A new humidor is not ready to use as soon as you unpack it. The lining, which is almost always Spanish cedar, arrives dry. If you put cigars into the dry wood, it will absorb their moisture. Seasoning means slowly adding moisture to the cedar first, so the humidor holds relative humidity instead of drawing it out of your cigars.
This chapter explains how to do it. Humidity ranges, plume, mold, and temperature are covered in Humidor (storage). Why the wood matters is covered in Spanish cedar. Smoke Rings sells humidors in the humidors section of the shop.
What seasoning does
Seasoning does not mean making the inside of the humidor wet. It means raising the moisture content of the lining until a calibrated hygrometer in the closed box stays in your target range, commonly cited as about 65–72% RH, without dropping every day. After that, a humidifier, beads, or two-way humidity packs maintain the humidity. Seasoning is only the first step, not the whole system.
Tap water leaves mineral deposits and can stain the cedar. Do not use it. What you want is distilled water which is available at all drugstores (chemists) and most grocery stores at a very low price. Soaking the wood until the joints swell and warp damages the humidor. Wipe the wood lightly, put the water source in place, and wait. Don’t flood it. Don’t try to rush this process.
A simple method
There are several methods. They all depend on patience and a hygrometer reading that you can trust.
- Empty the box. Remove any foam, plastic, or packing material.
- Calibrate the hygrometer (with a salt test or another known reference) before relying on it. An uncalibrated hygrometer cannot be trusted.
- Add moisture to the cedar: wipe the inside lightly with a clean sponge or cloth dampened with distilled water (avoid the hinges if you can), or place a clean shot glass or other open container of distilled water inside, or use humidity packs sold for seasoning. Close the lid.
- Wait several days, not just a few hours, and keep an eye on the hygrometer. If the RH rises into the high 70s and stays there, you have added too much moisture, so ease off. If it drops sharply after you open and close the lid, just give it more time.
- Repeat if the reading won’t hold steady. When the closed box stays in your target range for a day or two without a wet sponge inside, the wood has absorbed enough.
- Install your regular humidity system (packs, beads, or an electronic humidifier) and let it settle before adding the first cigars. The choices are explained in humidity control and hygrometers.
Seasoning humidity packs are a modern alternative for people who prefer not to put a wet sponge near the unfinished wood inside their humidors. Follow the instructions that come with the packs. Boveda, for example, has you leave its 84% seasoning packs in the closed, empty humidor for 14 days, which is longer than the wipe-down method above.
How long it takes
Three to five days is a common guideline, but some very dry humidors will need a week or more. The humidity of the room, how dry the lining is, and how much moisture you added all make a difference. Go by the hygrometer reading, not by the calendar.
Don’t add cigars early to test the humidor. The dry wood will draw moisture out of them.
After seasoning
Keep the lid closed as much as possible, because each time you open it, humidity escapes. Travel cases and plastic humidors work differently; see travel humidors. For choosing a humidor, see the humidor buying guide.
Smoke Rings does not sell tobacco. When your humidor is seasoned and ready, our sponsor AbsoluteCigars.com is your best source for cigars.
Sources: Common trade seasoning practice (distilled water / packs, multi-day wait, hygrometer confirmation); Smoke Rings storage ranges as cited on the humidor topic page.