Humidor Use

If you're an avid cigar smoker, you can probably name the few countries around the globe that produce the finest, most flavorful cigars. The high humidity of climates in tropical countries like Cuba, Honduras, and Indonesia keeps cigar tobacco moist and allows it to mature even after being rolled into cigars. But once your cigar leaves its country of origin, the shift in relative humidity levels immediately starts the process of the tobacco's deterioration that can drastically affect both flavor and freshness. With a good humidor though, the process of deterioration can quickly be called into check.

Give Your Cigars a Little Breathing Room After buying a new humidor it is tempting to make the crucial mistake of packing it full of cigars without having created the proper level of humidity inside the box. Before you can even think about storing your cigar collection in your humidor, you must season or dampen the wood to bring it to the correct relative humidity. Even after your humidor is seasoned and has reached the proper level of humidity though, it is important not to overcrowd the interior by trying to store too many cigars at one time. Cigars need ample space to breathe and continue to mature in an environment conducive to developing and then amplifying their unique flavors.

A Few More Pieces of Advice
A few other helpful hints to remember when using your new humidor:

• Never place anything directly on top of your humidor. Any undue or unexpected pressure can easily alter both the interior temperature and the relative humidity of the box. Plus, your humidor is meant to display your cigar collection and possibly even incite a little friendly jealousy from fellow smokers, so why cover it up?
• Keep your humidor in a cool dry place and away from direct sunlight at all times.
• Dust the interior of your humidor every so often to keep tobacco beetles at bay.

By following these few simple tips, you will help your cigars retain all of their prized flavor and keep your humidor lasting for years.