Whether it’s cellophane or tubes, there are plenty of ways that cigars are packaged to ensure that they stay fresh. But what about once you’re ready to store them in your humidor? Should they remain in their sealed packaging, or can they be removed? The short answer is: it doesn’t really matter. That’s a bit anti-climactic though. Let’s look at the arguments commonly made and try to separate the fact from fiction.

Cellophane

The purpose of cellophane wrapping for cigars is to keep the sticks generally safe while they’re being handled. It isn’t maintaining humidity or flavor for your cigar, just keeping that delicate wrapper leaf safe. A common argument that people make is that removing the cellophane allows different flavors and aromas to comingle within the humidor. However, cellophane wrappers are already permeable, so those aromas and flavors are going to escape anyway. If it makes you more comfortable to leave the wrapper on anyway, go for it. If you like the look of your cigar collection sans cellophane, that’s fine too!

Cigar Tubes

You may be thinking, “sure, cellophane is permeable, but what about metal or glass tubes?” Well, believe it or not, cigar tubes can start to “breathe” over time too. This essentially places them in the same space as cellophane: as long as they’re in a humidor, inside or outside of the tube is fine. One notable exception is cigar tubes that are lined with cedar. If this is the case, we suggest leaving the cigar in the tube, as the cedar will impart a favorable flavor over time.