Hi Bud. Sorry about the late reply. It's an excellent humidor and among our favourites! Paul's been using his for years as it's an absolute machine that keeps on giving. I'd argue that it's one of the best buys when on a budget. Best, CP
I disagree with one and done with the boveda packs, I see why you tell people to do that so they will run out and purchase more but simply submerging them in a bowl of distilled water 2-3 days brings them right back to good as new. Perhaps if you wanted to toss after doing this a few times, great but I’m open to hearing why anyone wouldn’t extend the use out of the packs if this doesn’t change the function..and especially after only one cycle or use.
Reading your text description for the video, under "Method 3 - Boveda Seasoning Packs", I believe you have a misspelling. The sentence says, "Once this time has elapsed, you open it again and discard your seasoning packs. The humidor is not ready for storing cigars!" I assume you meant to say "the humidor is NOW ready...." instead of "not". Cheers! :)
I live in a relatively arid environment (humidity around 10-20% on any given day) at over 10,000 feet (3048 meters) in elevation. I got my humidor, seasoned it, got the humidity to around 73% but holy crap is it hard to maintain that. Recently I smoked a cigar, it burned unevenly and was falling apart after cutting it. I looked at the sensor which read 59%. I'd had a friend over and I've been out for over a week and hadn't been keeping track of the humidity, and well, in Colorado if you slip up, you have to start over. So, I've since then removed the cigars from the humidor, put them in a ziplock bag with some packs, and I'm in the process of seasoning it again. I may need a much more expensive humidor because the one I have is crap, and it's just not working well up here. I'm wondering if anyone else lives in extremely arid or high altitude environments that experience the same drops in humidity, and what is a much less annoying way to handle this. It's almost like I'm babysitting this thing every day which is kind of silly.
Hey there, What humidor are you using? while the environment isn't helping, it definitely sounds like your humidor isn't airtight. We've had great success with the Case Elegance humidors we list here (bespokeunit.com/cigars/humidors/best/) and they're quite affordable, in our opinion. Also, what's the temperature the cigars tend to rest at inside your home? Rafael
@@Bespokeunit This was one of those cheap $30 glass-top humidors from amazon (I like the look of the glass top, and I'm going to end up buying the Case Elegance Renzo that was recommended. I do notice that I have gotten a good seal when opening and closing the humidor, and I've tried looking to see if there are any cracks or leaks in it, but I couldn't find any. Also the weather here in the summer goes from 32 degrees for lows to 78 degrees for highs (0 - 25C) and the humidity stays at around 11-25%. It does get cold for around 6-7 months out of the year, so the furnace is going during some of that time, further drying out the house. I did manage to bring my cigars back to life using humidity packs and a plastic bag, and I'm currently in the process of seasoning this humidor again which will be a temporary storage until the new humidor gets here. So far, it's been sitting for about 15 hours while its seasoning and the humidity level is around 85% atm. The seal seems to be fine for now. I'm almost sure it's the humidor causing me problems, so I'm willing to give this other one a try.
Dear Christian, On the one I had, it was just tacked on with small metal pins. I got a small pocket knife blade behind it and wiggled it free. Cheers - Paul
I understand they say they are one and done, but if you actually take a hard boveda pack and wrap it in a moist to wet paper towel, not dripping, and leave it on a plate overnight, they actually rehydrate and are like new again...they are like 2 bucks, i get it, but if you cant get another one right now, it works
I let them sit in the water for 5 days(as was suggested from a reputable source) and I think this ruined them as they read anywhere from 73-69% instead of the original 65%, even after letting them air out for a couple days. I'll try the "wet paper towel" method next, it sounds more idiot-proof.
Hello friends. After 2 weeks, my 100 count humidor (NO shelves/trays) has reached a 70/70 level. I am using a 320 gram, 84 rh Boveda pack. Is it time for cigars? Or shall I wait another week or so. Thanks
You'd want your RH to be higher than 70 if you're using an 84% pack. Also, you should be seasoning with shelves/trays if they are cedar. I'd suggest putting the trays in and seasoning for another week to see if you can get closer to the pack's 84RH level. Also, have you calibrated your hygrometer? Rafael
New to the cigar world, currently seasoning a brand new Jansfuren Spanish Cedar humidor holding around 40 sticks. I have wiped it down with a very thin coat of distilled water about 4 times in the past 2 days. Is this normal? I wait until humidor hits 60 and then reapply. Currently stable at around 75%, should I open to drop the humidity or wait for a few more days and see?
Hey there, I'd give it a couple of days to see where it settles. After that, if it's still too high, then yes, open it for a couple of hours then close again and monitor. Rafael
Hi GB! I buy my collars and shirts separately! The shirt is from TM Lewin. They are one of the few affordable shirtmakers on Jermyn Street that still sell collarless shirts with buttonholes for the metal fasteners. Meanwhile, I get the said fasteners and the collars from Darcy Clothing. They retail a lot of Victorian and Edwardian garments and sell a wide variety of collar styles. I really like their machine washable collars for regular wear but their formal stiff collars are fantastic. Expect to pay about £25 per shirt, £10-£15 for the collar about £5 for a box of fasteners! Best, CP
If you get the proper stiff collars, bear in mind that they need to be dried cleaned and starched by a specialist. I live in France and have to send them to Barker's LTD in the UK. However, if you're stateside, it might be easier. They'll be good for one or two wears (depending on grime) before they need cleaning. I've tried starching myself and it's very difficult to do. This is why the machine washable ones are so practical!
