CIGAR FAQ
- HUMIDORS FAQ
-- Breaking in a New Humidor --
It takes time, patience and a little know-how to get a new humidor ready to hold cigars. You're trying to recreate the tropical environments where most cigars are made, and you can't rush the process.
Putting cigars into a dry humidor can ruin good smokes. Your humidor has an interior of untreated Spanish cedar, the preferred wood for humidifying and aging premium cigars. The wood needs to be humidified,
or seasoned before the box is ready to hold cigars:
- To season your humidor, take a new sponge - make sure that it is unscented and free of soap - and wet it with a liberal dose of distilled water.
- Wipe down all the exposed wood, including dividers, and the interior lid. Avoid using a paper towel or a fraying cloth; these will literally leave a paper trail on the wood.
- After you've wiped down the wood, squirt the sponge with more distilled water. Then place it inside the humidor on a plastic bag - to avoid direct contact with the wood - and close lid.
Use only distilled water. Tap water contains minerals that will destroy most humidification systems by leaving deposits that will clog the humidor element.
- Once the humidification element is filled be sure to wipe it down to remove any excess water. Rest it on a hand towel for approximately 30 minutes.
Close the humidor with the humidifying element and the damp sponge, and leave it over night.
- The next day refresh the humidification device (It may not need it) and check the sponge. If it is fairly dry, add
more distilled water. However, if very damp, leave it alone.
- Let the humidor sit another night, and then remove the sponge and the plastic bag.
The walls of the humidor have now absorbed all the water they need, and now you can safely store your cigars.
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-- Calibrating Hygrometers --
Some humidors don't come with a hygrometer. For those that do, no analog hygrometer is perfect. In fact, they are not meant so much to provide a precise reading but to give you a close approximation. Often, they need
to be calibrated, they are very touchy. Sometimes analog hygrometers need a "jolt" every once in a while. Do this by wrapping in a moist cloth and leave out overnight (away from cigars). The needle should register
a high level of humidity by morning. If the needle has not moved, it is defective.
A digital hygrometer is much more accurate than an analog.
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-- Hygrometer Problems --
Often, a hygrometer may read 40%, but it's not really that low. Before tossing it in the garbage, check the folowing:
- Make sure to recharge the humidification device regularly by refilling with distilled water
- Calibrate the hygrometer so it will read more accurately
- Take out the cigars, wipe down the interior cedar, let it dry and repeat, then put the cigars back in, this often does the trick.
- Squeeze test - between forefinger and thumb gently squeeze the cigar, it should have a slight give, but not be mushy nor should it be hard - This is often the best test if someone is worried that their cigars are going bad.
- Certain climates, parts of the country, and seasons are drier than others - You may need to buy an additional humidifier to put in your humidor,
or put a slightly damp piece of sponge in your humidor (not touching the cigars) to help increase the humidity.
- Make sure it is not near an AC or heater, this will affect the environment inside the humidor dramatically - humidor should be in a relatively cool, dry place.
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