Seasoning a Humidor; A humidor will help maintain your cigars for a long time while keeping the flavor intact. But don’t just put your cigars in the humidor without seasoning it first. The humidor is not impervious, even though it’s the best way to take care of your cigars.
The cedar inside the humidor is part of the humidification system. If the humidor is not seasoned, the wood might actually absorb the humidity in the cigars and cause them to dry. That’s actually the opposite reaction that you’d expect the humidor to have. So, you will have to season your humidor to ensure that all your cigars remain intact.
How to Season a Cigar Humidor
Before you begin the seasoning process of your humidor, make sure you read the instructions from the manual that came with your new humidor. More importantly, make sure that you follow the manufacturer’s manual so that you don’t render the warranty null and void. But if there are no specific instructions, follow the steps below.
Use Distilled Water When Seasoning a Humidor
When it comes to seasoning your device, you will have to use distilled water, an unscented clean sponge and a cloth. The last and very important ingredient to this process is patience – at least for the next few days. Don’t go for the tap water instead of distilled water.
Next, start by dampening the sponge with distilled water or the cloth. Then use it to wipe the cedar inside the humidor. That also includes cleaning the trays and the lid. Keep in mind, you don’t want to damage the humidor. Therefore, do not saturate the interior with water or choose to pour water directly into the humidor.
Place The Sponge Inside The Humidor
After the cleaning is complete, place the wet sponge on a plastic bag and then place both of them in the humidor. Remember you should not oversaturate the sponge with water and also do not let the sponge touch the wood on the sides.
Fill up The Humidification Device
According to your manual, fill up the humidification device with either distilled water or humidifying solution. Check whether the water dripped on the sides and get rid of it. This will cause an oversaturation in the humidor. Then place the humidification device inside the humidor.
Now, Wait For The Humidor Magic
This is the hard part. You will have to wait for twenty-four hours then repeat the entire process the next day. This time, do not place the sponge inside the humidor. The next thing is to wait for another twenty-four hours.
Inspect the device for any dampness.
Before placing your pricey cigars in the humidor, check for any dampness on the cedar. In case the cedar is still damp, you will have to wait for another 24 hours. Also, during the seasoning process, you will have to ignore the readings on the hygrometer if you have any. But if after the seasoning is complete and the humidity is still lower than 72%, you will need to repeat the process again.
You will also have to test whether the hygrometer is still effective and recharge your humidification system.
Michael is the editor of the Cigar Lounge Blog. An avid Cigar lover, he is passionate about the industry. Michael’s claim to fame is his collection of Cigars from 15 different countries. He own’s an Adorini Cabinet Humidor.
