The last third

[Carlos]

so the cigar is wetter near the head until it gets a chance to dry out all the way through.

Kind of leads me to something I've always wondered...why is the foot sealed? And wouldn't it humidify better if you cut it before storage?

[Shelby07]

Kind of leads me to something I've always wondered...why is the foot sealed? And wouldn't it humidify better if you cut it before storage?

You can cut it a day or 2 before you smoke it - some people do this before a trip to avoid ringing a cutter - as long as it is protected from any chance of physical damage. The reason the head is wrapped is to avoid damage to the cigar. Damage to the foot will not really hurt it, but damage to a head that is cut would probably cause the cap to come off and the cigar to begin unraveling.