Over time, your cigars will, unfortunately, go bad. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if your cigar is fresh, so it’s important to understand the steps you should take to figure out if it’s ok to smoke. There are three things you’ll need to do to tell if the cigar is fresh: Smell test, taste test, and pinch test.
Smell Test
The first thing you’ll do to determine if your cigar is fresh is to give it a good smell. A fresh cigar should smell pungent, with a soil, from the ground, aroma. You will also get hints of the wrapper. In contrast, if your cigar has gone bad, the smell will be rotten, stale, or could even smell like mold. If you aren’t sure about the scent of your cigar, one way to check if it’s good is by lighting it. If it crackles and burns quickly, that’s a sign that the cigar wasn’t stored properly.
Taste Test
Another way to test if your cigar is fresh is by tasting them. Fresh cigars have a nice taste, and can even have hints of certain notes (earthy, floral, etc.). In contrast, if your cigar tastes bitter, sour, or metallic, there’s a good chance you’ve got a bad cigar. If the cigar tastes bad before lighting, do yourself a favor and toss it. The flavor will only get worse after lighting.
Pinch Test
The final test you can do to figure out if your cigar is fresh is the pinch test. To do this, follow these instructions:
Hold the cigar between your thumb and index finger and slightly squeeze it. If it is firm but bouncy, then it is quite fresh. On the other hand, if it feels stiff, dry, and has little to no flex to it, then it isn’t fresh.
How Long Do Cigars Last?
How long a cigar lasts completely depends on how they are stored. To keep your cigars fresh as long as possible, you’ll need to store them at the right humidity. You can’t expect cigars to stay fresh longer than a week if they aren’t in a humidor.
Vitola’s Commitment
Vitola Fine Cigars is committed to providing fresh cigars. We take pride in our humidors at all locations and strive to provide the best possible experience for you. Try us out today in person or online!