Loved the video; I have my few cigars sitting in a Tupperware but after making a Black Friday purchase of an 8 pack of cigars, I think I’ll need to size up my container or get an actual humidor. Would you recommend getting a digital hygrometer for a plastic-based container for added accuracy or would that be redundant?
Hey there, It probably won't hurt to buy a digital hygrometer now, as even if you move your cigars into a bigger storage or more sophisticated humidor, you can always keep it in there as a backup or to double check that other (perhaps integrated) hygrometers are working correctly. Rafael
I used solution for now as it came with a starter kit. So I have put this in a bowl into my humidor to season it. Will this still work ? I will then the solution with the humidifier. In future I will get distilled water. Plus my humidor was o my 40quid. But I've only just started this hobby 😊
Hey, im new to cigar smoking. I am currently shopping for my cigar items, such as humidor etc. I was going to season it with the boveda packs, should I wait until I've seasoned it before I buy my cigars? I was originally going to buy it all at once but the seasoning takes about 2 weeks, and I'd want my cigars to stay fresh?
Hi KC, Sorry about the late reply! We must've missed your comment. You can always buy a Boveda humidor bag (amzn.to/2ju76NB) while your humidor is seasoning. The larger models can hold many cigars, which is pretty handy if you don't want to wait during the seasoning process. All the best, CP
Hi Miege, That's right. Just throw out the seasoning kits and add the packs and cigars with your preferred RH. Some people prefer to wait a few days before they add the cigars, though, as the RH can be a little high. However, we've asked people at Boveda who have all said that it isn't a problem.
Xikar offers a different method for humidifying humidors which can also be effective. So, you don't necessarily have to get rid of it, simply become familiar enough with it to be able to use it effectively to season/humidify your humidor.
You can, but it will take a longer time. Also, throughout the seasoning process, you'll want to move the Boveda pack from shelf to shelf (Assuming you have multiple cedar shelves) Rafael
i live in indonesia, mostly this country has about 60-80% humidity, depends it was rain or not, i also bought a cigar and put them in humidor and put electric thermometer, it shows around 70%-75% RH which is good for my cigar in my opinion, also put them in wine cooler around 65 degrees, is it okay ? Any suggest ? Im a cigar rookie btw and still learn for great experience.. thanks
Hey there, Sounds like you're doing everything right! I would make sure that the hygrometer you're using is accurate. Compare it with a second one to see if both read the same RH. Rafael
I’m pretty new to this and have an adorini chianti deluxe 100 count. It’s been seasoning with 84% 320g pack for 7 days and is already up to 79%rh. Should I keep going? That seems quite high.
Hey Lewis, Just as a baseline - has your hygrometer been calibrated? You want to make sure its readings are accurate before trusting them. 80% is a good level for your humidor to sustain before you store your cigars in it. The cigars will ultimately draw out some of this moisture, bringing the RH of the humidor down. Of course you want to monitor the RH during the days/week after you first store them to make sure they're getting to the level you want. Rafael
Hey there Arthur, Generally, one pack per tray is what we recommend but it will depend on the size. Check out these videos to get a better idea: ua-cam.com/video/6I6UhXbNLMw/v-deo.html & ua-cam.com/video/CbSg2-ywL-8/v-deo.html Rafael
Hello guys! I just received a humidor as a gift filled with cigars. I'm pretty new to the whole procedure but I've read about the ideal conditions and for that purpose I've purchased an hygrometer and 72% 60 g boveda packs. I already removed the cigars from the humidor and put them in a zip bag with one boveda pack so I can season the humidor. My question is : I haven't seasoned the humidor yet but the hygrometer shows 75% when its empty. Should I season it anyways? Or is it safe to put the cigars in it since the boveda pack is gonna even it all out?
Aris, We always recommend seasoning a humidor when it's new. Also, make sure to calibrate your hygrometer before "trusting" it: ua-cam.com/video/d5jXXqayEJQ/v-deo.html Rafael
I'm a novice. Did I hear them correctly that after you use the Boveda Seasoning Kit, you maintain the rh by keeping 1 x 60gram Boveda packet for every 25 cigars in the box?
Like Jamie said, that's just about right. However, you should use one pack for every 25 cigars the humidor *can store*! For instance, if it's a 100-count humidor, you should use 4 pâcks even if you only have 50 cigars in it. The seasoning kits should be used in the same way as the regular Boveda packs in that one pack is used per 25-cigar count of the humidor.
Hi there, Yes, that's the amount that I'd recommend and it's the amount that I use at home. Given that this is a video about seasoning, just a reminder that the packs you use shouldn't be the 84% RH packs but the 69 or 72% ones! Best, CP
Glad we could help! I used to do the wipe-down method a lot too. It was a nightmare but since I discovered the Boveda packs, it's become a real game changer! Best, CP
Hello, I purchased a Bally II Glass-Top Humidor 100 count. I started seasoning it two days ago . The humidor is setting at 69% and 72f . My question is should I still wait the two weeks for seasoning or once I hit 72% can I start loading in cigars? That’s for your time.
