Imagine a world where you don’t have to worry about your cigar humidification. It’s something all smokers have likely wished at one point.
And while some of us may revel in the tinkering of our cigar collections, it’s safe to say that most of us have found maintaining humidity to be frustrating at one point or another. Part of that frustration is an endless sea of conflicting advice. We’re here to set the record straight.
You can’t maintain your humidor properly without knowing where to set it.
There’s a school of thought called the ‘70/70 rule.’ It means that proper relative humidity (RH) and temperature for your cigars should be kept at 70% and 70-degrees F. Under the rule’s guidance, your cigars will fare quite well. But unless their humidors are kept in climate-controlled rooms, most cigar smokers know the reality; in the winter it’s too cold…in the summer it’s too hot – you get the idea.
These days, the 70/70 rule is largely considered obsolete. Sure, your cigars will be fine if you keep your humidor set as such, but you may not get the most out of them (and can even experience burn issues). The Cuban Revolution and the cigar boom changed everything. We’re even feeling the ripples to this day. Our understanding of cigars and how to grow their tobaccos has expanded. Cigar countries of origin have shifted. And with these changes comes a new pool of wisdom to draw from. Here are preferred RH levels from us here at Cigar Advisor, along with numbers from some of the most respected names in the cigar biz.
Jim Charnley, Purchasing Director of Famous Smoke Shop: 65%. 69% in the winter.
John Pullo, Cigar Advisor Managing Editor: 66-67%.
Gary Korb, Cigar Advisor Executive Editor: 66-68%.
Paul Lukens, Cigar Advisor Copywriter: 66-68%.
Jared Gulick, Cigar Advisor Copywriter: 65%.
Not a math nerd? Not a problem. Those numbers average out to about 67%. Which checks out, because based on my own experience, as well as the trusted words of other colleagues and long-time cigar smokers, keeping your cigars at temperatures around 65° and RH around 67% is a good starting point.
I recently heard an interesting tidbit about the Davidoff cigar store in London. They apparently keep their walk-in humidor for vintage cigars so cold that you practically need a winter coat. But you can bet that the humidity in that humidor is perfectly balanced to ensure those rare primos don’t lose their finer qualities.
A little cold isn’t gonna stop me!
The right humidity and temperature will help a cigar burn better.
Note that the higher the relative humidity, the softer your cigars will be, which can cause the burn problems I mentioned earlier. When the RH is lower, your cigars will feel a bit firmer. But if the RH and temperature are too low, your cigars will eventually lose their moisture and turn into kindling. It’s also interesting to note that many cigar smokers who have cigars with thick wrappers, like Maduros for instance, say that they fare better at a lower RH, closer to around 65%. This is most likely due to the higher amounts of oil in the wrapper leaf.
As cited above with the London cigar store, there must also be a balance between the temperature and humidity.
Temperature affects humidity and humidity affects temperature.
Here’s something that may help prove the point. John has a 20-cigar humidor on his office desk. During the summer, the average temperature inside is a constant 75 degrees. Going “by the 70/70 book,” that would appear to be a little high. With a standard small round humidifier, the humidity gets up to around 68%. The result is cigars that border on squishy and burn like shit. After removing the humidifier, the RH went down to about 62%. That would appear frighteningly low to a lot of cigar smokers, yet the cigars burned well and tasted great. And as we all know, wetter cigars are always hard to keep lit.
Stepping down a bit from 70% RH may help you prevent burning issues like this.
When the RH dipped to 60% and he felt a little paranoid, he put a small Boveda 75% packet in the box to give the RH a boost. (Not one of their regular sized packets. The small ones that many tobacconists will complementarily toss in the bag along with your cigar purchase.) Within two days, the RH was up to 68% and cigars were all soft again. A lower humidity – even on a smaller scale – was needed.
The moral of this story is that a lower RH in the summer months can help keep your cigars balanced when the ambient temperatures (and humidity in some areas ) climb unavoidably higher.
Getting the right temperature in your humidor requires a little experimentation.
The basic rule for higher and lower than average temperatures is, high temp/lower RH; low temp/higher RH. As for me, I try to keep the temp/humidity balanced at about 70 degrees/65% RH average year-round. Eventually, you’ll find the right mix for your humidor. Not to mention…humidors vary too, based on the size of the box, types of cigar humidifiers you use, etc. The key is to find the comfort zone that works best for your stash.
Try the 135 rule.
The 135 rule is an improvement of the 70/70 rule that accounts for smokers’ varied humidity preferences. Instead of relegating you to a set temperature and humidity, you can adjust your humidity (between 63-72%) and match the temperature to a number that will come close to totaling 135.
