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The Humidor: A Cigar Smoker’s Other Best Friend

So, you’ve bought a few sticks, smoked a few gars, and found that starting a personal collection at home is the most logical next step. Congratulations, you are now a “Cigar Smoker,” the long and slippery road of justifying $400 lighter purchases to your wife has begun (Remember, they are “art” pieces). Buying a humidor is the most important investment, other than the cigars themselves, which a cigar smoker will make. It keeps your precious sticks happy, healthy, and tasty. Now before we dive right into what to look for in your humidor, let’s see why they are so darn important.

          Cigars, much like wine, refine and improve (in most cases) with age.  This process is called “marrying.” Or in other words the oils from the several varieties and qualities of leaves in a cigar meld to create a much more complex and tasty smoke, as the cigar will be representative of its true flavors and body. Many cigars when shipped, face a taxing journey that often has them sitting in less than ideal conditions for some amounts of time, therefore letting them “rest” in your humidor for a period of 1-4 weeks allows the oils to revive the cigar and enhance the smoking experience. Secondly, the humidor provides a sanctuary for your cigars, a place where they can sit free from elements such as temperature changes, physical abuse, and the grubby hands of others.

          First off, a humidor can be just about any well sealed container. I have seen mason jars, wood boxes, Tupperware, IGLOO coolers, etc. used as humidors, and they all work to some degree, as long as proper conditions can be met. I prefer, and strongly suggest a purpose-built humidor, lined with Spanish cedar, with a good solid seal. This will alleviate many headaches of trying to make your own. There are myriad humidors to choose from, it’s all about your needs and what you are comfortable with spending. As humidors can range from simple cheap $50 50 counts to $10,000 masterpieces of both style and functionality to massive 12,000 count cabinets that serve as both humidors and furniture. If this is your first humidor purchase I suggest a trip to your local tobacconist to help you walk through what they offer. As far as size is concerned, think of how many sticks you think you will need, and double or triple that number. A 50 count box fills up very, very, very quickly. A 150 or even a 300+ will suit many a beginner collector’s needs without the fear of an immediate size upgrade. And as for quality, look for a quality seal around the edges, making sure all of them fit flush to each other, which will greatly increase the ability to maintain an ideal condition for you cigars.

So what are these “Ideal Conditions?”

The commonly accepted ideal temperature and humidity for the storage of cigars is 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 70% relative humidity, or commonly referred to as 70/70. This is fine and dandy, as this will create an environment in which your precious sticks will not lose any “essential oils,” which are what makes a cigar taste the way it does. Now, I prefer to keep mine at a slightly lower relative humidity, somewhere in the 65-70% range, as I have found that I prefer a cigar that is just a touch drier than those kept at 70/70. A cigar that is too dry will feel brittle, with little or no suppleness, it will also smoke far too hot with a loose draw, and it may crack and/or flake off while handling/smoking. Cigars that are too “wet” swell, have far too much give when pushing a thumb against the side, draw poorly, and introduce the problem of mold. There are many devices and methods of maintaining this humidity in your humidor; it’s all about personal preference.

The most common method is simple foam humidifier, that is either included with the humidor, or can be cheaply picked up at a cigar shop. It maintains the 70% humidity mark with distilled water and several drops of PG solution, or propylene glycol, which allows water vapor to be both released and absorbed in order to maintain homeostasis. There are many variations on this, some using a gel with a PG solution; crystals, etc. just find what works for you. Another option is electronic units, made popular by companies such as Cigar Oasis, which contain hygrometers and will automatically release the appropriate amount of water vapor to maintain the desired level of humidity. Now I will let you in on a little secret of mine, I use neither of these. I have found a much more efficient, easy, and cheap method of keeping my sticks fresh, humidity beads. These are small beads that are used worldwide for the preservation of museum artifacts…just add distilled water, refill 1-2 times per month and voila! Just start searching around for them on the internet, as they are easy enough to find. ALWAYS add distilled water to your chosen humidifying device, as tap water is filled with minerals and other contaminants that will quickly clog your humidifier, as well as taint your cigars.

Once you have chosen a humidor and your humidifying device, pick up a hygrometer (preferably dual RH and temp) at your local shop, home depot, etc. It is now time to season and prepare your humidor. Grab a good, clean rag, a bottle of distilled water, and a few beers as this will take about half an hour. Start wetting the rag with the distilled water, and proceed to wipe down all cedar surfaces inside the humidor, including any cedar dividers and such that came with it. The point is to pre-humidify the wood, so to speak, so it does not immediately absorb all of the moisture of the humidifying device. Now close the lid, and let it sit for several minutes until the wood is visibly drier…then rinse and repeat. Do this 4-5 times, while leaving a hygrometer inside to insure that the humidity is leveled off to around 70% by the end of the process. For further over-humidifying precautions, wait 12 hours until you start adding your cigars, just to insure there is no mold growth. And you’re all set! You now have a fully functioning humidor, now all you have to do is fill it up with tasty smokes and you’re on your way to a lifelong experience of good cigars and great times!

Happy Smoking!

The Oracle

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