Recently, it seems that more and more people are seeking advice as to rehydrating their potentially dried-out cigars. Maybe it's the weather. Maybe it's the newly minted lockdown smokers backing off from their new hobby-passion and heading back to their J-O-Bs, shifting focus. Whatever the reason, it seems a thing of the moment. Like any other moment, bad information abounds and surrounds. So can dry cigars be resuscitated? Yes, but there's more to that answer.
I noted before 'potentially.' If your cigars have sat out a few days, you're in most cases fine. Simply correct the storage issue and carry on, or just light up and enjoy. Unless it/they was/were sitting on your car's dashboard or on a bright windowsill in your house. Variables, there are variables. Maybe you left it in your fridge. Never put a cigar in your fridge, for it is not milk. Under normal-ish circumstances, a cigar can sit out just fine for a couple-few days. It might even burn better.
Tack on another couple of safe days if the thing is in an un-humidified zip-lock baggie, especially if the zippie has other sticks in it (that/those?). The more the merrier. I stress un-humidified because if humidified in a bag, they can keep darn-nigh indefinitely. Particularly if we're talking two-way humidification pouches. If they've been enclosed with an old-fashioned moisture pillow, they are potentially now over-humidified. Your course of action then is to dry-box in quarantine and to wait for mold.
I digress.
Now we get into the longer stretches of neglect which do indeed dry cigars out to the point of intervention. Weeks and months. Start thinking in terms of pouring a few shots out of a whisky bottle and pouring water back in to replace it back to level. Cigars have oils, and those oils cannot be replaced. Within this time-frame you begin to deplete said oils. You'll be running the risk of saving your smoke BUT AT WHAT COST? Flavor, that's the cost. The only way to know though is to know. So give it a go, yo.
Giving it a go requires time. How much time? No way to tell, check in on your cigars. Give them a pinch, and see if they're coming around. Buy a doohickey gadget reader. Don't do anything for at least a week or two. This whole thing could take months. Just put them in your humidor--that's it. Do not attempt to over-humidify and swing the pendulum the other way. Store them properly like you should have (if this mess is your fault) in the first place. Rotate them every week or two if you get bored.
Careful though, dry cigars must be Italian. (They're fragil-ee).
Occasionally, I'll see someone asking about cigars left-out over longer amounts of time--periods of years even. Abandoned humidors. Those are toast, friend. Crumbs to be more precise. They can be kept as mementos or conversation pieces. "I keep these destroyed cigars to never forget the time I screwed the pooch. Wanna hear all about it?" Look, like with any other thing, this is a decision to make. Is it worth doing? I can't answer that for you. I would say to think about the initial cost and current humidor space.
I'd also say finally, and as a clear reminder to not get too wrapped up in thinking that once brought back they'll taste and maybe even smoke all that wow or as you remember. If they do, then you'll be pleasantly surprised, and should be.
::: very :::