How do you “revive” dry cigars kept in a cigar box?

If you keep your cigars in their boxes and they are beginning to dry out, here’s a really good way to revive them. Keep in mind that if cigars are very dry they will be difficult to revive satisfactorily. The key here is, if moisture can escape from a cigar, it can also be replaced. One of the simplest methods is to place the entire box inside a plastic bag. Be sure the bag is not completely closed because you have to have a little air flow in there. It helps to place a sponge dampened with distilled water or 50/50 solution in the bag, too. The idea here is to allow slow absorption of moisture, preventing the cigars from getting too much humidity too soon. If you shock the cigars by adding too much moisture at once they can actually burst – the last thing you want to do to pricey primos. This can take several weeks to over a month, so be patient. Rotate the cigars every few days bringing them from the bottom of the box to the top. Keep this up continuously and in about three to four weeks you should be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

If you don’t have a cigar box, you can use a sealable plastic container. Put the dry cigars in the container and seal it for the first two days. This will trap any moisture still left in the cigars. On the third day, add the piece of dampened sponge, but here again, you run the risk of bursting, so be sure not to over-saturate the sponge and to keep the lid propped open in one corner to allow air flow.

When cigars lose a certain amount of moisture, they also lose much of their bouquet and will probably not taste as good as a well-kept cigar. The key to all of this is (whether you’re reviving cigars in their original box or in a humidor) cigars lose moisture slowly, therefore, they need to regain it slowly. Once again, be patient and never resort to drastic measures to revive your cigars or you’ll ruin them permanently.