To Wrap Or Not To Wrap – That Is The Question

Q. Should I remove the cellophane wrapper from my cigars?

A. The opinion of whether to remove the cello on a cigar, like most opinions, tends to be split. “Traditionalists” prefer to remove the cello, keeping their cigars in a properly maintained humidor where they can “breathe” and mingle in their naked state with the other cigars. Others contend that keeping the cello on has no effect nor causes any detriment to the aging process of the cigar. This camp may have a case. We have many cello-wrapped cigars in our humidor that have been aging for as long as four years and in some cases even longer. These cigars smoke perfectly fine. You may find a brownish tint on the cello of these cigars, that’s all. I happen to be one of those who remove the cello, b/c 1) I just prefer it. 2) I like to give some of my cigars at least a month or more to settle before I smoke them and I have found it to be a good way to mellow them out.

Generally speaking, if you go through your cigars quickly, removing the cello will make no difference. If you want to ‘age’ your cigars at home over a long period of time, say, 3 months and longer, remove the wrappers. But here’s what I propose to just about everyone who writes in with this question: Next time you buy a box of cigars, take five of them and remove the cello. Keep the 5 without the cello and 5 of the cigars with the cello in your humidor for about 3 months and compare the taste. Then you can be the judge.