Metro Cigar News Fall 1999

Horatio's Corner

By Horatio Vandepuff
of DHS, LLC
Makers of Humid-I-Guard
Disposable Humidification Systems

How important is Cedar for my cigars?

There are two types of cedar, American and Spanish. American Cedar is very aromatic and it wards off moth larvae to protect clothes. Its odor is stronger and different then Spanish cedar and should never be used to protect cigars unless you want to smoke you closet. Spanish cedar, which is not grown in Spain, has a subtler odor and is often thought to enhance the flavor of a cigar. Not everyone likes this flavor but is often a good idea to use it when storing cigars. It wards off the dreaded tobacco beetle, which can ruin a whole stash of cigars if left unchecked. How do I know if I have tobacco beetles in my cigars?

Look at the wrapper of the cigar. If it looks like someone drilled neat little holes in your cigars, chances are they are there. The best thing to do is put the offending cigars in a plastic bag and throw them out. Remove the rest of the cigars, after inspecting very carefully, and wipe out the inside of your humidor with a damp rag or sponge. Make sure to get into every corner, but do not soak the wood. If you can, place each cigar in a small zip lock and put them back in your humidor. The beetles cannot pass through the plastic but moisture can. Inspect them for the next few months and discard any that show the telltale signs. Those that are good may be removed from plastic zip lock. Spanish cedar helps ward off the beetles. The best way to protect your cigars is to keep the temperature between 68 and 75 degrees. The tobacco beetle needs warmer temperatures to grow and infest your cigars. Got a question for Horatio? Write:
HORATIO'S CORNER
c/o Metro Cigar News
P.O. Box 104
Oradell, New Jersey 07649