Frankly, for the occasional smoker, purchasing a humidor is an unnecessary expense and hassle. Too much humidity and cigars will mold, meanwhile, too little humidity will dry the cigars out removing depth and allowing for a hotter burn. Similarly, if the temperature gets too high there can be problems with the dreaded cigar beetle and too low can hamper the aging process. With all of these risks one cannot help but wonder if it is really worth the aggravation.
To best address this question I have personally undertaken a side by side study. The basics of this experiment, while not extremely scientific, are as follows: There is a control group of three Kristoff Churchill cigars purchased from three separate boxes and smoked without at home humidification and three Kristoff Churchill cigars purchased at the same time and in the same manner and smoked after an extended stay in my humidor. I chose the Kristoff brand for two main reasons. Firstly, I enjoy their medium bodied cedar flavors and secondly, I have noticed some “greener” flavors. Simply put, it is a great smoke, but seems like it could use some extra aging.
THE RUNDOWN (STRAIGHT FROM THE TOBACCONIST)
PREFERRED CUTTING METHOD: Go with the guillotine as it opens up the airway.
DRAW: Medium effort is needed for the Churchill which can lead to drawing too frequently. 4.0 Stars out of 5
BURN: The burn can be somewhat finicky. Take your time to get a good light because you will not get much help from this one. 3.5 Stars out of 5
TIME PER SMOKE: If it takes you less than one and a half hours then you have rushed things.
FLAVOR: The flavor from stick to stick varies from deep cedar base with vanilla and spice to a vanilla base with cedar spice and an immature green flavor. 4.0 Stars out of 5
THE RUNDOWN (AFTER HOME AGING)
PREFERRED CUTTING METHOD: Go with the guillotine as it opens up the airway.
DRAW: Medium effort is needed for the Churchill which can lead to drawing too frequently. 4.0 Stars out of 5
BURN: The burn can be somewhat finicky. Take your time to get a good light because you will not get much help from this one. 3.5 Stars out of 5
TIME PER SMOKE: If it takes you less than one and a half hours then you have rushed things.
FLAVOR: The flavor was somewhat inconsistent but overall features a good mix of cedar and vanilla with notes of spice. 4.5 Stars out of 5
THE VERDICT 4 stars to 4.5 stars
Looking over the rundowns you will note that the overall basics did not change. Construction does not somehow morph with time in a humidor and the only real way the draw or burn would be affected is if there were problems with humidity or inconsistencies between the cigars themselves. The flavor seemed to even out a bit from stick to stick after some time together in the humidor, which suggests that the time spent mingling together did some good. Finally you will see that the immature flavors were not even a side note in the second tasting. The general consensus is that though all cigar tobacco goes through a process of curing and aging, for fullest flavor some additional humidor time is necessary. In my mind the humidor does do some good things for good sticks, but if you only light up every so often then straight from the tobacconist is good enough. For the regular smoker the investment in a quality humidor is worth it both for the satisfaction of having an on-hand cigar stash as well as terms of enhanced flavor.
As for the Kristoff Churchill, to focus on its burn issues would do a disservice. Aesthetically speaking they are classic and imposing. From the uncircumcised foot to the pigtailed tip they echo the raw and unfinished look of their box. Upon lighting you are greeted by a wonderful white ash which endures throughout the smoke. The combination of cedar and spice develop a good depth and seamlessly meld with the natural vanilla. The immature flavors can be off-putting with some of the sticks, but in the majority it is less of an issue. If you have the humidor space some time there can do wonders and open them up to a fuller richness.
• Cary Stolarczyk’s column, “Accidental Smoker,” is published exclusively each month in Lumino Magazine.
