22 February 2018

Buying A Cigar Humidor

Now that you have become a cigar connoisseur, it is time for you to look into the importance of owning a cigar humidor and why they are crucial for maintaining a healthy cigar collection. However, you do not require years of experience to understand the necessity of owning a humidor and the need to keep your cigars fresh.

It is widely known that cigars absorb their environment and surroundings incredibly easily, thus having a tendency to go bad when kept in the wrong conditions. But where do you even start when buying your first cigar humidor? There is an extensive range of types, brands, qualities and designs that can easily confuse someone who is new to the experience.

To put it simply; a humidor is a box, (sometimes a room), where a constant humidity is maintained for the optimum cigar freshness. Your local tobacconist will almost certainly have a “walk-in” cigar humidor, in order to their stock of cigars as fresh as possible whilst in storage. However, there is no need for you to consider installing such an impressive feature for personal use.

A standard sized humidor made from a good quality glass or wood will be more than satisfactory for the storing of your cigar collection. These humidors will usually store between 10 and 12 cigars, allowing them to mature properly. This is aided by a device inside the humidor called a hygrometer.

The hygrometer monitors the humidity that your cigars are exposed to. Ideally, the humidity your cigars should be exposed to is between 68 and 72%. The hygrometer will automatically alert you to any changes in the humidity levels. It is good practice to replenish your cigar collection as often as possible, as leaving empty space can bring changes to the humidity level and risk ruining the rest of your collection.

When you have bought you first humidor, don’t be tempted to simply throw your cigars inside and leave them as they are. Firstly, remove any dust from the inside of the humidor with a lightly damp cloth. Secondly, begin the process of ensuring your humidor is ready to receive your cigars by placing a small bowl of distilled water inside. Close the humidor and come back to the small bowl of water after 12 hours.

If some of the water has evaporated, fill the bowl once more and repeat the process. Once you notice the water level is remaining the same, you will know that your humidor is ready.

Your local tobacconist is the perfect consultant for any and all humidor queries or questions that you may still have.