure is quickly going to be redistributed equally in the atmosphere within. Thus, to ensure your cigars don't dry excessively (that is to say, the cigars themselves become the "Boveda" pack for the enclosure) don't make the enclosure much larger than the area occupied by the cigars themselves.
This is why I asked. Thank you sir.

I have some boxes I may seal up. But I agree that shrinking a stick probably isn't the best idea.
 
Jan 28, 2018
12,955
134,688
67
Sarasota, FL
I would definitely not vacuum seal them. I used to use a converted igloo cooler as a humidor which worked fine as long as I opened it once a day. As I moved from both cigars and pipes to nearly exclusively pipes the cooler went unopened for a long period of time aside from periodic checks for humidity. Nearly every cigar went bad- they developed a strong amonia oder that made them unsmokable. I asked a tobacconist and he told me that unlike pipe tobacco cigars require air exchange although I don’t remember the mechanics of exactly why.

If you're going to use a coolerdor, I'd recommend opening the drain spout to allow some "breathing". I've stored cigars a long time this way without regularly opening the lid.
 

danimalia

Lifer
Sep 2, 2015
4,385
26,440
41
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
I vacuum sealed some cigars. The results were hilarious. Even with the cellophane wrapper, the cigars shrunk into raisin-sticks with wrinkled skins; even after removing them the vacuum and letting them sit before smoking, they never recouped their original form in the slightest.

If you want to surround them in some type of box of other supportive structure so this doesn't happen in your case then I assume it would work fine. Bear in mind that whatever humidity is left in the enclosure is quickly going to be redistributed equally in the atmosphere within. Thus, to ensure your cigars don't dry excessively (that is to say, the cigars themselves become the "Boveda" pack for the enclosure) don't make the enclosure much larger than the area occupied by the cigars themselves.

I received some small cigars from a member here who vacuum sealed the boxes before he sent them, and what were originally round cigars became box-pressed. Like, really, really nicely box pressed. I was very surprised and impressed.
 
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