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Seasoning a Humidor

So, you've decided that you want to step up your cigar game and store your cigars in a humidor. First off, congratulations! You've just made one of the best decisions of your life. Properly storing your cigars is crucial to both the maintenance of and enjoyment you will receive from your cigars. Seasoning a humidor is a fairly easy process and with advancements in humidification products, has almost become a set it and forget it task. Generally, you can expect the humidor seasoning process to take from 3-14 days depending on what method you choose. Have no fear. here at Cigars International, we have outlined the most common ways to season a humidor including everything you will need, things to watch out for, and items to keep your humidor in tip top condition. Follow along and you will be ready to fill your humidor in no time!

What do you need to season a humidor?

There are many items that you can acquire to make the humidor seasoning process fast and efficient, but there are definitely a couple essentials that are must haves:

  1. A humidor (duh) - we are assuming since you are reading this that you already have your humidor of choice. If not, we encourage you to check out our selection of high-quality cigar humidors where you will find a myriad of choices.
  2. Humidification - there are a few different methods for humidification. Whether you choose to use Boveda packs, a humidifier, humidification beads, or even an electric humidifier, is up to you and is determined by how many sticks you plan to store as well as how hands off you would like to be.
  3. Hygrometer - while not required, we recommend using a properly calibrated hygrometer so that you are able to monitor the temperature and relative humidity of your humidor. We can help you through calibrating your hygrometer as well!

Seasoning Your Humidor

We are going to start with our preferred method and that is to use Boveda humidification packets. This is by far the easiest way to get started and maintenance is as simple as replacing the packets when they become dry.

  • Utilizing the Boveda Humidor Starter Kit, place the 60-gram, 84% RH seasoning packets in your empty humidor.
  • Close the lid and let the packets do their work for 14 days. Try not to open the humidor during this time as humidity will escape and potentially delay the humidor seasoning process.
  • Once you have completed the 14 days, fill your humidor with your cigars (leaving approximately 20% of the humidor free), place the additional 60-gram, 72% RH packets inside to maintain the humidity, and monitor with your hygrometer. It is recommended to use one 60-gram Boveda packet for every 25 cigars in your humidor (4 packets for a 100-count humidor). Please reference How to Use Boveda Humidity Packs for more information.

You can see how simple this process is and why it is becoming the go to humidor seasoning method. But there are other ways to season your humidor as well.

Traditional Humidifiers

Skip the sponges and distilled water of old. We've taken the hassle out of seasoning your humidor by compiling the best products in our Deluxe Humidor Starter Kit, featuring everything you will need to get your humidor up and running as well as ongoing maintenance.

  • Using a HUMI-CARE seasoning wipe, wipe down all of the wooden surfaces in your humidor (don't forget the corners).
  • Take your humidifier of choice (might we recommend the HUMI-CARE Slimline Humidifier or HUMI-CARE gel beads) and charge them up with some cigar juice (a 50/50 mixture of propylene glycol and distilled water).
  • Place your humidifier in the wiped down humidor and close it up for a minimum of 72 hours (we recommend 3-5 days).
  • When your hygrometer reads 68-72% consistently, you are good to fill that thing with your finest cigars and enjoy.

Maintaining Your Humidor

After the initial seasoning process, you will want to make sure to maintain the humidity in your humidor or risk your cigars drying out. Again, this process depends on how you have chosen to humidify your humidor but follows similar steps. Actively monitor your hygrometer to make sure the humidity stays between 68%-72% RH. We usually recommend checking this on a monthly basis. If your humidity level starts to drop below 68%, it's time to either refill your humidifier or swap out your humidity packets.

To avoid the arduous process of regular monitoring, grab yourself a CI Smart Sensor. This humidity monitor links to the CI Smart Sensor app on your mobile device and allows you to set up notifications for when your temperature or relative humidity gets out of whack.