Just purchased old glory, I'm new to the cigar and humidor life, is the 320 gram mounting plate needed in seasoning the humidor along with the 72% rh boveda packs?
Hey, Great choice for a starter Humidor. You'll want to season the humidor with 4 Boveda 84% (one per 25 count of the humidor, note these can be overused unlike regular Boveda packs). Once the humidor is seasoned I used the 1 x 320g pack in the top and 4 X 60g packs in the bottom using the Boveda wooden trays. In the summer I'm using 65% packs and in winter 72% pages re outside humidity and stabilization. Overall I like to keep it about 67-69% RH, as the cigars in here are for smoking soon. Hope that helps - Paul
What about a travel sized humidor that holds about 5-10 cigars? Which type of boveda do i use to season it? (What % and which gram of boveda pack should i use)
Hi Alvin, Typically, travel humidors don't have a wooden lining so they don't need seasoning. You can just put in a single normal 60g Boveda pack and it should work straightaway. It depends on the quality of the seal but I'd opt for either the 69 or 72% RH.
I'd argue that storing a cigar in a glass box is the purest and also simplest form. I have a cedar humidor myself, but storing cigars in wooden box manipulates the aromas, a little bit like using a tube amplifier for your guitar instead of a transistor one. Edit: about the humidity in the box, it is all like about equilibrium, like air pressure, voltage or even temperature. The wood, the gel caps and the cigars will start working towards having the same humidity, all at the same time, but considering the surface area of the box itself, it will probably dry out the cigars before they all reach the 69% together or whatever will be the final result.
Hey there Erik, I've not found cedar humidors to change the aroma of cigars very much, though I'll admit I'm not as sensitive to such changes. Glass jars or even acrylic humidors are a good solution for storing cigars, but there is something to an old school wooden humidor that simply can't be replaced. So, in my opinion, the only reasonable solution is to have one of each! Most cigar smokers will ultimately need more than one humidors, so I suggest getting one of each and seeing which you enjoy more. Rafael
Good question. Since it's possible to over-humidify with the seasoning kits, I would recommend trying it with 3 packs and then seeing how it goes. It should just about be sufficient.
In one day? Even with distilled water, you should give it 3 at least. Either your humidor is going to dry out relatively soon or you've got some pretty moist cigars on your hands. I don't mean to be preachy but being in a hurry isn't worth putting your cigar investment in peril. Best, CP
Hi Jarrad. We recommend doing it once a year for the first four years. Following that, you only need to do it if you experience any sudden drops in RH. All the best, CP
Not, not really. What humidor device do you use? It could be green dust from those that use foam. Otherwise, it might be mould. What's the relatively humidity in your humidor?
@@Bespokeunit I use a wooden humidor. to add, a very good quality and expensive humidor. I have my humidity at around 70% but I find it difficult to maintain the humidity. I will buy some Boveda but that's a different story. the spots have since become worse. particularly when I wipe my humidor walls with a sponge to humidify it with propylene glycol solution.
@@charlesandrieux6951 Hi its Paul here jumping in for CP as he's on annual leave. It sounds like you may have some bigger issues at hand. I would slow down the process. Maybe the wood has been over saturated and got some mold. The best thing to do it take your time, and maybe even leave the lid open for a few days (with no cigars in it) so the wood can dry and start again.... All the best - Paul
@@Bespokeunit thanks paul i finally went to the shop where I bought it. They are giving me a new one. It turned out it was humidified in storage and when I bought it, I humidified it not knowing it was accidentally humidified thus ruining the wood. Thanks for your advice though! From now on, I’m not touching the walls. Only boveda!
Hi Billy! Indeed, it's one of our favourite humidors or all time. Very reliable and looks great. You'll find it featured here as one of our top wooden humidors: bespokeunit.com/cigars/humidors/wooden/#best The article has some easy-to-find links for where to buy it! Best, CP
Dear Thomas, Yes indeed it does need to have an outside humidification source. I personally use Boveda, as it is a 2-way humidification source, giving off humidity if too low, and taking it back in if too high. Most other gels, and other such methods only typically give off humidity. For example I'm in Philadelphia right now and humidity is high, so I actually dropped my RH packs to 65% , but I have gone to 72% packs in the winter. Best thing to do is get yourself a good hygrometer, calibrate it (and re-calibrate every six months or so) and work around your needs from there with the quality of your humidor and outside RH impacts. Hope that helps - Paul
Hi David, Yeah, we find that they have a tendency to leak as the glass isn't properly sealed in place. There are exceptions but they tend to be premium creations. However, affordable ones will usually have this issue.
