How does humidor solution work? Propylene glycol is the active ingredient in humidor solution. It is a liquid that does not dry up easily and releases water at exactly 70%. The humidor solution should be in a mixture of 50% propylene glycol and 50% distilled water. This is the perfect balance that the humidifier needs to feed your cigars the water that allows them to continue to age gracefully.

The solution should only be applied when setting up your new humidor or when the humidity level suddenly drops. Depending on the temperature and weather, it should be used once every 3 to 6 months. It should not be used more frequently and never exclusively. After activating your humidifier it should only be refilled with pure distilled water until the humidor solution dissipates, at which time it may be used again.

How do you know when it’s time to use the solution again? When you see that the humidity level is erratic or suddenly drops, even though you have distilled water in the humidifier. If you overuse the solution it will clog up the humidifier and render it useless. When you use it too often, it displaces the water and you end up having a humidifier of propylene glycol with no water to release. What do you do if this happens? It’s a simple problem to resolve. Just buy a new humidifier. It will never work as intended again, even if you think that you cleaned it out.

Lately there have been humidor companies, stores and Internet retailers that have been selling solution that is not a mixture of 50% propylene glycol and 50% distilled water, and claiming that because it has a higher concentration of propolyne glycol, it will work better. This is not true and just a way to get more money from you for a product that will eventually harm you humidifier. The higher the propylene glycol percentage, the less room there is for distilled water in your humidifier. Your humidor needs the water so that it can recreate the the tobacco leaf’s original environment.

What is the best relative humidity level to keep inside your humidor? While the standard 70% humidity and 70 degrees is always used because it is easy to remember, humidity levels between 60% and 75% are just fine. The temperature can also vary from 60 to 80 degrees. Remember that in the tobacco fields the temperature changes from day to night. The tobacco leaf is accustomed to such changes. Most of the world’s best cigar makers prefer drier cigars, anywhere from 50 to 65% humidity. Drier cigars burn better and taste better. You must also use more care when you handle them before lighting as the drier wrapper can crack. But once you light it you’ll notice the difference in burn and taste, and the wrapper will no longer be fragile.

After all, for some smokers, the after-dinner cigar is more symbolic than anything – a conspicuous display, perhaps, of taste and leisure, or a social or familial ritual. If, however, you smoke for taste – which is the best reason to smoke – you should probably invest in a humidor: a specially-constructed box designed to maintain your cigars in near-70% humidity and at a proper temperature when they’re not being smoked.

To understand why humidors are so important, remember what a cigar essentially is. It’s a set of rolled-up tobacco leaves that have been cut, dried, cured, and fermented, then maintained at a very slight but essential level of moisture. If the cigar dries out completely – as can happen in open air, at the wrong temperature, or in low humidity – it loses its taste. If it’s kept in an airtight environment, on the other hand, the necessary low level of moisture will, over time, cause mold. A cigar requires a very special set of conditions in order to maintain optimum taste.

The humidity in which cigars are stored is important because of the specific conditions in which most tobacco is grown. The natural climate for most such areas is in the neighborhood of 70% relative humidity; the tobacco plant has evolved for such a climate. Thus, humidity control is the sine qua non of a humidor – without that, it’s not a humidor but a box with cigars in it. Humidors are able to maintain a relatively consistent humidity level partly because of the relatively porous wood used to line them (Spanish cedar and Honduran mahogany are popular choices for this reason).

Most humidors also, of course, have some sort of device that maintains moisture levels; some use hygrometers, which indicate interior humidity. (Digital hygrometers tend to be more accurate, though they lack the old-fashioned appeal of dial hygrometers.)

When packing your humidor, make sure you leave some room between the cigars to allow air to circulate between them. (Again, you want to avoid an airtight fit, which would promote mold. On the other hand, too much empty space will allow that all-important humidity level to drop. Check on your cigars frequently, at least once a week, to ensure that nothing needs to be adjusted). The cigars should, at best, exude a small amount of oil when stored; this is a sign that the humidor is working. Slight amounts of water can be added if cigars start to dry out.

If your cigars suffer an attack of tobacco beetles – a species of beetle that preys on tobacco and can sometimes bore through a humidor – you’ve probably been keeping the temperature in the box a touch too high (tobacco beetles flourish at temperatures over 75 degrees.) Remove the affected cigars and put them in your freezer for 48 hours, then move them to your refrigerator for another day, following which they should be safely returnable to the humidor.

Spanish-cedar humidors are a popular choice. This wood, as mentioned above, holds moisture well, maintaining humidity, and it holds an aroma many consumers find pleasant and complementary to that of the cigars themselves. It’s also slightly favored for keeping tobacco beetles out, and it doesn’t warp in high humidity.

When you buy your humidor, “season” it by applying a moist cloth to the interior wood and then leaving a small, closed container of water inside the humidor for 12 hours. If the humidor “drinks up” most of the water, leaving the container near-empty after 12 hours, repeat the process for another 24 hours. Once the water stops evaporating, the humidor is ready for your cigars!

The size of your humidor depends on how many cigars you want to store and whether you want the humidor to travel. Consider separate humidors for use at home and away. Multiply the length, width and height of humidors to compare cubic inches, as cigar-count measurements may not reflect the actual storage of the cigars you prefer.

But if you had to extract the essentials, it would look something like this:

DO…

• Neatly trim the end of your cigar with an appropriate device.

