3 Easy Steps to Fresher Cigars

It takes a little time and know-how to be sure your brand new humidor is ready to hold the cigars you cherish. The purpose of a humidor is basically to recreate the tropical environment in which most cigars are made and it's important to remember that putting cigars into a dry humidor can lead to a loss of flavor and downright bad smokes.

Getting Started Most humidors' interiors are made of either Mahogany or Spanish Cedar and need to be humidified or seasoned before the box will be ready to hold your cigars. There's really not that much to it. First, take a clean sponge free of any soaps or artificial scents and dampen it with distilled water. If distilled water isn't available, tap water will also do the trick. Wipe down the interior of the box including all ledges and crevasses as well as any unfinished wood surface. Wetting unfinished surfaces is key; on the contrary, take special care to avoid getting the finished surfaces wet when seasoning your humidor. After you have finished, put the damp sponge on a plastic bag and place it in the bottom of the humidor.

Preparing Your Humidification Device
Next, you will have to prepare your humidification device. Be sure to use only distilled water or humidor solution for this step: regular tap water can contain minerals that can damage your humidification device by leaving rough deposits that will clog the humidification element. Fill the humidification device with humidor solution or distilled water until it is very well saturated but not dripping wet. Once it's full, leave it on a dry hand towel to rest for approximately 30 minutes.

One Last Step to Lasting Freshness
Finally, place the humidification device inside the humidor (keep the sponge there, too), close the humidor, and let it sit over night. Check the sponge the next morning. If it feels dry to the touch, add more distilled water to the humidification device. If it is still damp, leave it alone and let the humidor sit for another night. Afterward, you can remove the sponge and the humidification device and store your cigars safely, knowing their freshness will stay intact.