Say you want your cigars kept at 65% RH. If you keep the temperature at 70 degrees, the numbers added together equal 135. If you want to keep them at a higher RH like 70, lower the temperature to 65 degrees instead and you’ll likely have a better outcome.
Just keep in mind, the conventional wisdom of keeping cigars between 63-72% RH still applies, especially because raising your cigars’ temperature too far above the 70-degree mark (as high as 74° can be problematic), and runs a high risk of tobacco beetles.
One last thing…
Remember that like cigar flavors, RH is at least somewhat subjective. Just look at all the different humidity preferences we gave above. We don’t even all agree.
And for that matter, you’re probably not going to turn down your heat or AC and sacrifice your comfort for a slightly more suitable smoke. These rules – like most cigar rules, are merely guidelines that can be broken (within reason). Just do your best and you’ll probably be fine.
Here are a few cigar humidification accessories to help you keep your stash fresh…
Madelaine Hygrometer
You can’t control humidity if you don’t know the conditions inside your humidor. This no-nonsense hygrometer from Madelaine is cost efficient, superbly accurate, and never needs batteries. Can’t get much better than that!
Boveda Humidity Packs
Just set it and forget it. I prefer the 65% Boveda packs myself, but you can find lots of options to suit your preference between 69-72% RH. Lasts a few months to a year and beyond depending on conditions. If you’re lazy like me, you’ll love ‘em.
Famous Humidor Solution
Still have an old puck-style humidifier? Famous Humidor Solution will help you supercharge it with a combination of propylene glycol and distilled water. Together, they help your humidor regulate itself with minimal upkeep and at a minimal price.
Standard Round Humidifier
Sometimes you just want the good old-fashioned humidity only water can provide. For under $5, this round humidifier gets the job done. Pair it with the Famous Humidor Solution above, or use it straight (distilled water only) and it’ll quench up to 50 of your favorite sticks.
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Mike D.
13 years ago
This is a very accurate description of how RH and temp affects your stogies. I too have gone thru this exercise and found that a little less humity works wonders for the burn and firmness (my stogies and I live in South Florida). I keep the house at 77 degrees and the RH at 65%. Perfect for me. Give it a try and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Oh – and please give those new arrivals a few weeks in the humi before lighting up. Really improves the overall experience.
Mike D.
13 years ago
This is a very accurate description of how RH and temp affects your stogies. I too have gone thru this exercise and found that a little less humity works wonders for the burn and firmness (my stogies and I live in South Florida). I keep the house at 77 degrees and the RH at 65%. Perfect for me. Give it a try and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Oh – and please give those new arrivals a few weeks in the humi before lighting up. Really improves the overall experience.
Mike, That’s very helpful, I live in south Florida as well and have been driving myself crazy with temp and humidity. Thanks for your reply. I needed some insight on that.
Better get yourself a humidor with a cooler. 77 is really close to hatching temperature of cigar Beatles. Once you have those they will destroy your entire collection. I had that happen to 300k of cigars and have now invested in a cooling unit and in a few places the humidor is simply inside the wine cellar.
There are great option commercially available. In the it all depends a little on the seize of your collection and your risk adversity; if you only store a few hundred cigars your risk is low. If you store a few thousand expensive cigars… get yourself a cooler. They are totally cool as well, LOL.
Thanks Mike…Live in So Fl as well and just got a new temp controlled humidor. Trying to get the balance right but found that 62-65 boveda’s give me the best results. The response about the temp is quite interesting as I’ve had beetles ruin many cigars as well. Thanks for taking the time to write this
Mister Moo
12 years ago
70/70 is bad, old advice. 70% is near to soggy, sour stogies and 70* is near to mold and beetles. Never knew why anyone who smoked cigars thought this was a good range. It’s too wet and too warm.
Mister Moo
12 years ago
70/70 is bad, old advice. 70% is near to soggy, sour stogies and 70* is near to mold and beetles. Never knew why anyone who smoked cigars thought this was a good range. It’s too wet and too warm.
Stogie Bryan
12 years ago
I have been smoking cigars for years and smoked everthing from $150 FFOXs to machine made (disgusting) White Owl cigars and everything in between. I agree, 70% humidity is WAY too wet. I always had issues with draw and burn when I tried to keep the golden 70/70 rule. Maybe that is great for a warehouse storing pallets of cigars, but for a good smoking cigar right out of my humidor, I like about 65%. I have also noticed different cigars favor different humidities. EMS tend to like it a little damper, while some of my double maduros don’t mind it a little dry. Nothing better to me than a Punch Rothschild MM or an Ashton VSG at about 65% humidity. I have a particular “bundled” cigar that I like time to time, and when I order them and drop them into my humidor, the RH spikes for nearly a month. They are wet and unsmokable and make my other stogies too wet. I got a second humidor specifically for stabilizing them for a month so they don’t screw up my daily smokes.