@@DAVIZZY69 Can you tell us a bit more about it? Otherwise, have you seen our guide to acrylic humidors if you're looking for something transparent? bespokeunit.com/cigars/humidors/acrylic/
Hi Leon, Whenever you use a humidor, it'll need a humidifier to maintain the desired level of moisture. However, to get there in the first place, it's strongly recommended to season it first. If you just throw in a humidifier, it won't be powerful enough to diffuse enough moisture to be absorbed by the humidor's walls. Best, CP
In the video, Paul & CP were demonstrating so they did not fill the dish with distilled water. However, in practice, the dish you place inside the humidor would also have distilled water in it. Rafael
Hey Gerald, thank you for your comment. It depends on a few main factors: 1 - Size of your humidor 2 - If it's new or already been seasoned 3 - Depending on the quality of the humidor the outside atmospheric RH and temp If you can give a little more detail I'll be able to help. But with all hat being said does not seem too crazy, usually it's a two week process with one 60g pack per 25 count of capacity. The 320 gram pack has less surface area per gram of solution so can sometimes take longer compared to the smaller packs distributed across the humidor. Cheers - Paul
You certainly want to be careful when using the "wiping" method, but before the convenient humidity packs of today existed, this is how humidors were humidified. Rafael
@@willhoward9865 I apologize; I seem to have missed your reply. Here are some of our favorite humidors if that's what you're looking for (bespokeunit.com/cigars/humidors/best/).
Hi Gil, I also generally swear by 69% but Paul will sometimes use 65% for his Cubans. Meanwhile, we'll turn to 72% for humidors that we know have weak seals. I presume that everyone has their preferred humidities but there are certain RH levels that are generally perceived as suitable for certain conditions. Best, CP
@@Bespokeunit Thank you for the response and informative video! Two questions, 1. Can I use a Bovida pack in a factory box of Cigars for a month or so until I get my Humidor? and 2.Can I store different flavor Cigars in the same Humidor without them tainting the flavor of each other?
Happy to help! I wouldn't recommend putting a pack in the box as it's impossible to tell if there's a seal or not with boxes. In fact, most are designed to allow for moisture exchange so they can be stored in cabinets and walk-in humidors. There are some airtight boxes out there but it's rare. I'd instead recommend that you use a large Boveda humidity bag (amzn.to/2CQfl28). A large one is around $15 and you should be able to squeeze two boxes in there. It comes with a humidity pack so just be sure to have at least one for every 25 cigars in there. There's are way better than regular zip-lock bags as they are barrier laminated plastic with a strong enclosure. As for mixing cigars, I would say that this only becomes an issue of ageing the sticks over several years. If it's just a question of a Maduro and a Connecticut touching each other for a few months, I doubt that you'd experience any noticeable changes in flavour. Best, CP
@@Bespokeunit Yea I had some Corona Wild Cherry and some Corona Vanilla Cigars that I wasn't sure if safe to mix and Thank you this was very helpful! You guys make getting into Cigars not so intimidating! That Old glory humidor looks bossed up! btw Definitely a sharp design
Sure, you totally can! But we prefer the Boveda pack method. Less mess, less effort. The only flip side is that it needs more time but the result is much more thorough.
14:52.... don't let that man near my humidor if he's using a hydrometer !! That won't do you much good. I'm pretty sure he said hydrometer, not hygrometer.
I have a whynter mini fridge, humidor. Solid cedar shelving. Smells great. Keeps cigars perfect
Looking at this Old Glory humidor. Nine months since this review, how did this humidor do holding/sealing?
Hi Bud. Sorry about the late reply. It's an excellent humidor and among our favourites! Paul's been using his for years as it's an absolute machine that keeps on giving. I'd argue that it's one of the best buys when on a budget.
Best,
CP
I disagree with one and done with the boveda packs, I see why you tell people to do that so they will run out and purchase more but simply submerging them in a bowl of distilled water 2-3 days brings them right back to good as new. Perhaps if you wanted to toss after doing this a few times, great but I’m open to hearing why anyone wouldn’t extend the use out of the packs if this doesn’t change the function..and especially after only one cycle or use.
Reading your text description for the video, under "Method 3 - Boveda Seasoning Packs", I believe you have a misspelling. The sentence says, "Once this time has elapsed, you open it again and discard your seasoning packs. The humidor is not ready for storing cigars!"
I assume you meant to say "the humidor is NOW ready...." instead of "not". Cheers! :)
Thanks for that!
I plan on buying a small humidor for about 20 to 30 cigars. How many of these boveda packs should I use to season it?
One 84%RH pack should be enough for that capacity.
Rafael
@@Bespokeunit thank you
I live in a relatively arid environment (humidity around 10-20% on any given day) at over 10,000 feet (3048 meters) in elevation. I got my humidor, seasoned it, got the humidity to around 73% but holy crap is it hard to maintain that. Recently I smoked a cigar, it burned unevenly and was falling apart after cutting it. I looked at the sensor which read 59%. I'd had a friend over and I've been out for over a week and hadn't been keeping track of the humidity, and well, in Colorado if you slip up, you have to start over. So, I've since then removed the cigars from the humidor, put them in a ziplock bag with some packs, and I'm in the process of seasoning it again.
I may need a much more expensive humidor because the one I have is crap, and it's just not working well up here. I'm wondering if anyone else lives in extremely arid or high altitude environments that experience the same drops in humidity, and what is a much less annoying way to handle this. It's almost like I'm babysitting this thing every day which is kind of silly.
Hey there,
What humidor are you using? while the environment isn't helping, it definitely sounds like your humidor isn't airtight.
We've had great success with the Case Elegance humidors we list here (bespokeunit.com/cigars/humidors/best/) and they're quite affordable, in our opinion.
Also, what's the temperature the cigars tend to rest at inside your home?
