Is there a remedy for soggy cigars?

Q: I’ve been smoking cigars for a little over a year. I finally decided to take the plunge and buy a humidor. The problem is I can’t seem to get the humidity below 80%, which is causing my cigars to be excessively soggy. I should add that I live in American Samoa where the weather is almost always hot and damp, and I thought a humidor would help protect my cigars from the climate here. I set up the box just as the instructions said, but I’m starting to worry my cigars may become un-smokeable, or worse, moldy. Any advice for this soggy bottom boy?
– Dan Childers in Utulai

A: Although a lot of cigar smokers think that a well-tuned humidor will protect their cigars from the elements, that is not always the case. My advice would be to either remove the humidifier altogether, as you may not even need it where you live. The other solution would be to let the humidifier dry out completely and replace it as-is and let it naturally absorb humidity on its own. Once you’ve got that sussed, move the humidor to the coolest, darkest space in the house. The cooler the temperature, the less chance of mold forming, too.

Finally, in your particular case, the more Spanish cedar you have the more moisture will be absorbed. Next time you buy a box of cigars, keep the cedar sheets and blocks and place them in the humidor. You can even place the sheets in-between the cigar rows like some manufacturers do. The more cedar the better. Between the extra cedar and the dry humidifier, your humidor should attain a much better RH level.