Humidors and their Care

If you have just bought yourself a box of cigars you could be thinking one of two things; ‘I want to smoke them all right now!’ and possibly ‘I want to save some for a special occasion’. I can’t argue with either, but if you do plan to save your cigars it might well be worth investing in a humidor.

Cigars can age very well, but only if stored correctly - if you do it wrong you might find them ageing like soft cheese rather than a fine wine! You certainly wouldn't want your vintage Havana to fall apart in a dusty drawer. So, if you're planning on keeping them a while, and you're uncertain how to do it successfully, this article should give you a run down on Humidors and their care.

What is a humidor?
A humidor is a storage device that keeps your cigars at a temperature and humidity similar to that of the environment in which they were made.

The Cigar Professional defines a humidor as being,

“An enclosed device that keeps cigars in a tropical climate. A humidor can be a huge walk-in room, a box made of wood or Plexiglas, or something as simple as a sealed plastic bag – anything that maintains the relatively high level of airborne moisture, or humidity, cigars require to keep from drying out.”

Before you reach for your plastic bin bags I should mention that the ideal humidity to keep your cigars is at a relative 70% and at 72°. If your cigars are neglected, they will begin to dry out after about two weeks (or less) and will lose many of their pleasurable characteristics. In fact – a cigar may become unusable if it dries out for too long because it will start to decay and unravel.

You could also experience a number of other nasty problems; an uneven, rapid cigar burn, an unpleasantly bitter taste and (you may also notice) small holes in the wrapper (a sure sign of the tobacco beetle). So, if you don't want to share your smoking pleasure with an insect it would probably be best for you to invest in a properly designed, air-tight humidor.

But don't fear, humidors can be very cheap and, if you want to be extra thrifty, you can even make your own. It is quite a simple job; a good walk-through tutorial can be found at the Canadian Home Workshop.

However, for those of us with little or no skill with the coping-saw and drill, it might be best to buy one. Let’s face it, spending a few dollars has got to be better than having hands full of splinters. www.cigar.com and www.simplycigars.co.uk have a good range of humidors from about $30 and up.

Humidors should also have a hydrometer or other humidity measure gauge so that you can keep an eye on your cigars. Your cigars should not be kept below 65% humidity because they will begin to dry out and lose their special qualities. Some cigar smokers believe the best smoking humidity is around 80%, though it is best to store your cigars in a humidor set at 70%, especially if they are likely to be static for a long time. Hydrometers are usually inexpensive and well worth an investment (you'll certainly need one to go with your new humidor). No-one wants to lose good cigars!

I have bought a Humidor, now what?
That's a good start, but you're not done yet. You will also need a humidifier and a hydrometer and it is important to understand that your humidor is not ready for immediate use. The Spanish cedar lining will need to be re-humidified, if it does not reach its optimum 68 - 72° it will literally suck the moisture out from your cigars in an attempt to reach equilibrium.

You need to:

Place a small glass (shot size) of distilled water in your humidor. The cedar wood will begin to absorb the water as it evaporates.
Insert your humidifier and hydrometer.
Close the lid.
You will now need to check the hydrometer until it reads the optimum range of 72°. The humidor is now ready for use.

With a bit of luck your humidor will have come with full instructions, but nevertheless – you should check you humidor’s humidity every few weeks for the first month or so. You will soon find your humidor’s pattern; and will know how long you can go without adding more distilled water to it.

How does the Humidor maintain its humidity?
It is not the box itself (though the Spanish Cedar has special properties) that keeps the environment moist, it is your humidifier. You will need to keep it active by giving it regular squirts of distilled water (once you have had your humidor for a while you will know how long you can leave this for).

Why does the water have to be distilled? Can’t I use regular water?
No, please use distilled water – your tap water will contain chemicals that are likely to blemish your cigar. It is best that they are kept innocent in a pure environment. It would be a pity to spend all that time and effort only to damage them using the wrong kind of water.

If you use your humidor correctly you will find your cigars age beautifully, I hope you enjoy your cigars!