• Hold your cigar between the thumb and index finger.

• Take time to warm the foot of the cigar slightly prior to lighting it

• Rotate the flame around the edge of the foot until it starts to burn, then puff lightly.

• Cigar smoking is a LEISURE activity, not a race — a puff a minute is about right.

• Let a cigar go out on its own, without excessive grinding in an ashtray

• Let it go out if there’s less than one quarter of its leaf remaining

• Re-light a viable cigar by scraping the ash and turning it in the flame for a moment or two until it catches again

Dispose of the dead cigar discreetly and quickly.

DON’T …

• Use a penknife to cut, a lance to pierce, or your teeth to chew off the end of the cigar

• Touch the flame directly to the foot of the cigar:

• Ask someone else for a light

• Be a show off – no one wants to see a narcissistic cigar-smoker calling attention to himself/herself with an elaborate display of cigar smoking technique or accoutrements like cigar holders.

• Put a dead cigar into your mouth and puff furiously while lighting to re-ignite it

• Don’t chew on your cigar, slobber on it, gesture with it or clench it between your teeth (unless you’re a 1930’s homicide detective)

Chain smoke.  Cigars are to be savored.

OPTIONAL

• Remove the band carefully after lighting the cigar

• Share

Humidity
At the least, keep your cigars in a tight fitting cupboard, drawer or box, away from radiators and other sources of heat. Pick the coolest indoor spot in your house. Leave the cigars in their original boxes as this will help preserve them, stop them from being damaged, and prevent any cross-tainting of flavours between different varieties of cigars stored in the same area. If the humidity in your make-shift humidor is low, a damp sponge in a cup will serve as a basic provider of humidity.
When you purchase your cigars from Tomtom, they will be packed in an airtight zip-loc bag, which will maintain the humidity of your cigars while you transport them from the shop to your humidor. These bags are a very efficient short term humidor, however we would not recommend that you leave your cigars sealed in these bags for more than one month. Although humidity will be maintained, cigars also need to be exposed to some fresh air to allow them to ‘breathe’ and age correctly.
A variety of desk-top and travel humidors can be purchased (see ‘Accessories’) and are an essential item for the dedicated cigar smoker (more information below).
Temperature
The danger of excessive temperature (combined with too much humidity) is that the cigars can either go moldy or be damaged by weavil attack. If cigars go moldy, this is generally not a problem, as long as it is spotted reasonably soon and the mould (or bloom) only appears on the wrapper leaf. The mould can be removed with a soft brush (e.g. a badger shaving brush) and then the cigar can be returned to store in the correct conditions. If mould gets into the end of the cigar, we recommend that you do not smoke it. Weavil, or tobacco beetle, is a more serious problem. If you see any small holes in your cigar, you should take immediate action. Please call Tomtom for further advice. Never store cigars near direct sunlight or for long periods exposed to sea breezes (salt will not enhance your smoke). The lower the temperature, the higher the humidity required to compensate.
Desktop Humidors
There is a very wide selection of these humidors on the market. The basic design requirements are that they are sealable (and generally lockable!), but allow the cigars to breathe. This is normally achieved by leaving the base of the box unvarnished: and no portion of the inner cedar box should be laminated. The box contains a fitting, which provides the humidity: this is normally a pad containing a sponge or chalk, which can be dampened. The box may also contain a dial showing humidity and temperature.
As a rule of thumb, the smaller the box, the harder it is to maintain a steady level of humidity within its confines. These humidors do not regulate temperature. The price range starts from about 125 for a plexi glass humidor, which will hold approximately 50 cigars to 2000 and above.  Fabulous humidors can also be created out of antique boxes which many families have inherited as writing slopes or medal cases and which have since become redundant. This is a very cost-effective way of storing your cigars in a unique and personal humidor.
Travel Humidors
Ranging in price from 100 upwards. These are not suitable for long-term storage of cigars, however they are essential if you are moving about: the wrapper leaf on a handmade cigar is very thin and delicate and will easily damage. The safest way to prevent this is to keep the cigars in their original box, in tubes or in a purpose-built travel humidor.
Cigar Cases
Generally these do not offer humidification systems built in, but will protect your cigars if you take them in your pocket for the day. There are some metal tubes with hermetically sealed screw tops that will act in the same way as a cigar tube and seal in moisture. The majority are made from leather and offer protection from damage as well as limited protection from fluctuations in humidity and temperature.
Reviving Dried-Out Cigars
This is not an exact science and not always successful. Dry cigars need to be re-humidified very slowly and with care. We suggest you try Stogies Humidors with any questions you may have regarding this.

HUMIDOR INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place a shallow container (ideally, a shot glass) filled with distilled water in a corner inside the humidor
2. Place a calibrated hygrometer inside the humidor (see instructions on calibrating your hygrometer)
3. Fill your humidifier with the activator solution. Otherwise, you can fill it with distilled water. (see instructions on charging your humidifier)
4. Let the humidifier sit for approximately 2-3 hours so that it is moist, but not soaked.
5. Place the humidifier inside the humidor

You should check the relative humidity often. Note that opening and closing the humidor will affect the relative humidity inside as it will escape if opened often. This can take up to a week or two depending on the size of the humidor. When you get in the 70 range it is safe to store you smokes inside. As long as you constantly recharge your humidification device you will never have to wait to store your cigars again.