After purchasing a humidor some simple preparatory steps need to be carried out prior to storing cigars in the humidor. Otherwise, the dry cedar wood lining will extract the humidity from the cigars. Main elements needed to store cigars: Humidor - This is the box itself. Hygrometer - This looks like a clock or thermometer. This measures the humidity in the humidor. Cigars should be stored in 70% humidity and 70% degrees. This is commonly called the 70/70 rule. Humidifier/Sponge - the is usually a sponge inside a plastic device. We must add distilled water or solution to this sponge. First step: Calibrating the hygrometer There are two methods to calibrate an analog hygrometer: The recommended and most accurate calibration method is to place the hygrometer together with a salt solution into a small plastic box. One should take a cup or spoon filled with salt and moisten it with a few drops of water. The salt should not dissolve, but merely be damp. Afterwards, place the hygrometer and the salt in a well-sealed plastic box and wait. After about 8 hours the humidity within the box should have reached a humidity of 75%. Then adjust the needle of the hygrometer with a screwdriver at the rear to indicate 75% humidity. Alternatively, remove the hygrometer from the humidor, wrap the hygrometer in a thoroughly moistened cloth, wait about one hour and then adjust the hygrometer on the rear with a screwdriver to 96% rel. humidity. Second step: Filling the humidifier Put the humidifier on a plate and moisten it with the propylene glycol solution (for sponge-based humidifier) or distilled water. Leave the humidifier in the liquid for about one hour. As soon as the humidifier has absorbed sufficient liquid, shake the humidifier so that liquid that was not absorbed will be removed. Now dry the humidifier with a cloth and place it in the humidor. Third step: Moistening the humidor The inner walls of the humidor, dividers and trays should be wiped off with a cloth moistened with distilled water. Place a glass filled with distilled water in the humidor and leave it for three days in the closed humidor. If the glass of water is heated beforehand in the microwave, the water will be absorbed more quickly and the humidor will be operational after only about a day. The inner walls of the humidors should now have absorbed sufficient humidity. Fresh air supply: A well-filled humidor should be aerated at least once every two weeks to regularly supply it with fresh air (See hermetic seal). Optimum temperature for cigar storage A temperature of 64-70°F (18-21°C) is considered ideal. At lower temperatures, below 54°F (12°C), the desired aging process of the cigars is impaired. Therefore, cold wine cellars are only suitable for cigar storage to a limited extent. Even worse are high temperatures. Temperatures of over 75°F (24°C) can lead to worm infestation and cigar rotting. For this reason, the humidor should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Maximum duration of storing cigars? Cigars can generally be stored inside a humidor for an unlimited period of time, as long as a constant relative humidity of 65-75% and regular supply of fresh air are ensured. High-quality premium cigars develop a special flavor after many years of storage. In particular in Great Britain there is a long tradition of storing cigars for the optimum unfurling of the tobacco flavor. Do cigars mature over time Before premium cigars are shipped to tobacco shops, they should ripen for about six months in factories or in the distributors’ air-conditioned compartments. Due to the increasing demand for cigars, this ripening period has apparently not always been observed in recent years. Therefore, it is recommendable to store cigars after the purchase for another 3-6 months in the humidor. During the aging process cigars develop a smoother, more balanced flavor. Some premium cigars develop a particularly fine flavor after several years of storage. In the end, the duration of cigar storage is a matter of individual preference. One should compare the changing flavor of the preferred cigar brands within different storage times, in order to determine the perfect aging time. Cigar "marriage" Cigars absorb aromas from their environment. That is, they not only absorb the aroma of the humidor’s interior wood lining but also aromas from other cigars stored in the same humidor. Dividers are used in humidors to minimize this aromatic discoloration. However, in order to prevent any flavor transfer, the cigars have to be stored in different humidors or in cabinet humidors, where cigars can be stored within their original boxes. Some aficionados, however, appreciate the mixture of the flavors of their favorite cigars and therefore intentionally store different cigar brands in one humidor for several months. In general, however, the storage of cigars of different strengths (in particular different countries of origin) should be avoided as well as possible. The not very aesthetic storage of cigars in cellophane wrap or alternatively storing cigars in their original boxes in large cabinet humidors can likewise prevent this aromatic discoloration. Do cigars need to be regularly rotated in the humidor In small humidors of less than 75 Robustos cigars do not need to be rotated since an even humidity level should be reached inside a well-made humidor of this size. In large humidors, however, with trays and several levels, the humidity level will be slightly higher in proximity to the humidification system. Therefore, cigars that are stored for long periods of time may be rotated every 1-3 months. Alternatively cigars intended for imminent consumption may be placed in closer proximity to the humidifier and cigars that are to be stored for longer periods may be placed on levels farther from the humidifier. For humidors with several trays, a more even humidification can be reached if no cigars are placed in the middle of the trays, which will improve air circulation within the humidor. When using electronic humidifiers in cabinet humidors, regular cigar rotation is not necessary. Should the cellophane wrap of the cigars be removed before placing cigars in the humidor? Cellophane protects cigars from losing too much humidity during transport. Within the humidor, however, the plastic foil is rather counter-productive for the preservation of an optimum humidity level. If cigars are placed in the humidor with the cellophane the