Rafael
@@Bespokeunit This was one of those cheap $30 glass-top humidors from amazon (I like the look of the glass top, and I'm going to end up buying the Case Elegance Renzo that was recommended. I do notice that I have gotten a good seal when opening and closing the humidor, and I've tried looking to see if there are any cracks or leaks in it, but I couldn't find any.
Also the weather here in the summer goes from 32 degrees for lows to 78 degrees for highs (0 - 25C) and the humidity stays at around 11-25%. It does get cold for around 6-7 months out of the year, so the furnace is going during some of that time, further drying out the house. I did manage to bring my cigars back to life using humidity packs and a plastic bag, and I'm currently in the process of seasoning this humidor again which will be a temporary storage until the new humidor gets here.
So far, it's been sitting for about 15 hours while its seasoning and the humidity level is around 85% atm. The seal seems to be fine for now. I'm almost sure it's the humidor causing me problems, so I'm willing to give this other one a try.
How did you "shave off" the built in humidifier and hygrometer that comes with that humidor? Is it easy to remove?
Dear Christian,
On the one I had, it was just tacked on with small metal pins.
I got a small pocket knife blade behind it and wiggled it free.
Cheers - Paul
@@Bespokeunit Thank you Paul.
I understand they say they are one and done, but if you actually take a hard boveda pack and wrap it in a moist to wet paper towel, not dripping, and leave it on a plate overnight, they actually rehydrate and are like new again...they are like 2 bucks, i get it, but if you cant get another one right now, it works
I simply submerge mine in a bowl of distilled water usually 2-3 days before they revive fully.. they are not 1 and done I agree.
I let them sit in the water for 5 days(as was suggested from a reputable source) and I think this ruined them as they read anywhere from 73-69% instead of the original 65%, even after letting them air out for a couple days. I'll try the "wet paper towel" method next, it sounds more idiot-proof.
Hello friends. After 2 weeks, my 100 count humidor (NO shelves/trays) has reached a 70/70 level. I am using a 320 gram, 84 rh Boveda pack. Is it time for cigars? Or shall I wait another week or so. Thanks
You'd want your RH to be higher than 70 if you're using an 84% pack. Also, you should be seasoning with shelves/trays if they are cedar. I'd suggest putting the trays in and seasoning for another week to see if you can get closer to the pack's 84RH level. Also, have you calibrated your hygrometer?
Rafael
New to the cigar world, currently seasoning a brand new Jansfuren Spanish Cedar humidor holding around 40 sticks. I have wiped it down with a very thin coat of distilled water about 4 times in the past 2 days. Is this normal? I wait until humidor hits 60 and then reapply. Currently stable at around 75%, should I open to drop the humidity or wait for a few more days and see?
Hey there,
I'd give it a couple of days to see where it settles. After that, if it's still too high, then yes, open it for a couple of hours then close again and monitor.
Rafael
I have a 40 count wooden humidor, I have used two 84% Boveda packs to season, it’s four days into seasoning. Should i leave them in the full 14 days?
I'd give the humidor at least 7 days, then monitor the RH for a couple of days to see if it may need more time with the 84% packs.
Rafael
Where did this guy on the left got his blouse from, looks extremely 20s absolutely love it
Hi GB! I buy my collars and shirts separately! The shirt is from TM Lewin. They are one of the few affordable shirtmakers on Jermyn Street that still sell collarless shirts with buttonholes for the metal fasteners. Meanwhile, I get the said fasteners and the collars from Darcy Clothing. They retail a lot of Victorian and Edwardian garments and sell a wide variety of collar styles. I really like their machine washable collars for regular wear but their formal stiff collars are fantastic. Expect to pay about £25 per shirt, £10-£15 for the collar about £5 for a box of fasteners!
Best,
CP
If you get the proper stiff collars, bear in mind that they need to be dried cleaned and starched by a specialist. I live in France and have to send them to Barker's LTD in the UK. However, if you're stateside, it might be easier. They'll be good for one or two wears (depending on grime) before they need cleaning. I've tried starching myself and it's very difficult to do. This is why the machine washable ones are so practical!
@@Bespokeunit thank you for your reply! I will look further into it
Loved the video; I have my few cigars sitting in a Tupperware but after making a Black Friday purchase of an 8 pack of cigars, I think I’ll need to size up my container or get an actual humidor. Would you recommend getting a digital hygrometer for a plastic-based container for added accuracy or would that be redundant?
Hey there,
It probably won't hurt to buy a digital hygrometer now, as even if you move your cigars into a bigger storage or more sophisticated humidor, you can always keep it in there as a backup or to double check that other (perhaps integrated) hygrometers are working correctly.
Rafael
With the boveda packs how many days should you leave it to season?
Check out this brief video we made addressing just this question: ua-cam.com/video/CbSg2-ywL-8/v-deo.html
Rafael
I used solution for now as it came with a starter kit. So I have put this in a bowl into my humidor to season it. Will this still work ? I will then the solution with the humidifier. In future I will get distilled water. Plus my humidor was o my 40quid. But I've only just started this hobby 😊
Hey, im new to cigar smoking. I am currently shopping for my cigar items, such as humidor etc. I was going to season it with the boveda packs, should I wait until I've seasoned it before I buy my cigars? I was originally going to buy it all at once but the seasoning takes about 2 weeks, and I'd want my cigars to stay fresh?
