A premium cigar is a living thing. Without proper humidity and temperature control, even the finest cigars will deteriorate. Our Master Blender shares the essential guide to building and maintaining a world-class humidor.
There is a reason that the finest cigar lounges in the world invest in climate-controlled walk-in humidors. A premium cigar, despite its inert appearance, is in many ways a living thing — a carefully balanced ecosystem of tobacco, oils, and natural organisms that continues to evolve long after it leaves our factory.
Under the right conditions, a well-made cigar will age gracefully, developing layers of complexity and smoothness that can only come with time. Under the wrong conditions, the same cigar will deteriorate, losing its essential oils, drying out, or developing mold and unpleasant flavors that destroy everything the torcedor worked to create.
The Golden Range
The fundamental principle of humidor management is maintaining the "golden range" — a relative humidity of 65 to 72 percent and a temperature of 18 to 21 degrees Celsius. This range replicates, to a remarkable degree, the conditions of our aging rooms in Jember, where our cigars spend their formative years developing character and complexity.
Maintaining humidity is the more challenging of the two variables. Most humidors use a humidification device — traditionally a simple sponge or foam saturated with a solution of distilled water and propylene glycol, which stabilizes the release of moisture at approximately 70% relative humidity.
Cedar: The Ideal Environment
Spanish cedar (Cedrela odorata) is the universal choice for humidor lining, and for good reason. Cedar has a natural affinity for the essential oils in premium tobacco and absorbs and releases moisture at a rate perfectly suited to maintaining stable humidity. Beyond its functional properties, cedar imparts a subtle aromatic quality to cigars stored within it — a gentle, pleasant undertone that experienced smokers associate with the most treasured selections in their collection.
When setting up a new humidor, it is essential to season the cedar before introducing your cigars. This involves wiping the interior surfaces with a clean cloth dampened with distilled water and leaving a container of distilled water inside the closed humidor for 24 to 48 hours, allowing the cedar to absorb moisture gradually until it reaches equilibrium.