Nothing is quite like sitting on a white sand beach with your favorite Black and Mild cigar. However, unless you live close to one of those types of beaches, you’re going to have to travel to have this kind of experience. This is where some folks have difficulty: how do you travel with your favorite, typically fragile cigar without them becoming ruined in the process? In this guide, you will learn three useful tips for packing your cigars so that you can take them on vacation.
Table of Contents
1- Consider Using a Travel Humidor
As mentioned, cigars are inherently fragile; they also require the right humidity so that they don’t lose their distinctive aromas or flavors. For this reason, many use at-home humidors to maintain optimal conditions for their favorite cigars. With this in mind, there are also travel humidors that fulfill the same purpose but are packable in a travel bag or suitcase.
These humidors are also designed to protect the easy-to-crush bodies of your cigars, as they usually have a hard shell that’s resistant to damage. Some even incorporate shock-absorbing materials like foam on the inside to further keep your cigars safe from harm. You can even season a travel humidor to help enhance the flavors of your cigars.
In addition to hard shell travel humidors, there are also humidor bags and packs for those who aren’t concerned with directly protecting the cigars from impact. These will keep out odors and humidity so that you can smoke without having either spoiling the experience of cigar smoking.
2- Seal Them Tightly
For many reasons, humidors and humidor bags may not be an option. When this is the case, one essential takeaway is that cigars must be sealed against odors, especially when stored in confined places, like a suitcase. Cigars are very vulnerable when it comes to strange smells and easily absorb these, ruining the flavor and aroma. Wrap each cigar individually in cellophane or cedar sheets as tightly as possible to avoid errant odors making your cigars unsmokeable.
Another way to seal them is to use a standard Ziplock bag. As long as the bag is sealed correctly, it will protect the cigars from humidity and odors.
3- Don’t Forget Your Cigar Accessories
Now that you are prepared to travel safely with your precious smokable cargo, it’s time to pack for a successful cigar vacation. There are a few essential accessories you’ll need, which include:
- A cigar cutter: You’ll need something to cut your cigars when they are ready to smoke, right? We suggest a guillotine cutter as these are travel-friendly.
- A travel ashtray: There’s no guarantee you’ll have an ashtray when traveling, so bring a quick travel variation to cover your bases.
- A lighter: A good lighter is critical. Since you never know the wind conditions at your getaway, consider a travel lighter.
Before you even start packing, it’s a good idea to check into the local laws regarding bringing these kinds of tobacco products into the country you’re visiting. Some areas of the globe have statutes on the books about how much tobacco you can legally bring into the country. With these tips in mind, you’ll have an amazing cigar vacation.