Setting up a Humidor

If you have a humidor to store your cigars in, it’s important that it is set up properly. Occasionally we receive emails from customers who are concerned about their humidor and whether it is working correctly or not. Hopefully the information below will help you in setting up your humidor properly, however if you have any questions then please don’t hesitate to email us.

Set Up Your Humidor Correctly

We advise you to re-humidify the wood inside your humidor before placing your cigar collection otherwise you will ruin them.  This will happen because the wood is made of kiln dried Spanish Cedar and it needs to reach the proper heat of 70F/72% humidity. If it doesn’t reach the proper balance of heat then the moisture of your cigars will be sucked out. We advise you use the following steps to set up your humidor:

1. Place a shot glass filled with distilled water or our humidification solution in the bottom of the humidor.
2. Charge your humidifier and place inside the humidor.
3. Place your calibrated hygrometer inside the humidor.
4. Close the humidor’s lid.
5. Check the humidity daily using the hygrometer. When it reaches the 68 – 72% range, the wood has been properly stabilized. Note: Do not wipe the interior or your humidor with water. This will ruin the wood.

Hygrometer

The AK Cigars humidors are provided with a calibrated hygrometer (except from our travel humidors).

Despite what some smokers believe, the humidor is working if it’s not keeping the humidity levels at 70%. Anything between 66-79% is a safe range for cigars. It is also believed that it is safe to store your cigars at 70% and smoke them at 80% however you would need two separate humidors to do this. Depending on how you like your cigars, will determine what setting you store your cigars at.

To ensure your hygrometer is getting a proper reading it is best to place it where it is likely to get a flow of air around it and we recommend that you place it either inside the humidor or on the lid.

Humidifier

In order to keep the humidity inside your humidor you need to use the humidifier to do so. Below are the proper instructions to charge your humidifier:

1. Remove the humidifier(s) from the humidor.
2. Use our humidification solution (distilled water and propylene glycol) or distilled water and squirt it into the humidifier through the grate.
3. Do not overfill the humidifier. You want it wet not soaking.
4. Take a cloth and wipe any excess liquid from the front of the humidifier.
5. Re-attach back onto the humidor.

A good rule to follow is that distilled water increases the humidity while solution will decrease it, so if you feel that your cigars are a little dry per side the “pinch” and the hygrometer then we recommend you wash the oasis with distilled water and add a mixture of humidor solution or propylene glycol to it. Depending on what time of year it is the heat of your home will differ and you will need to experiment to find the correct combination.
Caring for your cigars

Like a fine wine, Havana cigars will mature and will improve up to 15 years but only with some care. Using a mixture of distilled water, a mould inhibiter and polyglycol will ensure your humidor is kept at 70% relative humidity.

It is best to place your humidor at a location where the temperature never passes 70F as you should aim for a temperature that ranges between 68F and 72F. Meanwhile the range of relative humidity should be 68-72%. As soon as the water has been added to the humidifier you can use the humidor. In order to test the state of the cigars you only need to press below the band of the cigar with the pad of your thumb. A sign of the cigar being in good condition is if the cigar feels springy yet firm. It is under humidified if the cigar feels brittle and hard while a sign of over humidification is if the cigar feels spongy and soft.

Occasionally you will find a small white mould (also known as ‘bloom’) on the wrapper of your cigar. This happens due to too much moisture however this will not affect the flavour. To remove any bloom simply brush down the length of the cigar with a soft brush.

Ensure that you open the humidor regularly and rotate your cigars as Havana cigars need fresh air. We also don’t recommend you keep foreign items in your humidor, such as cutters and lighters.

Caring for your humidor

Your humidor can provide you with years of quality service as long as you give it proper attention and care. To do so, here are some basic tips to help maintain your investment:

1. Don’t keep your humidor where it will be in danger of being knocked over.
2. Never store your humidor in direct sunlight. This may fade the wood and heat the inside past the safe range.
3. Don’t place objects on top of the humidor.
4. Always use a soft cloth when cleaning your humidor.
5. Furniture polish and beeswax are all good products which can be safely used on your humidor to clean or polish it.
6. Regular dusting will keep it looking like new.
7. Do not wipe the interior of your humidor with water or any other liquid, as it will ruin the wood.