Can you freeze cigars? What happens then?

The main purpose for freezing cigars is to control tobacco beetles or their eggs and larvae. Some cigar importers carry out this process prior to sale to irradicate tobacco beetles from their product. The cigars are frozen at a temperature of -12°C for several days and then thawed very slowly.

This process can be carried out by any cigar smoker, at home, when returning from holiday with some new cigars to ensure that they are not carrying tobacco beetles, their eggs or larvae. But special care must be taken when defrosting the cigars. Thawing should be done in the refrigerator and only once they are completely thawed should they be brought to room temperature. During the whole process the cigars must be kept in an absolutely airtight package, to avoid exposing them to foreign odours. If you aren't able to do this, you should smoke the cigars as soon as possible, because the growth phase, from egg to beetle, takes about 120 days.