Seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Seventy percent relative humidity. If you remember only one thing, remember the pair.

Why 70/70

A cigar is a living thing. Too dry and the wrapper cracks and the flavors turn sharp and one-dimensional. Too wet and the draw seizes, combustion slows, and mold — if you are unlucky — arrives for a visit.

Seventy percent is the quiet middle. It keeps the leaves supple without encouraging what you don’t want.

The tools

• Spanish cedar lining — regulates humidity and contributes quietly to the flavor of what it holds
• Hygrometer — digital beats analog for accuracy, but calibrate either one before you trust it
• Humidification device — crystal gel, beads, or a pre-packaged Boveda pack (the easiest, honestly)

The rhythm

Check the hygrometer weekly. Top up the humidification monthly. Rotate the cigars quarterly so the ones on the edges don’t dry out faster than the middle.

Do that, and a cigar purchased today will smoke better in eighteen months than it does now.