Storage Temperature

First of all, I do not, nor have I ever subscribed to the whole "home freezing" theory. "Flash freezing", which is what manufacturers do, is vastly different than placing products into a consumer grade freezer. The first takes minutes to accomplish and retains 99.?% of present essential oils and virtually no oxidation. Conversely, freezing and thawing slowly allows for comparatively extensive oxidation and the loss of oils. I've tried it by doing A/B comparisons and I can taste a slight difference.

I personally prefer to store my cigars at ~62*. Doing so slows the aging process, which renders a more delicate, nuanced result. It also slows the exchange of oils and gasses, inhibiting the "marrying" effect you get when storing cigars on top of one another. I find that storing at lower temps renders a better end product. I learned the practice from the Fuentes at Tampa Sweethearts who store their back stock and private inventories at 58* and relatively low RH. Seeing 3 commercial kitchen shelves full of Don Carlos 20-30 year old cigars was enough to convince me ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Herf N Turf

Seeing 3 commercial kitchen shelves full of Don Carlos 20-30 year old cigars was enough to convince me ;)

---

I wonder what they are gonna do with those Don Carlos? Smoke'm? Sell? Gift? Continue to age and show them off?

My humidor is in our living room. We have a programed thermostat.

Our house varies from 65-69 in winter and 72-78 in summer. My cigars have suffered no ill effects that I have noticed.

In the tropics where cigars are made, the avg monthly temps range from 70 to 80.

My cigars live in my basement, stays about 65 year round down there. The cabinet is tucked in a corner away from the windows and air vents. I have a wireless hygrometer that I check when I leave for work in the morning and when I go to bed a night. Obsessive? Yeah a little bit... :stogie:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Old Smokey

I wonder what they are gonna do with those Don Carlos? Smoke'm? Sell? Gift? Continue to age and show them off?

---

They weren't all Don Carlos, but were all his personal stash. There was literally everything there, Don Carlos by the bundle from the late 80's, OR Opus X and bundles of Forbidden X and God Of Fire. Curiously, I didn't notice any Anejo. I could have just missed them since I was so awestruck at seeing Forbidden X by the bundle.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Herf N Turf

First of all, I do not, nor have I ever subscribed to the whole "home freezing" theory. "Flash freezing", which is what manufacturers do, is vastly different than placing products into a consumer grade freezer. The first takes minutes to accomplish and retains 99.?% of present essential oils and virtually no oxidation. Conversely, freezing and thawing slowly allows for comparatively extensive oxidation and the loss of oils. I've tried it by doing A/B comparisons and I can taste a slight difference.

I personally prefer to store my cigars at ~62*. Doing so slows the aging process, which renders a more delicate, nuanced result. It also slows the exchange of oils and gasses, inhibiting the "marrying" effect you get when storing cigars on top of one another. I find that storing at lower temps renders a better end product. I learned the practice from the Fuentes at Tampa Sweethearts who store their back stock and private inventories at 58* and relatively low RH. Seeing 3 commercial kitchen shelves full of Don Carlos 20-30 year old cigars was enough to convince me ;)

---

I, too, have decided against home freezing my cigars. The vast majority of my stash resides in a wineador with the temp kept in the low 60s. While I may have some beetle risk, I figure at that temp it is pretty minimal.

The temps here in so cal are nice so the home stays pretty constant all year. I do have a beverage cooler, but it doesn't get plugged in since the my temps in the home are not too hot and not too cool. I use 65 rh beads and have been using them for close to 15 year now without any problems. Never freeze since I've never had a probably with beetles. I think that was a big issue back in the late 90's bend I believe vendors have taken precautions again beetles since then.