Cigars, in a lot of ways, are like pets. They needed to be cared for and nurtured in order to thrive. That being said, taking care of your cigars is much simpler and more cost-effective. A cigar is a naturally grown product, it’s not synthesized in a lab or crafted in some industrial factory. They need the same environment they were born into in order to survive. This may sound like a daunting task, but once you get the basics it is pretty simple.
The two most important aspects to maintain when aging your cigars are temperature and of course humidity. You must keep the humidity between 68-72% with 70% being your perfect. When using your standard, cedar lined humidor, there are preparations you should take before filling it with your cigars. This process is called seasoning. Seasoning a cigar humidor is incredibly important to maintaining your cigars.
First, open up your cigar humidor. Take four shot glasses and fill them with distilled water. You must use distilled water because it is pure H20, with all of the minerals being evaporated out. If you use tap water, there is a chance of ruing your cigar wrapper. After filling the glasses, take them and place one into each corner of the humidor then close it. Leave it closed for 8-10 hours.
After this time frame, open up the humidor and see how much water the shot glasses have lost and refill accordingly. The water is going down in the glasses because it is being absorbed by the cedar wood on the inside. Repeat this process until, after 8 hours, the shot glasses remain filled. This means the wood has absorbed all it can and is ready to be filled with cigars.
Make sure your humidor is filled at a minimum 50% with cigars, with 75% filled is preferred. After setting up your humidifier and hydrometer, your humidor is ready. I prefer to season my humidor about twice a year, so make sure you check it every few months.