cellophane should be opened at the ends to ensure oxygen circulation. Whether the cellophane should be removed or not is also a question of taste. On one hand, removing the cellophane supports the desired aging process of the cigar and is the preferred option from an aesthetic point of view. On the other hand, keeping the cellophane wrap on will protect cigars against the mixing of flavors of different cigar tobaccos. Consequently, if no divider is available for the humidor and the mix of flavors is to be prevented, then storing cigars with cellophane in the humidor might be an option. Premium cigars are frequently delivered in a Spanish cedar wrapping. Ultimately, it is here also a question of personal preference whether to leave on the cedar wrapping, which intensifies the cedar aroma of the cigars, or to remove the wrapping before placing the cigars in the humidor Mold Bright marks appearing on the cigars can basically have two causes. If the marks are light gray in color, dusty and can be easily wiped off with a cloth then the spots are only a result of the normal aging process of the cigars, which does not impair the taste of the cigars. If however the spots are crusty and blue-green in color then the cigars are infected by mold. Mold may form if cigars are stored at excessively high humidity levels. In such cases the infected cigars must be removed and the humidor should be cleaned carefully with a dry cloth. The humidifier should be cleaned carefully with warm water and if there is mold on the humidifier, the humidifier should be replaced. Under no circumstances should the infected cigars be put back into the clean humidor. Tobacco worm infestation (Lacioderma) Tobacco worm infestation occurs above all if cigars are stored at excessively high temperatures. Cigars are infested by worms if small wormholes can be seen on the outer cigar leaves. During their two-month lifespan, the worms reach sizes of up to 5 mm. All infested cigars should be immediately removed from the humidor and carefully examined for indications of tobacco worm. After segregating the infested cigars and cleaning the humidor, the remaining cigars may be placed safely back into the humidor. To completely ensure that no further larvae have survived inside the cigars, one might put the cigars into a freezer for a few days. However, close attention should be paid that the cigars are well protected from ambient aromas. After freezing, cigars must be defrosted gradually to prevent the tobacco leaves from cracking. Otherwise, cigars should never be stored in a freezer or refrigerator because of the overly low humidity levels! Humidity is too low If the humidity level is too low inside the humidor, then the following measures may be taken: It should be ensured that the hygrometer is calibrated according to the salt solution method, that the humidifier was filled with a propylene glycol solution (when using a sponge humidifier) and that the inside of the humidor was sufficiently moistened at first use. One may refill the humidifier with distilled water. If the decrease in humidity occurs after a long time of usage, it might be the case that the humidifier is defective. When using tap water for example the pores of the sponge can clog or with overly high propylene glycol levels the surface layer might prevent the further absorption of the distilled water. The decrease in humidity immediately after putting dry cigars in the humidor is natural. After a few days, humidity in the humidor should stabilize. Also, opening the humidor leads to a short-term decrease in humidity within the humidor. Deviations of a few percentages from the 70% mark should not be of major concern and one should also consider the explanations regarding the accuracy of humidity measurement (See hygrometer accuracy). Humidity is too high If the humidity in the humidor is too high, one might do the following: Ensure that the hygrometer was calibrated according to the salt solution method, that the humidifier was filled with a propylene glycol solution (when using sponge-based humidifiers) and that the inside of the humidor was sufficiently moistened before its first use. Only for sponge-based humidifiers: If the propylene glycol solution has not been refilled for a few months then it might be time to refill the humidifier with the propylene glycol solution. Deviations of a few percentages from the 70% mark should not be of major concern and one should also consider the explanations regarding the accuracy of humidity measurement (See hygrometer accuracy). Humidor is bleeding sap/ resin The special oils of Spanish cedar wood can lead over time to the formation of resin on the wood surface. This occurs particularly if, contrary to the wood used in adorini humidors, the wood has not been carefully dried before production. The resin is very sticky and can usually only be removed with acetone. The locations where the resin appeared should be treated with fine-grained sandpaper. This cleaning process must be repeated 2-3 times, particularly if thick cedar lining was used. The sticky resin does not impair the quality of the cigars, however it may damage the outside cigar leaves if the cigars come into direct contact with the resin. After the use of cleaning agents the humidor must be thoroughly ventilated before cigars are placed back into the humidor. Reviving dry cigars Storing dry cigars in a humidor can restore them to their former condition. However, the increase in humidity should take place gradually. After approximately two months storage in a well-maintained humidor the cigars should have recovered. Dry cigars should be treated with caution. They are very sensitive and can break easily. How to get rid of annoying smells inside the humidor After the use of cleaning agents the smell of the solvents may remain inside the humidor. One should note that cleaning agents are only to be used inside the humidor in emergency cases. To get rid of the smell one might try the following: First, the humidor should be opened and thoroughly ventilated. If this does not help and the smell has not disappeared within a few days one may want to place a glass of whisky/brandy in the closed humidor (Caution: This will influence the flavor of the humidor for a long time!) Some aficionados intentionally add a few drops of whisky or brandy to the humidifier liquid to refine the flavor of the cigars. |
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