Good points. New arrivals are wet to assure survival during transport and do require settling down.
Stogie Bryan
12 years ago
I have been smoking cigars for years and smoked everthing from $150 FFOXs to machine made (disgusting) White Owl cigars and everything in between. I agree, 70% humidity is WAY too wet. I always had issues with draw and burn when I tried to keep the golden 70/70 rule. Maybe that is great for a warehouse storing pallets of cigars, but for a good smoking cigar right out of my humidor, I like about 65%. I have also noticed different cigars favor different humidities. EMS tend to like it a little damper, while some of my double maduros don’t mind it a little dry. Nothing better to me than a Punch Rothschild MM or an Ashton VSG at about 65% humidity. I have a particular “bundled” cigar that I like time to time, and when I order them and drop them into my humidor, the RH spikes for nearly a month. They are wet and unsmokable and make my other stogies too wet. I got a second humidor specifically for stabilizing them for a month so they don’t screw up my daily smokes.
Michael Mastro
12 years ago
I recently read an article that advise letting cigars dry for a few days in an un-humidified cigar box or humidor. The point is that cigars smoke and taste better at 65-68, than they do at 70-72.
Michael Mastro
12 years ago
I recently read an article that advise letting cigars dry for a few days in an un-humidified cigar box or humidor. The point is that cigars smoke and taste better at 65-68, than they do at 70-72.
Bryan
11 years ago
I guess everybody has their own opinion on how they like their cigars. low RH/high temp High RH/low temp makes sense to me. It sounds like they compensate for each reading. I’m a newbie to the cigar world. Just bought my first humidor and trying to season mine. I live in central FL. I keep my house at 75* In the seasoning process my humidor is at 68% 77*. I’m using a 2 oz xikar clear jar.
I only use Boveda packs. I keep them in different RH levels, I keep 69% for normal every day use, and 70-75% for the leaky wood humidors when the humidity in the house drops real low. I live in South Texas and our humidity can swing as much as 70% in a day to night cycle.
Anonymous
11 years ago
This post is accurate up to the last paragraph.
Just to correct old myths here, the relative humidity needs to be maintained regardless of temperature. See this article http://www.cigargroup.com/faq/#5.0a . Whatever RH you pick, maintain that RH at your chosen storage temperature.
Dave
10 years ago
One thing that has to be remembered when talking about relative humidity is that temperature and humidity go hand in hand. They are relative to each other. When talking about cigars, RH means temperature and % humidity and have to be referred together.
Jason Nam
4 years ago
why would you use a 75% boveda? you should have used a 70 or 68 if you’re going with your theory.
I would probably agree with this. I do see the softer cigars, may switch to lower RH Bovedas
Julian Cohen
4 years ago
I live in the Palm Springs area which is known for having the same humidity factors as the Gobi desert.
I have a fairly new humidor and keep the Rh between 70 and 72%, yet I still hear a slight crunch when I cut the end off to light a cigar.
Could I be using the wrong fluid for the humidifier?
Don’t just rely on your Boveda packs. A good hygrometer is an absolute must have. Not the cheap analog ones that come with most humidors. Trash those as soon as you get it. Use a high quality digital hygrometer. If your gonna spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on your smokes, why not spend $30-$40 on a reliable hygrometer.
Robert Kerhoni
4 years ago
I have a humidor it reads 71 degrees and 61 % humidity is that good where it’s at?
Jason
4 years ago
So instead of the 70/70 rule , you opt for the 68/67
Rule. I’ve smoked since the 1970’s you’re putting way too much thought into it. Let’s lite up and just move along.
Marc
4 years ago
I appreciate those who try to help with articles such as this. But it is typical that the info ends with a line that resembles “do whatevet works for you”. That equates to little help at all.
I emply 2 of those electric humidifiers you can buy on Amazon that have fans mounted on a cube filled with a soaked pad. Each has a humidity readout, calibration, and alarm. I have my 2 humidors such that they are overkills so far as how many cigars the units will support and I keep an eye on them.
My humidors are said to hold 25 and 300. I mostly smoke Cubans. The large box is the aging storage unit and the smaller one is for those on deck for smoking. I try to age my cigars before smoking and rotate the stock as I refill the supplies.
My issue is with draw moreso than burn or texture. I have received many big name cigars that are rolled too tight to even enjoy and that pisses me off. Its a lot of hassle to get Cubans to the US not to mention the cost. But then when you cant even draw through them – its bery frustrating.
