Hello and welcome to the Humidor edition of the Puff FAQ series. In this article, a companion piece to the Puff Guide to Humidors, I will be answering some common – and uncommon – questions users have about humidors, whether they be related to temperature, troubleshooting, or something as simple as whether or not it is ok to keep your humidor empty.
 

In these FAQs I usually use the format of answering a newbie question, then answering the question of a veteran. In this article I am going to do away with this structure and just get straight to the questions and answers. That being said, here is our first one:

Question: Is it okay to keep my humidor empty?

Answer: Yes, with a caveat or two. First, you will still need to keep an eye on your humidity and ensure that the humidity level remains constant. If your humidor is well-seasoned, you should be all right. If the RH level does begin to drop in a big way, it is not the end of the world. Simple recharge the humidor and all will be right in the world.

Question: Should I store tubos and cellos in my humidor?

Answer: It does not hurt. The thing to keep in mind is the purpose of tubos and cellos; that is, they protect your cigar. They protect it from being torn or snagged, but also protect it from the air, and therefore the aging process.

I suggest a simple method when storing tubos and cellos. If it is a tubo, you can do one of two things: take the cigar entirely out of its tube and place both it and the tube in the humidor, allowing it to age. This way, you can simply put it back in its tube if you want to take it out with you, ensuring it will not get damaged. Or, you can simply uncork the tube, leaving the cigar inside, which should allow it to age as well. The choice is yours.

I would do a similar method with a cello; you can either completely remove it from the wrapper (being very careful of course, so that you do not rip it), or you can just open up the end of the cellophane, allowing it to “breathe”. This way, when you are ready to take it out and about with you, you can just reseal the top.

Question: Should I keep my cigars in the box when I place them in the humidor?

Answer: It does not hurt to do so, so long as you keep the lid of the box slightly open (you can use a small piece of divider board to do this). In addition to aging your cigars, the box will also add some more of that cedar flavoring to the cigars in your humidor.

Question: What is the maximum amount of time I should store a cigar in my humidor?

Answer: As far as I know, there is no maximum amount of time (provided of course that your humidor is working and your humidity levels are balanced properly). The more a cigar ages, the more it mellows out, and the better the cigar gets. I’ve never had a cigar in my humidor for a very long time (never more than two years I don’t think), but from all I have ever read or heard, there is no time limit.

The recommended minimum time I would recommend is about three months.

Question: What about my flavored cigars? Will they lose flavor after being in the humidor for too long?

Answer: Considering that all cigars are technically flavored, the short answer is no. Cigars with flavors added to them will mellow just as normal cigars do, but the flavor should never fade so much that you no longer taste it.

Question: Should I mix cigars in my humidor?

Answer: There are differing schools of thought on this one. Technically when you store unwrapped and untubed cigars in your humidor the cigars should go through a process known as marrying, whereby the flavors of the cigars blend together. If all of the cigars are the same brand, then it is supposed to make them all taste the same, giving their flavor a good consistency (manufacturers use the marrying process to ensure each box is consistent).

When you mix cigars of different types together, they are supposed to take on each other’s tastes, changing the way they originally were meant to be. The degree to which this occurs is open to debate; some say it is definitely true, while others say that it is for the most part unrecognizable.

The part about which there is no debate is with flavored cigars. These you should never mix in with your cigars, because they will definitely change the flavors.

Question: Where should I place my humidifier?

Answer: The most common place is underneath the lid. This is because of the way the moisture travels from the humidifier, which, due to its way, is downward. I tend to place mine right in the center of the lid.

Question: My humidifier keeps coming undone from the Velcro holding it to the lid. What can I do to fix this?

Answer: I prefer to use a magnet strip. Not only does it ensure the Velcro never gets old or worn out, but it also makes it easier to remove the humidifier.

Question: Is there a set amount of time I should wait before recharging my humidifier?

Answer: Basically you will want to recharge your humidifier once your hygrometer drops below 65% RH. The amount of time will vary depending upon your humidor and your humidifier. If you think you are recharging it too often, drop by a forum or ask the manufacturer. It could be that you need a larger humidifier.

Question: My humidor does not hold as many cigars as the manufacturer claims. What’s the deal?

Answer: Humidor capacity is a tricky subject. Technically the amount of cigars the manufacturer says your humidor will hold is accurate – so long as you do not put in strange shaped cigars, and do not include hygrometers, humidifiers, etc.

When determining the amount of cigars the humidor will hold, they typically use Churchills as a guideline (the 7 x 49 ones). This is why there is some discrepancy.

Question: I do not smoke cigars, but I have a special occasion where I intend to pass some out. I have purchased the cigars already but do not know how to store them. As I do not wish to purchase a humidor, what is the best way to store them?

Answer: It depends on how far away the event is. If it is only a few weeks, you are in luck. You can leave them sealed in the box. If it is going to be a little while longer, you can place the sealed box in a Tupperware container and all should be well. Any longer than that, and you may want to ask around and see if any friends have humidors (I assume if you purchased cigars, someone you know smokes them) or try and find a cigar club that rents out humidor lockers.

Question: My humidor seal has broken. What now?

Answer: I am not a very handy guy, but I have heard you can use weather stripping to fix this. Since I would more likely than not damage the box, I would take it to a woodcrafter and have him try and fix the problem. If he could not, then I would have to dig out the wallet and purchase a new one.

Question: The hinge on my humidor is busted. Can I fix it myself?

Answer: That depends on how handy you are. Typically it is a simple fix. You can probably go to a hardware store and get a replacement hinge (bring it with you to make sure you get the right size!)

If you are not that handy, I have heard tale of people using garbage twists, pipe cleaners, and so forth to help hold the hinge in place. You can also take it to a woodcrafter to get it fixed.

Conclusion

Well, that is all the time we have this week. There are still many questions remaining to be answered regarding humidors, and I am certain we will get to them in a future article. In the meantime, if you have any questions relating to humidor, or anything else in the world of tobacco, drop us a line and I will do my best to answer them. And thanks again for reading!