Cigar Humidor Maintenance
A cigar humidor is any kind of manufactured box or room designed to maintain a constant humidity and temperature specifically for storing a box of cigars, cigars or pipe tobacco. Usually small wooden or acrylic glass humidor boxes are used for private use to store a few dozen cigars whereas cigar shops may have walk-in humidor sometimes covering a whole floor of a building. Humidors of all sizes use hygrometers to keep track of the humidity levels.
The ideal humidity in a a cigar humidor is around 65-70% with the box filled close to the rim since the more empty space available allows the relative humidity level to drop.
Humidors are made of Spanish-cedar wood or plastic. Spanish-cedar is suitable for aging cigars for 3 reasons:
1. Spanish-cedar humidors hold more moisture than most woods which allows it to better maintain humidity.
2. Spanish-cedar also imparts its aroma to cigars if they are stored in it for long enough. This is also why some cigars are wrapped in Spanish-cedar sheets before they are sold.
3. Spanish-cedar wood can also repel tobacco beetles. These pinhead-sized beetles can ruin entire stocks of cigars. They eat the tobacco and lay eggs, causing further infestation. They can also be discouraged by ensuring the humidor does not get hotter than 75 °F or to moist.
Each cigar humidor needs to be seasoned after being bought or having been dry for a while. This is done by taking a moist cloth and wiping down the interior to remove any dust or debris. A small container of water is then placed inside the humidor and left for around 12 hours with the lid closed. At the point where the water is gone or mostly gone, this should be repeated for another full 24 hours. When the water in the container stops evaporating, cigars can be placed in it. The humidifying element or “sponge” keeps the wood moist, which in turn keeps the cigars moist and in good condition for an optimal cigar smoking experience.
