Most cigars come sleeved in cellophane or a tube. This helps protect the cigar’s wrapper and helps retain the cigar’s flavor and aroma. Among cigar aficionados the age old debate has been whether these cigars should be stored in a humidor with or without the cellophane/tube. The answer is it depends.
If you plan on smoking your cigar within a few days after purchasing it, you can keep it in its protective sleeve. If you want to smoke it at a much later date, it is a good idea to remove the cellophane or tube prior to storing the cigar in the humidor.
Or you can compromise. If your cigar has a cellophane wrapper, simply align your cigar so it is within the middle of the sleeve and trim off about an inch of cellophane from each end. If the cigar is in a tube, simply remove the cap from the tube. Next, place the cigar in the humidor. This method helps protect the cigar while allowing it to get the humidification it needs.