How to prepare your cigar humidor?

Have you just purchased a Cigar Humidor?

It is imperative to prepare it well before placing your cigars in it. Do not store any cigars in it yet. You must first season it.

If you would like to know more about how a cigar humidor works, visit our dedicated article: " CIGAR HUMIDOR, HOW DOES IT WORK? "

This important step should not be skipped.

This can have consequences for both your cigars and the humidor itself!

So a good preparation, where seasoning will allow:

1. To prevent the wood in the humidor from absorbing moisture from your cigars
2. To reduce the risk of deformation and mold
3. To maintain perfect humidity and consistency necessary for the proper preservation of the taste and flavors of your cigars.

A) Why is this important?

Thanks to our dedicated article on the " CIGAR HUMIDOR, HOW DOES IT WORK? " and having acquired one in our Cigar Humidor Collection , you now know that the first thing to do is to season it.

It is essential to never store your cigars in an unseasoned humidor. Indeed, one of the properties of wood is that it is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture .

So, storing cigars in an unprepared humidor, that is, before the wood has had a chance to be humidified, will result in drying them out, because the humidor will absorb the moisture from your cigars.

This drying out will make your Havana cigars unfit for consumption.

This is why you need to make sure the humidity level is correct before storing any cigars in it.

To do this, we will use two tools to ensure this: the Hygrometer and the Humidifier.

Even though hygrometers are calibrated after manufacture, it's always a good idea to test them yourself. Just make sure they provide accurate readings . via a calibrating your hygrometer .

This small test, simple and quick to set up, will require very little equipment:

• Salt
• Tap water
• A bottle cap
• An airtight freezer bag
• A screwdriver (if analog hygrometer)

First, a little science

You should know that if you mix a little water with salt, this mixture will have the particularity of emitting exactly 75% humidity .

Luckily, this is precisely the rate we want inside a cigar humidor .

This little scientific experiment therefore aims to create a perfect environment for preserving cigars (75% humidity), to place our hygrometer there and to adjust its setting for perfect calibration.

1. Place a teaspoon of salt in a bottle cap.
2. Moisten with a few drops of water without dissolving it. The salt should then have the consistency of a cake. If the salt begins to dissolve, there is too much water. Wash the bottle cap and start again.
3. Carefully place the wet salt and hygrometer into the plastic bag and seal it tightly.

To avoid distorting the results, it is important that air cannot get inside the bag.

4. Let stand for 12 hours.
5. Without opening the bag, read the reading on the hygrometer.

If the hygrometer reads 75%, it is properly calibrated. Otherwise, the settings will need to be adjusted.

Depending on whether the hygrometer is analog or electric, the method will be different:

• Analog hygrometers have an adjustment screw on the back for adjustment. Using your screwdriver, turn this screw until the dial reads exactly 75%.
• For electric hygrometers, a simple click on the "calibrate" button is sufficient.

Your hygrometer is calibrated and you can now place it inside your cigar humidor!

Properly prepare your cigar cellar humidifier

As mentioned above, the humidity in your cellar must be constant and for this, everything depends on the humidifier!

It is therefore important to soak it using the correct method.

CAUTION : The following information applies only to foam humidifiers. Acrylic crystal humidifiers only require distilled water, and using propylene glycol solution with them could negatively affect their performance.

The shopping list for humidifying your humidifier:

• A receptacle able to hold your humidifier
• A solution of Propylene Glycol (50% Distilled Water / 50% Propylene Glycol)
• A clean rag

A little science: Propylene glycol is an organic, liquid, colorless, and non-toxic compound that has two very useful properties for cigar humidors.

Firstly, it is an effective means of preventing the appearance of mold and bacterial contamination.

Second, these properties allow your humidor to self-adjust its humidity level. In fact, when used in a humidor, it coats the wood with a layer of natural enzymes that:

• Absorbs moisture when humidity exceeds 70%
• Emits humidity when it falls below 70%.
• Also prevents the formation of mold and bacterial growth.

When first used, a foam humidifier may take a few days to stabilize the humidity level in the humidor at its optimal level. This is the time required for the layer to form.

