Humidor Seasoning: Why You Should Season your Humidor
Every cigar aficionado knows that having a humidor is one of the most important things. A humidor is one asset that helps you keep your backwoods cigars in perfect shape and fresh for the longest time. However, having the best quality humidor is not all if you want to store your expensive premium cigars. You should know how to season your humidor and make it function properly.
When you buy a humidor for storing your cigars, you should beware of how to season it. Before putting any cigars in the humidor, you want to ensure it is well seasoned and working perfectly. You should spare at least 2 to 5 days to season the new humidor before you can use it to store the cigars or run the risk of ruining the best quality cigars.
In most cases, a humidor will come with instructions for seasoning it. This will act as a guide if you are seasoning your humidor for the first time. You have to follow the humidor seasoning instructions if you don’t want to void the manufacturer’s warranty.
Why it is vital to have a seasoned wooden humidor
So, you’ve just bought that expensive AJ Fernandez Last Call Maduro, and you are wondering how to store it? Well, getting a humidor will save you the shame of pulling out that butane lighter to light a spoiled cigar in front of your friends.
If your cigars do not have enough moisture in them, they will dry out easily. It means you will not be able to smoke them or enjoy the smoke at all. A humidor keeps your cigars moist and fresh most of the time.
Also, if your cigar collection is well-moist, they are more likely to be moldy if you don’t store them in a seasoned humidor.
Seasoning your dry cigar is the most important thing to do as a cigar smoker. When you season your humidor, it means you treat the Spanish cedar used in making the inside of the humidor and setting it up ready to store your premium cigars.
The Spanish cedar has the unique property of absorbing moisture. It means if the humidor has a lot of moisture, the Spanish cedar will absorb it. Conversely, if the humidor is too dry, the cedar will release some moisture to keep it humid, stopping your cigars from drying out.
How to season the humidor
There are many ways you can season your cigar humidor. There are items you will need to make the process work out for you in all the methods you apply.
There are humidors seasoning kits that you can buy from the market to make the work easy for you. You can also choose to buy these items individually and save some money. Ideally, most of the items you will need to season your humidor are already in your custody at home.
Here is what you need for a seasoning humidor:
A working humidifier that will come with your humidor in most cases.
A bottle of distilled water: Avoid using tap water because it can contain chemicals that can damage your cigars.
A hygrometer with calibration to help you in monitoring the humidity level in the humidor.
A short glass or a clean wet sponge
A large bowl or container for storing water
A cellophane or some plastic sandwich bag
A wetting or charging solution
A clean rag or paper towels
How to season your humidor
Seasoning your humidor is the only thing you should do if you want to store your cigars fresh for the longest time. If as a cigar lover you want to store your cigars and ensure they are always in perfect shape, you should not skip any of these steps. Take your time when seasoning the humidor and ensure you don’t rush with any steps.
Here is a step guide on how to season your humidor:
Step #1: Wipe the humidor
Use a paper towel or some clean dish sponge to wipe down the inside of your humidor. All you have to do is cover the inside with moisture and ensure it is not saturated. You should leave the humidor lid open if it smells of any chemicals a day after, allowing it to dry up.
Step #2: Set up the humidifier
You should fill the humidifier with distilled water, turn it upside down, and shake it. Alternatively, you can use a 50/50 solution or some polyglycol solution. Hold the humidor over a sink until it can no longer drip. Put the humidifier inside the humidor right on the underside of the lid.
Step #3: Calibrate the hygrometer
Calibrate the analog hygrometer before putting it inside the humidor. This will take you up to six hours. However, you can buy some kits to help you in the process. Once you have calibrated the hygrometer, put it inside the humidor close to the humidifier or just in one of the corners of the lid. You can then put the cellophane or plastic sandwich in the bottom of the humidor.
Step #4: Fill the bowl with water
Take a bowl and fill it with distilled water. Squeeze the clean sponge, and if any soap bubbles appear on the water, you should throw the water away and start afresh. Get some sponge full of water and put it in the humidor on top of the cellophane or a plastic bag.
Close the lid and wait for the next three days. The longer you live, the better you season your humidor. When the water in the sponge starts to evaporate, the Spanish cedar begins to absorb it lowering moisture level.
Step #6: Check the hygrometer reading
If the reading is too high, you should not worry. You have to ensure the reading reaches 80%. Take out the sponge and the bag and close the lid once more. Leave the humidor idle until the reading is 70%.
When the humidor is ready, you can now put your cigars inside and store them. Keep the cuban cigars in the humidor for some days until the reading is no 67%. You can now go ahead and enjoy your cigars or just leave them until you are ready to smoke again.
It may take longer to season a larger humidor. However, the same process still applies. Adding to your collection, you will realize that you can easily set up and season your humidor for different types of cigars. The more humidors you season, the less time it will take you in every step.
How does climate affect your humidor?
When seasoning the humidor, you want to keep the area’s climate in mind. If you live in a dry and climate-like desert, you will have to replenish the humidity source most of the time. Keep a close eye on the humidity level in winter when there is heat in your house.
Also, in the summer, you will need to replenish the humidification source less frequently. If you have some fine cigar in the humidor, you should know that it can respond to weather changes most of the time. This also affects how you store your cigar in the humidor. You should always be wary of the weather when storing your cigars.
Final Thoughts
If you want to smoke your cigar and get all the flavors intact, you should ensure that you get a high-quality humidor to store your cigars.
Also, if you have a humidor, you should ensure you season the humidor properly. This way, you can ensure the humidor is functioning well and store your cigars for a long time. You can follow the steps we have highlighted in this article to learn how to season your humidor.
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