BCP’s Guide to Properly Seasoning a Humidor

Whether you’re new to the world of cigars or just never had a true collection, you may be unaware of the preparation needed before using a new humidor for storage. This preparation is referred to as “seasoning” and is vital to any wooden humidor’s functionality. If a humidor isn’t seasoned, the interior wood will absorb moisture from wherever it can, including your cigars. The result: dried out cigars that may very well be unsmokable. So, rather than putting your entire cigar collection in jeopardy, follow the steps outlined below to ensure your humidor is seasoned and ready to use. You’ll need:
– Clean Cloth or Sponge
– Distilled Water
– Humidification Device (like a Boveda humidipak)
– Propylene Glycol Solution (Optional)

Step 1: Wipe Down

First, you’ll want to take your clean cloth or sponge dampen it slightly (don’t soak it) with distilled water. Please note that the water has to be distilled; non-distilled water can result in mold or other contaminants that affect cigar flavor. Once you have the cloth or sponge moistened, just coat the interior surfaces with a little water. Don’t oversaturate though—you don’t want to see little puddles forming.

Step 2: Humidify

Once you’ve coated the interior with a little distilled water, it’s time to humidify. Simply fill your humidification device with either distilled water or a propylene glycol solution and place it in the humidor. Alternatively, you can place a humidipak in it instead. Close the humidor up and let it sit for about 24 hours.

Step 3: One More Cycle

Now all that’s left to do is repeat steps one and two. After one more wipe down and one more humidification session, your humidor should be ready to use. Yes, this does mean another 24 hours of humidifying, but good things come to those who wait.

Step 4: Fill It Up

After the second cycle of seasoning, your humidor should be ready to use! Before you start loading in your cigars, just take a moment to see if the interior feels wet to the touch. If it does, you may want to let it stand a little longer. Now the only question is: what cigars are you filling it with?