This is one of the first questions a cigar newbie will ask: “What humidor humidity percentage should I store my cigars at?” The answer to this question, like most cigar-related questions, comes down to personal preference. Although most cigar smokers agree on the appropriate range of humidity (60%-75%), every seasoned cigar smoker has their own preferred humidity level that they swear by.
I think it is important to break the question down into two different parts:
If your goal is to store your cigars for a short period of time prior to smoking them, then you should keep your humidity lower than if you are aging them. I have always kept my regular (non-aging) humidor at 63%-67% humidity because I prefer a dryer smoke.
If you are not sure what humidity level you prefer, the best way to find out is to experiment by smoking the same cigar kept at different humidity levels. I did this experiment using the Gurkha Factum Presidente Cigar. I closed three cigars inside three Zip Lock bags with three different levels of Boveda Pack (65%, 69%, and 72%). I left the cigars in their Zip Lock bags for 2 months and then compared them.
72% HumidityThese humidor humidity percentage results just solidified my preference for keeping my smoking humidor at 65% humidity. It seems as though excess moisture ends up expanding when exposed to the heat of the lit cigar and thus splits the wrapper. The 65% cigar did burn quicker than the 69% but the ash was more compact and the burn line more even. The 69% cigar didn’t perform poorly so I would say 65%-70% is the perfect range for storing your ready to smoke cigars.
Cigar Oasis electronic humidifiers, featuring models that can humidify from 75 up to 10,000 cigars, should be on your short list for a hands-free, low maintenance solution to cigar care. With four models, and a complete redesign for 2014, choosing the right one can be a little confusing and overwhelming. The purpose of this guide […]
The post The Ultimate Guide to Cigar Oasis Humidifiers appeared first on CheapHumidors.com Blog.