It is not the distributor – I use 3 trusted ones. The Cigars and manufacturers are also the same. I have 3-4 favs I buy that are consistently fine tobaccos -Well known and popular models too. But my best efforts to control quality and consistency via good sealing, Spanish cedar-lined high quality humidors, excellent cigars from trusted genuine Cuban suppliers AND emphatic concern for consistent environmental control have STILL left me with scratching my head.
I want a near effortless draw, a sweet but full bodied tasting experience. A good burn is of course desired too but Id rather re-light then turn blue sucking on a stubborn stick.
I carefully stack, humidify, and baby my cigars from their arrival to their lighting. I never change himidities unless it is done gradual and not more than 3-4 degrees RH overall. I have teied 70. 69. 67, & 65 without it making any difference. My ring sizes vary from about 46-54
For most of my preferences.
But I still end up with nearly 20% of my smokes being rolled too tightly or seeming that way. I am out of ideas.
Enjoyed the read and explanation. Thanks for sharing such details. I’m new to the cigars smoking (4 mos). Cigarette for 35 yrs an no more..
I’ve noticed that different blends and sizes smoke so differently. I’m still trying to find the balance.
I live aboard a boat in New England, trying to keep the RH within a desirable range has proven to be quite difficult.
Always looking for improvement..thanks for sharing your information with us
Humidifiers like Cigar Oasis etc are great but just remember, they are a one way device. They will add RH, but if your location is to humid you have no way to lower the RH. Thus the reason for products like Boveda, they will add humidity and take it out if it gets to high.
if you use 50/50 water/propylene glycol in the oasis, it’ll do the same thing as boveda. just keep in mind that propylene glycol doesn’t evaporate as fast as water, so once you do it, you only need to add water to the oasis and rarely need to add propylene glycol. If you keep adding 50/50, you’ll eventually have mostly propylene glycol, so your RH will be too low. On the other hand, if you use boveda, you don’t have to worry about all that crap, but it is more expensive. If you think its worth the expense not having to worry, use the boveda
So what’d be you’re low number with say 65 degrees?
Liam
3 years ago
This was really helpful. I was starting to worry about the fluctuations but was not experiencing issues with my cigars and the way they smoked. Temp about 68-72 and RH between 65-68 seems to be working ok for me.
I. C. All
3 years ago
No one with any cigar experience rejects the idea that cigars need to be kept in a controlled environment for best results. But I think as a person learns what a satisfying cigar experience is for them, they should maintain their cigars accordingly. I have always thought of the 70/70 ‘rule’ as more a rule of thumb or a strong suggestion, rather than a hard-and-fast, immutable mandate. I used to worry when watching my humidor gauges fluctuating by a few degrees or a few percentage points in RH. But what I slowly realized, was that as long as the cigars weren’t rock hard or soft as damp sponges, and as long as they cut, lit, burned and tasted good for my tastes and preferences, and as long as there were no families of tobacco beetles chilling among my cigars, then they were good, well-kept cigars. Do remember though, that too many WIDE fluctuations may cause the wrapper to split and crack.
That doesn’t mean that 70/70 or whatever other combination wouldn’t be the ‘perfect’ environment, but the lengths and expense some cigar smokers go to to maintain those EXACT numbers, isn’t really worth it or necessary. And it’s always a good idea to have a point of reference to shoot for, but again, a person should determine proper keeping by how the cigar performs, not by what a bunch of gauges show, BUT at the same time one should respect the general range of values that have been shown to be beneficial.
Keep in mind too that most digital hygrometers are generally accurate to within a few percentage points, plus or minus. This means that what the reading says may actually be a few percentage points higher or lower that what the humidity really is. The best analog hygrometers are not really less accurate (as some will claim), they just take longer to adjust to humidity changes. Bear in mind that wild claims about about hygrometer accuracy abound. Just remember that laboratory-grade hygrometers costing thousands of dollars are only accurate to within plus or minus 1 percentage point. Take therefore with a grain of salt any claim to the same by one costing 9 bucks! There are some that are close to that accuracy though, but expect to pay at least $25 or more for it.
Now, if a friend or visitor wants to go checking my humidor environment and consequently turns his/her nose up at my cigars when I offer them, that’s fine, they can bring their own and I’ll save mine for me!
Great read thank you for taking the time to share…
John B
3 years ago
I’ve been smoking for five or six years now, and have always purchased my cigars one at a time at my hangout. But about a year ago, I bought a humidor and started a collection. I don’t have air-conditioning, so it gets very hot in the summer and the heat in the winter in my apartment is very high, but there’s one big difference…winter air is much drier. That means my cigars get moister in the summer and drier in the winter.
