Humidification
The source of humidity you pick for your humidor
is crucial and technology has moved on from
the old ‘oasis’ filled pucks which used to be the
standard.
There are a range of gel and crystal devices
which will give off humidity at a stated level and
these days there are disposable packs which are
available in a range of humidity levels. This allows
you to keep your cigars at the level of humidity
you prefer.
Why a humidor
So firstly, why do you need a humidor to store
your cigars? The recommendation from Habanos
which comes in every box of cigars suggests that
you need to store your cigars at between 65% and
70% RH (relative humidity) to keep your cigars
in perfect condition. I always think that you are
“keeping the leaves of the cigar alive” to preserve
the oils and maintain the cigar in the perfect
condition to enjoy when you decide to smoke it.
A humidor should be sealed to keep the
atmosphere constant, and have a source of
humidity to ensure the level is maintained.
Selecting your Humidor
The first thing, when selecting your humidor, in
my experience, is to buy one as large as you can
afford, certainly double the size you estimate you
need. Otherwise you risk having to go out and buy
a second one or a larger soon after.
Buy the best quality you can afford and make sure
that it is lined with Spanish cedar. This is ideal for
aging cigars, not only because it holds moisture
at just the right level but also because it imparts a
little spice to the cigars as they age.
Analogue Hygrometer
Digital Hygrometer
Hygrometer
Even if you are using a humidification source
which gives a set humidity it is recommended
that you have a hygrometer to give you confidence
that your cigars are being stored at the level you
want. Many forms of electronic hygrometers
are available at relatively low cost and they are
generally accurate. Your humidor may be shipped
with an aneroid hygrometer in which case you will
most certainly need to check it’s accuracy using a
salt test.
The salt test will establish the accuracy of your
hygrometer. Tal a teaspoon of common table salt
and put it into a bottle cap. Add 7 or eight drops of
water so that the salt is damp but not ‘swimming’.
Put the cap with the salt and the hygrometer
into a sealed plastic bag and leave for 24 hrs. The
salt gives off a RH of 75% so you will be able to
establish the accuracy of your device.
Your humidor arrives – seasoning
When your humidor arrives it will be totally dry.
So that the wood in the humidor doesn’t soak
up all the moisture from your humidification
device you need to season it. This can be done
with a damp cloth or using a very high humidity
seasoning pack.
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