And that's it! Stock up on some of your favorite cigars and let the aging process begin. Learn more about humidor maintenance in our Humidors section of Cigar 101!
Related Topics:
Humidor Components Humidor Components How to Calibrate a Hygrometer How to Calibrate a Hygrometer View More
Back To Humidors

So, you've decided that you want to step up your cigar game and store your cigars in a humidor. First off, congratulations! You've just made one of the best decisions of your life. Properly storing your cigars is crucial to both the maintenance of and enjoyment you will receive from your cigars. Seasoning a humidor is a fairly easy process and with advancements in humidification products, has almost become a set it and forget it task. Generally, you can expect the humidor seasoning process to take from 3-14 days depending on what method you choose. Have no fear. here at Cigars International, we have outlined the most common ways to season a humidor including everything you will need, things to watch out for, and items to keep your humidor in tip top condition. Follow along and you will be ready to fill your humidor in no time!

What do you need to season a humidor?

There are many items that you can acquire to make the humidor seasoning process fast and efficient, but there are definitely a couple essentials that are must haves:

  1. A humidor (duh) - we are assuming since you are reading this that you already have your humidor of choice. If not, we encourage you to check out our selection of high-quality cigar humidors where you will find a myriad of choices.
  2. Humidification - there are a few different methods for humidification. Whether you choose to use Boveda packs, a humidifier, humidification beads, or even an electric humidifier, is up to you and is determined by how many sticks you plan to store as well as how hands off you would like to be.
  3. Hygrometer - while not required, we recommend using a properly calibrated hygrometer so that you are able to monitor the temperature and relative humidity of your humidor. We can help you through calibrating your hygrometer as well!

Seasoning Your Humidor

We are going to start with our preferred method and that is to use Boveda humidification packets. This is by far the easiest way to get started and maintenance is as simple as replacing the packets when they become dry.

  • Utilizing the Boveda Humidor Starter Kit, place the 60-gram, 84% RH seasoning packets in your empty humidor.
  • Close the lid and let the packets do their work for 14 days. Try not to open the humidor during this time as humidity will escape and potentially delay the humidor seasoning process.
  • Once you have completed the 14 days, fill your humidor with your cigars (leaving approximately 20% of the humidor free), place the additional 60-gram, 72% RH packets inside to maintain the humidity, and monitor with your hygrometer. It is recommended to use one 60-gram Boveda packet for every 25 cigars in your humidor (4 packets for a 100-count humidor). Please reference How to Use Boveda Humidity Packs for more information.

You can see how simple this process is and why it is becoming the go to humidor seasoning method. But there are other ways to season your humidor as well.

Traditional Humidifiers

Skip the sponges and distilled water of old. We've taken the hassle out of seasoning your humidor by compiling the best products in our Deluxe Humidor Starter Kit, featuring everything you will need to get your humidor up and running as well as ongoing maintenance.

  • Using a HUMI-CARE seasoning wipe, wipe down all of the wooden surfaces in your humidor (don't forget the corners).
  • Take your humidifier of choice (might we recommend the HUMI-CARE Slimline Humidifier or HUMI-CARE gel beads) and charge them up with some cigar juice (a 50/50 mixture of propylene glycol and distilled water).
  • Place your humidifier in the wiped down humidor and close it up for a minimum of 72 hours (we recommend 3-5 days).
  • When your hygrometer reads 68-72% consistently, you are good to fill that thing with your finest cigars and enjoy.

Maintaining Your Humidor

After the initial seasoning process, you will want to make sure to maintain the humidity in your humidor or risk your cigars drying out. Again, this process depends on how you have chosen to humidify your humidor but follows similar steps. Actively monitor your hygrometer to make sure the humidity stays between 68%-72% RH. We usually recommend checking this on a monthly basis. If your humidity level starts to drop below 68%, it's time to either refill your humidifier or swap out your humidity packets.

To avoid the arduous process of regular monitoring, grab yourself a CI Smart Sensor. This humidity monitor links to the CI Smart Sensor app on your mobile device and allows you to set up notifications for when your temperature or relative humidity gets out of whack.

And that's it! Stock up on some of your favorite cigars and let the aging process begin. Learn more about humidor maintenance in our Humidors section of Cigar 101!