For cigar enthusiasts, a humidor serves as an essential tool for maintaining the perfect environment for your prized stogies. A well-seasoned humidor ensures that cigars retain their optimal moisture levels, preventing them from becoming overly dry and brittle or too moist and susceptible to mold. Understanding the proper seasoning schedule will help you maintain your collection in peak condition.
What is Seasoning?
Seasoning your humidor involves introducing moisture to the wood lining of the box. This process creates a stable internal environment designed to closely mirror the ideal humidity and temperature conditions for cigar storage. You’ll need to season a humidor upon first purchase and may need to re-season occasionally throughout its lifetime to maintain optimal performance.
The Short Answer: How Often to Season
- New humidors: Always season before first use (required)
- Well-maintained humidors: May never need re-seasoning
- Dry climates: Once or twice per year if needed
- After extended disuse or mold remediation: Re-season before adding cigars
When to Season (or Re-Season) Your Humidor
Understanding the right timing for seasoning prevents costly mistakes and keeps your cigars in optimal condition. Several specific situations call for seasoning or re-seasoning your humidor.
New Humidors
A brand new humidor, especially one made from wood like Spanish cedar, absolutely needs seasoning before you use it to store cigars. This ensures the wood has absorbed enough moisture to regulate the internal environment. Unseasoned wood will actually wick moisture away from your cigars, drying them out completely.
The Truth About Re-Seasoning Frequency
Here’s what many guides don’t tell you: if you seasoned your humidor properly the first time and maintain a good seal, you may never need to re-season it. Many experienced collectors report never re-seasoning their humidors despite years of use. The frequency depends on where the humidor is located, your climate, how well the humidor is maintained, and the quality of the humidor itself.
If you’re struggling to maintain humidity, the problem is more likely:
- A faulty seal: Test by closing the lid on a dollar bill—if it slides out easily, your seal needs attention
- Insufficient humidification: Your humidification device may be depleted or too small for your humidor
- Inaccurate hygrometer: Analog hygrometers are often unreliable—calibrate or replace with digital
When Re-Seasoning IS Necessary
Re-seasoning becomes genuinely necessary in these specific situations:
Significant Humidity Drop: When you notice a drastic, persistent drop in humidity (more than 10% RH) that doesn’t respond to recharging your humidification device, the Spanish cedar walls may be drying out.
Seasonal Changes (Dry Climates): Those living in areas with extremely dry conditions or pronounced seasonal humidity variations may benefit from re-seasoning once or twice per year.
Extended Disuse: If your humidor has sat empty and unopened for several months, the wood may have dried out significantly and require re-seasoning.
Following Mold Remediation: After successfully treating a mold issue in your humidor, re-seasoning helps restore proper hydration levels.
How to Tell if Your Humidor Needs Re-Seasoning
Recognizing the warning signs early prevents damage to your cigar collection. Your humidor will communicate its needs through several observable indicators.
Hygrometer Readings: The most reliable indicator is a significant, persistent drop in humidity below 60% RH that doesn’t respond to recharging your humidification device. Always maintain a calibrated hygrometer for accurate monitoring.
Cigar Condition: Cigars that feel excessively dry, brittle, or crack when gently flexed indicate inadequate humidity. This suggests your humidor may need attention.
The Touch Test: Lightly run your finger against the inside wood lining. If it feels noticeably dry compared to when properly seasoned, re-seasoning may be needed.
Visible Changes: Warping, cracking, or gaps forming in the wood signal severe drying and require immediate attention.
How to Season a Humidor
The seasoning process requires patience and attention to detail. Here are the most effective methods:
| Method | Time Required | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Boveda 84% Packs | 14 days | Easiest, most foolproof |
| Distilled Water + Sponge | 5-7 days | Budget-friendly |
| PG Solution Wipe | 3-5 days | Faster results |
Method 1: Boveda 84% Seasoning Packs (Recommended)
This is the most foolproof method and has become the industry standard:
- Remove all cigars and store them temporarily in a sealed container with humidity control.
- Place unwrapped Boveda 84% seasoning packs inside your empty humidor (one 60-gram pack per 25-cigar capacity).
- Close the lid and do not open it for 14 days—regardless of hygrometer readings.
- After 14 days, remove and discard the 84% packs (they’re not reusable for seasoning).
- Add your preferred maintenance packs (65-72% RH) and return your cigars.
Method 2: Distilled Water and Sponge
- Remove all cigars and accessories.
- Gently wipe down the interior wood with a cloth dampened with distilled water. Never use tap water.
- Place a damp sponge on a plastic bag (never directly on cedar) inside the humidor.
- Close the lid and check daily, re-dampening the sponge as needed.
- After 5-7 days, when humidity stabilizes at 70%+, remove the sponge.
- Add your humidification device and let it stabilize before adding cigars.
Method 3: Propylene Glycol Solution
- Remove all cigars and accessories.
- Using a seasoning wipe or cloth dampened with 50/50 propylene glycol solution, wipe down all interior wooden surfaces.
- Charge your humidifier with the PG solution and place inside.
- Close the lid for 72 hours minimum (3-5 days recommended).
- When your hygrometer reads 68-72% consistently, you’re ready to add cigars.
Important Note: Propylene glycol solution helps prevent mold and bacteria growth while regulating humidity. It’s preferred during the initial seasoning process as it helps prevent over-humidification.
Additional Considerations
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Humidor Material Differences
Acrylic or glass humidors usually do not require seasoning, as these materials don’t absorb moisture like wood. However, they still require proper humidification systems to maintain optimal conditions for your cigars.
Calibrating Your Hygrometer
Before relying on hygrometer readings, calibrate your device using the salt test method or calibration kits. An uncalibrated hygrometer can provide false readings, leading you to believe re-seasoning is needed when the real issue is inaccurate measurement. Analog hygrometers are particularly unreliable and should be calibrated every 6 months or replaced with digital models.
Prevention Strategies
A well-made humidor with a good seal requires less frequent re-seasoning and maintains more stable conditions. Invest in quality construction and replace worn seals promptly to minimize maintenance requirements. Consider your storage environment when placing your humidor—avoid locations near heating vents, air conditioning units, windows with direct sunlight, or areas with significant temperature fluctuations.
Conclusion
While you won’t need to season your humidor daily or even monthly, understanding the process and recognizing when seasoning becomes necessary will keep your cigars in prime condition. The key takeaway: season every new humidor before use, but don’t assume annual re-seasoning is required. If done properly the first time with a good seal maintained, you may never need to re-season at all.
Pay attention to your humidor’s readings, check your seal and hygrometer accuracy first when problems arise, and only re-season when truly necessary—typically after extended disuse, in extremely dry climates, or following mold remediation. By following these guidelines, you’ll enjoy perfectly preserved cigars for every pleasurable smoking occasion.
jay
Self proclaimed cigar expert. I've been smoking since 2010. I've practically lived at a cigar lounge from 10am to 10pm and trying every new cigar that came out for years.