Make no mistake.  If you love smoking cigars, the most important accessory you can have is a quality humidor.

Cigar humidors are basically a tightly sealed container with a perfectly controlled climate inside. They are the ideal environment to store your cigars to maximize their life and their quality.

Humidors come in a variety of shapes, sizes and functions.  They can be a small box or an entire room, but their purpose is to maintain a constant humidity (and oftentimes the temperature as well). In some cigar specialty shops, the humidor is often of the walk-in variety, some taking up a whole floor of the cigar store.

With the increasing popularity among high-profile entertainers and politicians, cigar smoking has taken a decided uptick in the past few years, and owning a good-quality humidor is part of the whole cigar aficionado mystique.  Many times, a cigar smoker will also want to own a custom-made humidor that reflects the taste and personality of its owner.

Although not used exclusively for cigars (some people store their baseball cards in them!), humidors are most often associated with fine cigars.  Any serious cigar smoker will want to own at least one.

Having a great cigar cutter or a beautifully functioning cigar lighter won't do you a bit of good if your cigars have been ruined by lack of care when it comes time to smoke them.

Are Humidors Really Necessary?

Well, contrary to what you may have been told you can't keep your cigars in a Ziploc with a damp towel.  I mean, I guess you can.  But don't.  Cigar humidors are a must have for anyone who is dedicated to keeping their cigars at peak quality.  And a Ziploc isn't the answer.

Once you become more familiar with the delicate nature of cigars, you'll understand why. Cigars are organic. They have been made from tightly wrapped, cured tobacco leaves. The leaves are intentionally fermented, like a fine wine, in a way that will cause the leaves to dry and die very slowly (reducing the sugar and water content without allowing them to rot). The temperature and humidity are controlled during this whole process. How long the leaves are aged, along with this controlled dying process, are what gives a particular cigar its distinctive flavor and aroma.

If the tobacco growers and cigar producers take this much care in creating a great smoke, why would you want to throw them into a baggie, where they will absorb that wonderful plastic taste?

So, get yourself a humidor.  It doesn't need to be the size of a small BMW.  No walk-in closet is necessary.  There are plenty of nice, home friendly sizes
from which you can choose these days.  Just make a few simple decisions about the size and design aspects that appeal to you (which wood, glass-top or no, etc.) as well as the level of sophistication you want in your hygrometer.

Which Wood Should Be in Your Humidor?

Spanish cedar is generally accepted as the best interior veneer for a cigar humidor because it holds more moisture than most woods, it can repel the dreaded tobacco beetle (which can ruin your whole cigar stock), and it imparts a very pleasant aroma to your cigars if they are in the humidor for very long.  Oh, and it also doesn't warp as easily as most woods.

Lamborghini Humidor

Even Lamborghini  is getting into the humidor biz. Puro talento Italiano!  We've heard it's a limited edition and may not be around long, but it's cool to know about it.

More than a few celebrities, politicos, sports figures et al have enjoyed a good stogie.  Here are just a few.

You can find a good, overall explanation of humidors here.