When storing your cigars, it is essential to store them in a high-quality humidor. Cigars are incredibly sensitive to the elements around them. Extreme cold, hot, moist, or dry environments can impact a cigars quality. Cigars can noticeably dry out, crack, or create uneven smoke if stored improperly, which are all problems that can tarnish your smoking experience.
Choosing a good humidor
The first step to seasoning a humidor is to find a good quality humidor. When selecting one, you want to be confident that it is of high quality. Consider the quality of the materials the humidor is manufactured from.
Many humidors are made with cedar, and it’s widely known among connoisseurs that Spanish cedar is the best. Spanish cedar can absorb moisture and help keep the environment inside the humidor at the proper humidity level.
When choosing your humidor, your options depend on your budget. We advise you invest in a digital hygrometer and thermostat if you don’t choose a humidor with those already built in, as they are key to ensuring your cigars are stored correctly.
Seasoning a humidor
Once you have picked out your humidor, it’s time to start seasoning. Before you put your cigars in, you can season the wood using distilled water or a glycol solution. This practice will ensure moisture is soaked into the wood before your cigars are even placed into it.
Grab a sponge or paper towel and dip it into some distilled water, squeeze out any extra water, and use the sponge to gently wipe the wood in your humidor. Seasoning your humidor without wiping is not recommended. The aim is to ensure it is spread evenly throughout the wood and the wood is filled with some moisture. Just don’t put too much in, as it can seep out of the wood and drip into your cigars.
Checking your humidor
Once you’ve seasoned it, you need to ensure everything is in check. Take your humidifier and fill it with the same distilled water or solution. During this time, the humidor will release moisture, and this is the ‘seasoning’. This process will continue for another two weeks or so.
During this time, don’t place any cigars in your humidor, as it can impact the quality. After a week, check your hydrometer on the gauge that reads the humidity in the humidor. Once you have a reading of 67% or 72%, you are ready to go!
Storing your cigars into your humidor
You are now ready to place your cigars into your humidor. Just do a final check on it to ensure your humidor doesn’t have any excess moisture coming out of it.
Something to remember is that, once your cigars are in your humidor, you need to remember to rotate every two-three months on average. Regular rotation will prevent your cigars from becoming too moist, evenly distributing the humidity through the collection.
We also recommend re-seasoning your humidor every four-six months when you rotate your cigars, as this extra care will guarantee moisture is evenly dispersed among all of them.
Don’t forget to separate your cigars
If you enjoy a variety of different cigar bodies, you need to ensure you separate the different smokes to ensure you get the best flavoring every time. If you don’t separate cigars, they can influence the flavor profile of others, which is not ideal.
To stay true to the intended flavor profile, keep different cigars separated. Some will have different ways of separation, such as removable or adjustable separators or shelves. Always consider that some will work better than others — it pays to do your research to ensure you get the most out of your humidor and cigars.
Where should I store my humidor?
The location of your humidor is incredibly important. You want to aim for an area that is dark and cool. That doesn’t mean you can’t show off your humidor, but you should avoid storing it in places where it will experience direct sunlight and even lamps, which can affect the temperature. In storing your humidor, you want to avoid places where you can experience extra heat or coldness, as this can mess up your seasoning and hard work.