Frequently Asked Questions About Humidors & Storing Cigars

What is a humidor?

A humidor is a box (see sample picture below) or in some cases room that allows the individual to control the humidity. Humidors allow the user to control the amount of humidity that is stored in the box for optimal cigar preservation.

Do I need a humidor?

At Frontline Cigars, we recommend storing your cigars in a humidor to ensure optimal preservation. While storing cigars in a humidor is highly recommended, cigars can also be stored in a sealed mason jar. For more information on this method click here.
What happens if I do not store my cigars properly?
Failing to store your cigars properly can result in a stale or cracked cigar.

What temperature should my humidor be stored at?

At Frontline Cigars, we recommend storing your cigars in a humidor at 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

What humidity should the inside of my humidor be?

We recommend keeping the humidity be kept between 65-75%, depending on your climate.

What are the best ways to keep your humidity controlled in your humidor?

Boveda packs, Distilled Water, Propylene Glycol solution/beads.

Why Season a Humidor?

At Frontline Cigars, one of the most frequently asked questions we receive is how to season your humidor. Seasoning your humidor is a critical component in keeping the cigars you purchased from fresh. Why do we season our humidor? We season the humidor so that our cigars stay at the correct humidity for us to smoke. The average humidity for a humidor is 65-75%. Anything below or above can damage the cigars. For more information about storing your cigars and the importance of a humidor click here.

How to Season a Humidor

There are two ways to season a humidor:

Wipe down method
Sponge method

Wipe down method is wiping down the inside of the humidor/ all the cedar with distilled water. You can wipe it down with a new sponge or a cloth. Make sure the sponge or cloth isn’t soaked with distilled water. You might want to squeeze the sponge or ring out the cloth so that it’s still damp but won’t soak the wood. You don’t want the wood soaked otherwise it will warp and possibly crack the wood and ruin the humidity. When you wipe down all cedar including trays and spacers you close the humidor for 24 hours and repeat this process one more time. Usually the second time you can place a digital hygrometer inside to make sure the humidity is between 75 and 80%. This way once you place your cigars in the humidor the humidity will drop and you will be set.
Sponge method is soaking a new sponge with distilled water, making sure there is still water on it but not dripping. I usually take a plastic sandwich bag, place it on the bottom of the inside of the humidor and then place the sponge on top of that. Then you want to close the humidor and leave it for 48 hours. This will allow the wood to soak up all the water, this way you don’t have to worry about over wiping if you are new to humidors. About half way through the process place a hygrometer inside. I prefer this method for new smokers who have a humidor for the first time. The wipe down method more for advanced smokers. Once the 48 hours is make sure the humidity is about 75 to 80% then your cigars are ready to go inside.