You have probably noticed in the recent past that pipe smoking is on the rebound. Some consider it a result of escalating cigar prices, others may call it a trend, and still others associate it with a resurgence toward nostalgia. I suspect it’s some combination of all of the above. Whatever the reason is, it is for real. And if you haven’t ever tried it, there’s truly no time like the present.
Frequent travel comes with its own built-in challenges, not the least of which include departure & arrival times, meeting times, dinner reservations, etc. With all of these baked into the schedule already, when do you find time to go cigar shopping?
The operative question here may not be which one to have. I say both….can you have too many? Well, yes — probably…more periodic maintenance, etc. But seriously, if you really are a one-a-day cigar smoker, there are even more questions than this to consider, so let’s answer these one at a time.
A point worth considering: if your humidor didn’t cost much more than your cigar — it might outlast your cigar. Chances are that your humidor is worth about what you paid for it. And it can either be a good investment or a cheap marketing device, but either way, it makes a statement about how much you appreciate the cigars you keep in them.
So...if it eventually all comes down to personal preference, why do we need science? Within this range lie most of our preferences. Some like it hot, some like it cool. Some like it sweet, some like it spicy. Some like it earthy, some like it smoky...the list of comparisons could go on and on. Almost without exception, it stands to reason that these preferences are considered highly when preparing tobacco blends. The 65-75% RH range has become established as such because it serves to preserve the flavor profiles for which each tobacco in a given blend were chosen - and to maintain that preservation for the longest time possible.
