A humidor is a box that stores cigars at an optimal humidity level and protects cigars from changes in humidity. Cigars are an agricultural product and are sensitive to moisture. If they get too dry, the wrapper cracks and the smoke tastes harsh. If they get too wet, the draw becomes tight, the burn becomes uneven, and mold becomes a real risk. A humidor keeps cigars in the middle range by combining a closed box, a wood lining, and a source of moisture.
Smoke Rings sells humidors and empty cedar boxes. This chapter explains how to store cigars.
Spanish cedar
Most wooden humidors are lined with Spanish cedar (Cedrela, or Cedrela odorata). Despite the name, it is not a true cedar. It is a tropical hardwood that absorbs moisture and releases it again, and it has the smell people associate with cigar boxes because so many boxes are made from it. The pleasing aroma is one reason people use it. Some long-term collectors, however, prefer other linings so the wood does not affect the flavor of the tobacco as much. For a desktop humidor, cedar is still the standard choice. More detail: Spanish cedar: why it matters.
Empty branded cigar boxes are often made of the same wood. They can hold a few cigars if the room is already at the right humidity, but they do not seal like a humidor. See the shop for empty cigar boxes and humidors. Buying advice: humidor buying guide.
Seasoning
New cedar is dry. If you put cigars in on the first day, the wood will absorb moisture from them. Seasoning means adding moisture to the lining first (full instructions: how to season a humidor). Use distilled water on a cloth or in a clean container, or humidity packs made for the purpose, close the lid, and wait several days until a hygrometer shows humidity has stabilized in your target range. Do not use tap water as it leaves mineral deposits. Soaking the wood until the joints warp is not seasoning; this will obviously damage the humidor.
After seasoning, you still need a humidifier, or two-way humidity packs. Seasoning prepares the box; it does not maintain the humidity on an ongoing basis. The options are compared in humidity control and hygrometers.
Target Humidity: The numbers people cite
There is no single correct relative humidity (RH), but there is a generally accepted range.
The traditional American rule is 70/70: 70 percent RH at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Many older humidors with sponge humidifiers were set to this, or were meant to be. Many smokers today, and some storage-product makers, recommend a range of about 65% to 72% RH, with the high 60s as a common everyday target. Boveda, a widely sold humidity-pack brand, treats 65–72% as a safe storage range and 69% as a middle target. Habanos S.A. has been cited as recommending 65–70% RH and a cooler room (about 16–18°C) for Cuban cigars. The risk of mold rises when humidity goes above the low 70s, especially in a warm room, and tobacco beetles thrive when it is both warm and humid.
These sources do not agree on one exact number, but they agree on a range. This book does not claim that 67% is right and 70% is wrong, or the other way around. Keep the humidity steady somewhere between 65% and 72%, keep the temperature moderate, calibrate your hygrometer, and avoid opening the lid more often than you need to.
Cuban and New World cigars do not need different storage rules. Both need a humidor that keeps conditions steady.
Plume = Good. Mold = Bad
A white dust that wipes off easily on a well-stored cigar may be plume (also called bloom), a dry film of crystallized natural oils, and something that’s perfectly fine. It should not be confused with mold. Where you see a fuzzy growth, especially if it is colored, that is mold. If you are not sure, treat it as mold. See plume vs mold.
Aging finished cigars in a stable humidor can make a blend smoother, but it cannot fix leaf that was not properly fermented. The factory has already aged the tobacco; storing cigars in your own humidor is considered extra aging.
Air circulation within your humidor matters. A sealed plastic tub with a wet sponge can easily become too damp, like a terrarium. The traditional design of cedar, a little air exchange, and a measured source of moisture, in a humidor with a quality lid seal is the goal.
For glossary entries, start with humidor, relative humidity, and spanish cedar. For how tobacco is cured and fermented before it reaches you, see how cigars are made.
Temperature matters too
A humidity reading means little without the temperature. Warm air holds more water, so a humidor at 72% RH in a 78°F room carries more risk than one at 72% in a cool cupboard. Tobacco beetle larvae and mold both thrive in warm, humid conditions. The old 70/70 rule at least included both humidity and temperature. Many Cuban storage guidelines recommend slightly cooler and slightly drier conditions. Depending on your location, a garage in July is very different from a cellar in January.
Travel humidors and sealed plastic humidors with a humidity pack are perfectly good tools. They still need an accurate RH reading rather than a guess. Some desktop humidors look good but leak air because the seal is poor. Use a calibrated digital hygrometer to get clear and accurate RH readings.
Sources: Common trade storage ranges (including the 70/70 rule and the 65–72% band); Habanos storage guidance as commonly cited (65–70% RH, cooler temperature); manufacturer packaging in Spanish cedar.