It is a special feeling when you can smoke your favorite cigar without a care in the world. The cigar in your hand is your favorite thickness, favorite length, and the taste puts you in a good mood even on a rotten day. When you are enjoying a cigar, you are not thinking about work tomorrow, but you are taking in the moment and savoring the sweet smell in the air and the taste you have come to savor over the years.

You never want to let this feeling go"�"but you will, at least until next time you light a cigar. That distinctive taste you long for is just one of the many reasons that keep you coming back to your humidor and grabbing another fine cigar. It goes without saying that understanding how to maintain a cigar"��s peak flavor is an absolute must.

As in fine wine, cigars get better with age, if maintained properly. This can be accomplished with a humidor, which preserves the cigar"��s ultimate flavor and prevents damage. The humidor manages the levels of temperature and humidity creating the perfect at-home environment for your cigar. Without this kind of assistance, cigars can become vulnerable to a number of problems such as broken wrappers, beetle infestation and mold. A humidor will increase your cigar"��s shelf life and boost its amazing flavor.

All premium cigars are matured for 6 to 8 weeks in order for them to dry and stabilize correctly. This will also affect the way the cigars are burned and drawn, with full intentions of improving the cigar"��s character and flavor. Your humidor should be set at the ideal conditions for long-term aging, which is 70/70, or 70 degrees and 70 percent humidity. The 70/70 conditions will allow your cigar to mellow, and in turn will help you to appreciate the complex character of your cigar.

At one point or another, every cigar hits its peak maturity for that perfect taste you so crave. Be careful not to "��overage"�� your cigars. Over-aging occurs when your cigar hits its peak level of maturity and flavor, and cannot age any longer. When this happens, the cigar"��s blend will no longer be as you remembered it and could start to deteriorate.

Keep in mind that the product you are aging is 100 percent a natural. When your cigar comes in a box that is still under-matured, just place it in your prepared humidor for about three months. After that time period, check on it once per month and see if the taste is aging well or not. A vintage cigar"��s leaves can usually be healthy when aged for three to four years or more. You will find that the vintage cigar will be steady in construction and taste.

Some humidors include a top tray for cigars. Be careful that the top shelf is not preventing the cigars below it the moisture they need in order to stay healthy and continue aging properly. If you notice this happening, try using your humidor without the top tray.

In addition, there are also humidor features that will help create an even more ideal atmosphere to age your cigars. A humidification unit is a device that is attached to the inner lid of your humidor. This helpful accessory will assist with keeping humidity levels at a safe place.

A popular humidification unit is the Cigar Oasis XL Plus Digital Humidifier, which comes with a refillable foam-core cartridge that filters the air, and a mold retardant. Although there are many different types of humidors, Spanish Cedar is considered one of the best options for maintaining your cigar"��s taste and freshness. You may also want to get a hydrometer, a gauge that indicates the humidity in your humidor to help maintain the atmosphere"��s levels.

Properly aging a cigar is a meticulous, careful process. There will be times when you notice that the aging of your cigar is not for the better. There are also many different kinds of cigars, which respond differently to their maturity age. The majority of cigars will be ready to smoke after one year of aging. Habanos and Honduran cigars may be ready after one to two years of aging. Around two to five years is when the rest of the cigars should be ready to go and perfect for your enjoyment.

Since there are so many different types of cigars, this is only a guideline. The process of getting your cigar to its peak flavor will be taking notes while you age it and treating each cigar differently. Check on your cigar every month or so. It may take some time, but when you notice your favorite cigar has its peak flavor, you"��ll want to do the process all over again.