Hi KC,
Sorry about the late reply! We must've missed your comment. You can always buy a Boveda humidor bag (amzn.to/2ju76NB) while your humidor is seasoning. The larger models can hold many cigars, which is pretty handy if you don't want to wait during the seasoning process.
All the best,
CP
nice vid mates. Very informative
Thanks 👍
Just to confirm, after 2 weeks your cigars go right in along with your preferred RH level pack the same day???
Hi Miege,
That's right. Just throw out the seasoning kits and add the packs and cigars with your preferred RH. Some people prefer to wait a few days before they add the cigars, though, as the RH can be a little high. However, we've asked people at Boveda who have all said that it isn't a problem.
84% Boveda is the way to go for seasoning
I used xikar in my humidor. So I’m guessing I need to get rid of it?
Xikar offers a different method for humidifying humidors which can also be effective. So, you don't necessarily have to get rid of it, simply become familiar enough with it to be able to use it effectively to season/humidify your humidor.
Can I use 1 (320 gram) Boveda, instead of 4 (60 gram) to season my 100 count humidor?
You can, but it will take a longer time. Also, throughout the seasoning process, you'll want to move the Boveda pack from shelf to shelf (Assuming you have multiple cedar shelves)
Rafael
Perhaps I should remove the pack from it's card board prison. Or will that be too much?
@@ironchin79oiThat's not really necessary. Just move it around the humidor (again, assuming it has multiple shelves) every couple of days.
i live in indonesia, mostly this country has about 60-80% humidity, depends it was rain or not, i also bought a cigar and put them in humidor and put electric thermometer, it shows around 70%-75% RH which is good for my cigar in my opinion, also put them in wine cooler around 65 degrees, is it okay ? Any suggest ? Im a cigar rookie btw and still learn for great experience.. thanks
Hey there,
Sounds like you're doing everything right! I would make sure that the hygrometer you're using is accurate. Compare it with a second one to see if both read the same RH.
Rafael
I’m pretty new to this and have an adorini chianti deluxe 100 count. It’s been seasoning with 84% 320g pack for 7 days and is already up to 79%rh. Should I keep going? That seems quite high.
Hey Lewis,
Just as a baseline - has your hygrometer been calibrated? You want to make sure its readings are accurate before trusting them. 80% is a good level for your humidor to sustain before you store your cigars in it. The cigars will ultimately draw out some of this moisture, bringing the RH of the humidor down. Of course you want to monitor the RH during the days/week after you first store them to make sure they're getting to the level you want.
Rafael
American flag design on box? Some damn fine Yankees if ya ask me, love the love!
It's a great humidor and performs well. There are other designs too but Paul opted for the flag of his adopted home country.
Best,
CP
the start of seasoning Go TO 6:00
I’m going to season a cooler, where the only wood is the drawer and trays…how do I calculate how many Boveda packs to use?
Hey there Arthur,
Generally, one pack per tray is what we recommend but it will depend on the size. Check out these videos to get a better idea: ua-cam.com/video/6I6UhXbNLMw/v-deo.html & ua-cam.com/video/CbSg2-ywL-8/v-deo.html
Rafael
Hello guys! I just received a humidor as a gift filled with cigars. I'm pretty new to the whole procedure but I've read about the ideal conditions and for that purpose I've purchased an hygrometer and 72% 60 g boveda packs. I already removed the cigars from the humidor and put them in a zip bag with one boveda pack so I can season the humidor. My question is : I haven't seasoned the humidor yet but the hygrometer shows 75% when its empty. Should I season it anyways? Or is it safe to put the cigars in it since the boveda pack is gonna even it all out?
Aris,
We always recommend seasoning a humidor when it's new. Also, make sure to calibrate your hygrometer before "trusting" it: ua-cam.com/video/d5jXXqayEJQ/v-deo.html
Rafael
I'm a novice. Did I hear them correctly that after you use the Boveda Seasoning Kit, you maintain the rh by keeping 1 x 60gram Boveda packet for every 25 cigars in the box?
Yes. Use the 2-way size 60 packs after seasoning. bovedainc.com/store/tobacco/boveda-60g/?sg=1
Like Jamie said, that's just about right. However, you should use one pack for every 25 cigars the humidor *can store*! For instance, if it's a 100-count humidor, you should use 4 pâcks even if you only have 50 cigars in it. The seasoning kits should be used in the same way as the regular Boveda packs in that one pack is used per 25-cigar count of the humidor.
When reintroducing your cigars do you still need 4 packs per 25 cigar space to maintain the correct humidity or will 1 work?
Hi there,
Yes, that's the amount that I'd recommend and it's the amount that I use at home. Given that this is a video about seasoning, just a reminder that the packs you use shouldn't be the 84% RH packs but the 69 or 72% ones!
Best,
CP
Ok thank you, before watching this video in was about to make the mistake of wiping my box down but I'm glad you guys could put me on the right path.
Glad we could help! I used to do the wipe-down method a lot too. It was a nightmare but since I discovered the Boveda packs, it's become a real game changer!
Best,
CP
Hello, I purchased a Bally II Glass-Top Humidor 100 count. I started seasoning it two days ago . The humidor is setting at 69% and 72f . My question is should I still wait the two weeks for seasoning or once I hit 72% can I start loading in cigars? That’s for your time.
