From day of delivery, how long should my cigars rest before smoking?

A: This is a great question. Although the cigars have had some resting time while on the truck, the packing materials also add some additional insulation to the box, which helps keep the cigars fresh. Assuming you receive them overnight or even 2-day air, that would put them even closer to the point of origin. Some retailers have warehouse humidors with optimum conditions and a slightly higher relative humidity to help ensure the cigars are as fresh as possible no matter how far they have to travel.

That said, from my experience, I have found that cigars tend to smoke and burn much better when given at least a week to rest after arriving at your door. I’ve also found that as each week passes, the cigars taste better. (I also remove the cellos). Finally, see if you can taste the difference between one of the cigars you smoked within a week of arriving, and one three months later. If you have any left by then, you should notice a significant “mellowing” (for lack of a better word). Make sure your humidor is properly regulated, too.