If you decide to use propylene glycol, make sure it is mixed with distilled water in a 50/50 ratio.

HUMIDIFIER PREPARATION METHODOLOGY

Preparing your humidifier will only require 3 steps:

1. Fill the container with the Propylene Glycol/distilled water solution.
2. Fill the humidifier by completely submerging it in the container. Keep the humidifier face down. Leave it in the water for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Place the humidifier face down on the clean cloth for an hour to ensure it does not leak into the basement.

Your humidifier is now ready to be placed inside your cigar humidor!

To maintain a good humidity level in your cellar, this operation will need to be repeated in the future when your hygrometer indicates a drop in humidity. An acceptable humidity level for good storage is between 65 and 75%.

Now that your tools are ready, it's time to move on to the seasoning stage, or humidification of the cigar humidor.

• The Professional Method: Seasoning

Seasoning a humidor is a simple process for humidifying your cigar humidor. It requires little equipment other than your hygrometer and humidifier.

 

THE SHOPPING LIST:

Practical Work: Seasoning in 6 Simple Steps!

1. Place the plastic bag at the bottom of the cellar.
2. Place the sponge in a bowl filled with distilled water or propylene glycol solution. Wring it out, but not too much. The sponge should be completely saturated but not dripping.
3. Place the sponge in the humidor ON the plastic bag. This tip will help protect the wood in the cellar, preventing it from becoming too waterlogged.
4. In addition to the sponge, place in your cigar humidor:
   • The humidifier
   • The hygrometer
   • Wooden trays or dividers (if you have any)
5. Close the cellar and store it in a place where it will not be disturbed and wait 48 hours. During the 48 hours, your hygrometer could indicate high humidity levels of around 80 to 85%, this is completely normal!

Humidity should normally only be 70%, but during seasoning it is usual for it to be higher.

6. After 48 hours, check the humidity level again. An acceptable humidity level is between 65 and 75%. If it's between 72 and 73%, that's fine. The cigars you put in your humidor will absorb some moisture.

Depending on your region's climate and the size of the box, you may have to repeat this process as many times as necessary if the desired humidity level is not reached after 48 hours.

• The Impatient Method: Wiping

There is a faster, but riskier, method for humidifying a humidor: the wipe-down method.

It's not as common, but it's faster. Using it will save you at least 24 hours.

The shopping list:

Practical Work: Wiping in 6 simple steps.

1. Place the sponge in a bowl filled with distilled water or propylene glycol solution. Wring it out; the sponge should be damp, but not too wet. Using too much water can warp the wood.

There are also commercially available seasoning wipes, pre-moistened and containing enough water to wipe down a small to medium-sized humidor.

2. Empty your cellar of its hygrometer and humidifier, then moisten all the interior walls of your cellar. Proceed slowly and gradually to avoid the formation of puddles. The goal is to leave a thin layer of water on the wood, not to drown it. After moistening the wood , it should darken slightly.
3. Similarly, moisten the wooden dividers and trays that came with your cellar, then replace them in your cellar.
4. Close the cellar and store it in a place where it will not be disturbed and wait 24 hours.
5. After 24 hours, calibrate your hygrometer and humidify your humidifier using the method described above. Then install the unit inside your cellar and close it again for 24 hours.
6. After this time, the inside of the humidor should be dry and your hygrometer should read 72-73% humidity. If it doesn't, close it and give it more time.

As stated earlier, this method is risky, because it is an easy way to warp the wood of your humidor.

If done incorrectly, this "shock seasoning" can cause a lot of damage, especially to Spanish cedar humidors which are particularly sensitive to it, as they are more susceptible to shock water absorption.

If it becomes deformed, the integrity of your humidor will be compromised, especially if the lid no longer closes properly.

Indeed, the lid is no longer able to provide a solid seal, your humidor will gradually lose its humidity and dry out your cigars .

If you don't have your own humidor yet, don't wait any longer and check out our Cigar Humidors .

Once this seasoning step is completed, your humidor is now able to store and age your cigars in optimal conditions, as long as you refill the humidifier regularly and keep the lid sealed.

Moisture content inside your humidor will prevent the wood from drying out and preserve your cigars for many years.