Good question, get any answers? I;m in the same situation
If using boveda wait the full 2 weeks
Just purchased old glory, I'm new to the cigar and humidor life, is the 320 gram mounting plate needed in seasoning the humidor along with the 72% rh boveda packs?
Hey,
Great choice for a starter Humidor. You'll want to season the humidor with 4 Boveda 84% (one per 25 count of the humidor, note these can be overused unlike regular Boveda packs).
Once the humidor is seasoned I used the 1 x 320g pack in the top and 4 X 60g packs in the bottom using the Boveda wooden trays. In the summer I'm using 65% packs and in winter 72% pages re outside humidity and stabilization. Overall I like to keep it about 67-69% RH, as the cigars in here are for smoking soon.
Hope that helps - Paul
@@Bespokeunit appreciate the help sir!!! I shall keep you updated on my journey with old glory!! Keep up the great content!!
No problems, and thanks for the kind words!
All the best - Paul
What about a travel sized humidor that holds about 5-10 cigars? Which type of boveda do i use to season it? (What % and which gram of boveda pack should i use)
Hi Alvin,
Typically, travel humidors don't have a wooden lining so they don't need seasoning. You can just put in a single normal 60g Boveda pack and it should work straightaway. It depends on the quality of the seal but I'd opt for either the 69 or 72% RH.
Another Great Vidio... Thanks.
Thank you for the support!
I'd argue that storing a cigar in a glass box is the purest and also simplest form. I have a cedar humidor myself, but storing cigars in wooden box manipulates the aromas, a little bit like using a tube amplifier for your guitar instead of a transistor one.
Edit: about the humidity in the box, it is all like about equilibrium, like air pressure, voltage or even temperature. The wood, the gel caps and the cigars will start working towards having the same humidity, all at the same time, but considering the surface area of the box itself, it will probably dry out the cigars before they all reach the 69% together or whatever will be the final result.
Hey there Erik,
I've not found cedar humidors to change the aroma of cigars very much, though I'll admit I'm not as sensitive to such changes. Glass jars or even acrylic humidors are a good solution for storing cigars, but there is something to an old school wooden humidor that simply can't be replaced.
So, in my opinion, the only reasonable solution is to have one of each! Most cigar smokers will ultimately need more than one humidors, so I suggest getting one of each and seeing which you enjoy more.
Rafael
what if you have a 90 count humidor, do you use 3 boveda packs or 4 boveda packs?
Good question. Since it's possible to over-humidify with the seasoning kits, I would recommend trying it with 3 packs and then seeing how it goes. It should just about be sufficient.
Distilled water and one day was all it took to complete my frash tight secured 50count humidor. smoke right last longer at a temp of 70 degrees .
In one day? Even with distilled water, you should give it 3 at least. Either your humidor is going to dry out relatively soon or you've got some pretty moist cigars on your hands. I don't mean to be preachy but being in a hurry isn't worth putting your cigar investment in peril.
Best,
CP
How often do you reseason the humidor?
Hi Jarrad. We recommend doing it once a year for the first four years. Following that, you only need to do it if you experience any sudden drops in RH.
All the best,
CP
I have green spots on my humidor walls, it’s only been one day and they’ve come just after I sponged the walls. Is this normal?
Not, not really. What humidor device do you use? It could be green dust from those that use foam. Otherwise, it might be mould. What's the relatively humidity in your humidor?
@@Bespokeunit I use a wooden humidor. to add, a very good quality and expensive humidor. I have my humidity at around 70% but I find it difficult to maintain the humidity. I will buy some Boveda but that's a different story. the spots have since become worse. particularly when I wipe my humidor walls with a sponge to humidify it with propylene glycol solution.
@@charlesandrieux6951 Hi its Paul here jumping in for CP as he's on annual leave. It sounds like you may have some bigger issues at hand. I would slow down the process. Maybe the wood has been over saturated and got some mold. The best thing to do it take your time, and maybe even leave the lid open for a few days (with no cigars in it) so the wood can dry and start again.... All the best - Paul
@@Bespokeunit thanks paul i finally went to the shop where I bought it. They are giving me a new one. It turned out it was humidified in storage and when I bought it, I humidified it not knowing it was accidentally humidified thus ruining the wood. Thanks for your advice though! From now on, I’m not touching the walls. Only boveda!
@@charlesandrieux6951 great news and happy you got a great resolution. All the best and a happy New Year - Paul
Where did you get that humid or the American flag I'm want one thanks Billy from Boston
Hi Billy!
Indeed, it's one of our favourite humidors or all time. Very reliable and looks great.
You'll find it featured here as one of our top wooden humidors: bespokeunit.com/cigars/humidors/wooden/#best
The article has some easy-to-find links for where to buy it!
Best,
CP
william obrien Amazon
Once a humidor is properly seasoned does it still need a humidifier of some kind inside? For example a Boveda 69 pack.
Dear Thomas,
Yes indeed it does need to have an outside humidification source.
I personally use Boveda, as it is a 2-way humidification source, giving off humidity if too low, and taking it back in if too high. Most other gels, and other such methods only typically give off humidity.
