Store with cellophane film or aluminium tubing? Let's look at practical examples together and you can decide for yourself how you prefer to store your cigars. I did an experiment that lasted 4.5 years. It proves once again: the cellophane improves the flavour of the cigar; more on this below under „Leon Jimenes Doble Maduro“.

This article was updated on 02.01.2020 & 01.01.2021.

The most common arguments: Store with cellophane film or aluminium tubing

The film protects the cover sheet from damage: True, You can leave it at that.
The cigar is more hygienic to smoke because the wrapper has not been touched by many other people: In the cigar factories, the cigars are made without gloves. Hygiene is not a decisive factor. Not even because of COVID-19. After all, the film is also touched with the hands.
The cigar matures more slowly in the film: That's right.
You cigar matures faster Without film: That's right.
The cigar gets too little moisture in the cellophane and dries out. No. The cigars are perfectly stored and receive sufficient moisture.
The film protects against tobacco beetles: Wrong. If a cigar contains the larvae of the tobacco beetle, the larvae can easily eat through the foil and can therefore also infest other cigars. Here is the proof:

You decide on the flavour of your cigar: store with cellophane foil or aluminium tubo?

Both cellophane and alutubo delay the further maturing of the tobacco. Removing them accelerates the maturing process.

Practice shows: Cigars stored in cellophane taste better to me personally

My example of the Joya de Nicaragua Viajante: Just a few months have clearly shown a difference in flavour between „with“ and „without“. I liked the flavour of the „with“ clear better. They had more pronounced flavour nuances. The others were very „flat“ in flavour. So were all the other cigars I've smoked so far: The ones from the cellophane definitely tasted better. Even a 3er long-term review of the Romeo Y Julieta Anejados was very clear: three cigars were lying open in the humidor. Already within After just 5 months, the last one has lost a lot of its flavour. Here, too, I suggest: Cuban cigars that you buy individually are better placed in aluminium tubes in the humidor or, if available, in cellophane.

Marc André writes: Quote from cigar-wiki.com„Only if you are seriously considering storing the cigar for a long time, for example for cigar ageing, would I remove the cellophane and then store the cigars in a cabinet box if possible.“

Practice shows: Cigars stored with Alutubo also taste better to me personally

Now it's getting crazy for us normal consumers. If you store your cigars in an alutubo for 30 or 40 years, then these cigars should taste better than cigars of the same age that have been stored without an alutubo. Too bad, I haven't had that experience yet. The cigar collector Min Ron Nee writes a lot about this in his book (more about his book below).

But what about my own experience? I have 16 pcs. Zino Classic No.6 for about 9 months with and without the Altubo. Even after this short time, the tasting revealed that the cigar from the Alutubo actually tasted more intense and had much more pronounced flavour nuances than the one stored open in the humidor.

You are the boss, you decide: Store with cellophane film or aluminium tubing

So it depends on what you prefer: a faster fermentation or a slower one. You are the boss, make your own experiences and report on them in the comments section (at the bottom of the page).

The experiment: 30 Leon Jimenes Doble Maduro cigars stored in cellophane since 2015 and retested after 4.5 years

All stored with cellophane. 10 with cellophane without the box (in the humidor, of course) and the rest complete with the box in the humidor. I would like to find out if and how this cigar develops after 4 years. The result is not surprising. The cigars have developed excellently.