For example I'm in Philadelphia right now and humidity is high, so I actually dropped my RH packs to 65% , but I have gone to 72% packs in the winter. Best thing to do is get yourself a good hygrometer, calibrate it (and re-calibrate every six months or so) and work around your needs from there with the quality of your humidor and outside RH impacts.
Hope that helps - Paul
Glass top humidors are no good? Looking to buy my first humidor.
Hi David,
Yeah, we find that they have a tendency to leak as the glass isn't properly sealed in place. There are exceptions but they tend to be premium creations. However, affordable ones will usually have this issue.
@@Bespokeunit that sucks because they look so good. I was going to get a 4 sided glass one was only $116 but now im scared.
@@DAVIZZY69 Can you tell us a bit more about it? Otherwise, have you seen our guide to acrylic humidors if you're looking for something transparent?
bespokeunit.com/cigars/humidors/acrylic/
If you have a humidifier that goes into the humidor do you need to do 1 of the 3 seasoning methods or just use the humidifier?
Hi Leon,
Whenever you use a humidor, it'll need a humidifier to maintain the desired level of moisture. However, to get there in the first place, it's strongly recommended to season it first. If you just throw in a humidifier, it won't be powerful enough to diffuse enough moisture to be absorbed by the humidor's walls.
Best,
CP
What's the purpose of placing an empty plastic tray in the humidor after wiping the wood down with distilled water!
In the video, Paul & CP were demonstrating so they did not fill the dish with distilled water. However, in practice, the dish you place inside the humidor would also have distilled water in it.
Rafael
It took a week to get the 70/70 sweet spot with the 320g 84% Boveda Pack. Is this a normal time frame for seasoning?
Hey Gerald, thank you for your comment.
It depends on a few main factors:
1 - Size of your humidor
2 - If it's new or already been seasoned
3 - Depending on the quality of the humidor the outside atmospheric RH and temp
If you can give a little more detail I'll be able to help.
But with all hat being said does not seem too crazy, usually it's a two week process with one 60g pack per 25 count of capacity. The 320 gram pack has less surface area per gram of solution so can sometimes take longer compared to the smaller packs distributed across the humidor.
Cheers - Paul
You absolutely 100% can recharge the Boveda packs.
Every other video I’ve seen on this says to NOT wipe your cedar with water. It makes it swell and/or warp.
You certainly want to be careful when using the "wiping" method, but before the convenient humidity packs of today existed, this is how humidors were humidified.
Rafael
@@Bespokeunit I watched your video… there’s that.
I bought a sampler pack and looking for a starter humidor. Prefer wood.
@@willhoward9865 I apologize; I seem to have missed your reply. Here are some of our favorite humidors if that's what you're looking for (bespokeunit.com/cigars/humidors/best/).
Everyone's percentage must be so different cause a lot of guys I see swear by 69% Bovida pack for Cigars..Must be based on personal preference
Hi Gil,
I also generally swear by 69% but Paul will sometimes use 65% for his Cubans. Meanwhile, we'll turn to 72% for humidors that we know have weak seals.
I presume that everyone has their preferred humidities but there are certain RH levels that are generally perceived as suitable for certain conditions.
Best,
CP
@@Bespokeunit Thank you for the response and informative video! Two questions, 1. Can I use a Bovida pack in a factory box of Cigars for a month or so until I get my Humidor? and 2.Can I store different flavor Cigars in the same Humidor without them tainting the flavor of each other?
Happy to help! I wouldn't recommend putting a pack in the box as it's impossible to tell if there's a seal or not with boxes. In fact, most are designed to allow for moisture exchange so they can be stored in cabinets and walk-in humidors. There are some airtight boxes out there but it's rare.
I'd instead recommend that you use a large Boveda humidity bag (amzn.to/2CQfl28). A large one is around $15 and you should be able to squeeze two boxes in there. It comes with a humidity pack so just be sure to have at least one for every 25 cigars in there. There's are way better than regular zip-lock bags as they are barrier laminated plastic with a strong enclosure.
As for mixing cigars, I would say that this only becomes an issue of ageing the sticks over several years. If it's just a question of a Maduro and a Connecticut touching each other for a few months, I doubt that you'd experience any noticeable changes in flavour.
Best,
CP
@@Bespokeunit Yea I had some Corona Wild Cherry and some Corona Vanilla Cigars that I wasn't sure if safe to mix and Thank you this was very helpful! You guys make getting into Cigars not so intimidating! That Old glory humidor looks bossed up! btw Definitely a sharp design
I get it now. shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I'm in.
I just put a shot glass of distilled water in and leave it until the humidor reaches my desired rh
I suppose this works but it's not very precise; it can also lead to disaster.
Rafael
So you can use distilled water that you can make yourself
Sure, you totally can! But we prefer the Boveda pack method. Less mess, less effort. The only flip side is that it needs more time but the result is much more thorough.
14:52.... don't let that man near my humidor if he's using a hydrometer !! That won't do you much good. I'm pretty sure he said hydrometer, not hygrometer.
I'm not sure what I said, but either way, I'm pretty sure I meant "hygrometer"!
Best,
CP
It's just the British accent
Why aren’t you smoking up while shooting this vid
Very good point!
Whats with those fake accents?
What makes you so sure that they're fake?
@@Bespokeunit Quit stroppin. im just muckin about, mate. Just muckin about.
@@sovereigncigarco.7750 alright, fam.