My guess is that it’s not all about relative humidity as much as absolute humidity. When the air outside is hot, it can absorb more moisture, which means per square foot, the amount of water vapor is very high compared to the same humidity level in the winter. Therefore, I think that higher temperatures require slightly lower relative humidity and cooler temperatures require slightly higher relative humidity.
So, apart from keeping my humidor in the bottom of my closet, where it has smaller temperature shifts (and being slightly cooler), I rely on the pinch test. I know from experience that I like a cigar with just a little bit of give when squeezed. If it seems too hard, I add a higher percent Boveda pack and if it feels too soft, I put in a lower percent Boveda pack.
As far as aging, I’d probably want to keep the cigars slightly cooler and slightly drier, just because that makes the most sense to me.
Dan
3 years ago
Well written article for sure, I have been having problems with my cigars no matter a wooden humidor or the tuppador i have they seem to be too soft once i light them and smoke like they are over humidified even though they are kept at 65% humidity I dont know what the issue is but its frustrating .
If you are investing your time and money in anything do your homework. I purchased a newair humidor it takes the guesswork out relatively inexpensive
Rob Bierman
2 years ago
I am fortunate to have years of experience storing corks. What works for corks, works for stogies. Keep it cool, say 63 to 65 and let the RH fly. It will stop around 60, which is perfect to age everything.
James
2 years ago
RH too low for too long=flavor destruction. I can’t count how many times a well meaning non-cigar smoker friend handed me a cuban cigar his boss or someone handed him at a party 6 months before that he put in his dresser drawer until he thought of me! I would throw it in my humidor for 6 months to no avail. It was too late. Might as well be smoking hay. I think the way to go would be (and I don’t have the patience or really the need to do this for that matter) to store cigars at a higher RH for longer term, and maybe a month before smoking time, switch to a humidor with a lower RH. My home thermostat in the summer months is set to 78. Using the 135 measuring stick mentioned in the article would mean leaving my cigars at a 57 RH. I don’t think so.
In my experience, I think what screws up the cigar smoking experience more than a low or high RH is inconsistency. For instance, you let the humidor go too long before adding juice, and then over compensate when humidifying it again. In a couple days, you have yourself a cigar that’s dry in the middle, and wet on the outside, or the side of the cigar exposed to the humidified air is wetter than the side lying on the humidor floor or against another cigar. A sure recipe for burning issues where the filler burns faster than the wrapper and binder because the cigar hasn’t reached an even humification. That’s when tunneling and burning issues occur.
James, thanks for reading. As you pointed out, 57% humidity is far too low – but 78 degrees is also far too high. You’re at high risk for tobacco beetles above 74. They aren’t as big of an issue these days, but it’s something to keep in mind. More importantly, higher temperatures = higher humidity – and with that comes mold issues. This is why it’s better to regulate with a 2-way system like Boveda or the Famous cigar solution that will increase and decrease your RH as necessary. Is your humdior temp also at 78 degrees or are we just talking about the thermostat?
I certainly don’t expect you to keep your cigars at 57% humidity to keep within the 135 system guidelines, but it can be a tool that’s helpful to some within reasonable boundaries.
Great point about the RH fluctuations. They play havoc with cigars for sure!
P.S. I cycle through cigars so fast, beetles don’t have a prayer to hatch. i only have a few hundred cigars at any one time. 3 a day. 90 a month. I’m good!
Glad you’re enjoying them. Thanks so much for your input – Beatles fan myself!
Castleberry Larry
2 years ago
I find this discussion somewhat funny in that no one has said anything about how they control the temperature in their humidors. I assume most humidor temperatures are associated with the temperature created by the air conditioner or heater in the home where that humidor is located. Since I live near Houston, we run the air conditioner nearly year round, but being 75 years old, my wife and I have grown accustomed to a little warmer temperature than when we were younger, so we keep the house at 79 during the day and 77 at night. There is no way I could afford to cool my house down to 68 or even 70 degrees for the sake of my cigars. I could book a flight directly to Cuba cheaper than cooling my house down.
Larry. Great point about temperatures. It’s something we tend not to bring up because it’s so wildly unpredictable. Someone’s local microclimate, central-air vs. window units vs. none at all, heating systems – there are too many variables. That’s why we always suggest to keep your cigars in the most consistently stable parts of your home. A finished basement or a closet, something like that.
I don’t run an AC up here except for an emergency portable unit on extremely hot days, and keeping my stash in my closet has served me well. Thanks for reading!
Jared, I have a few questions as far as storage practice’s goes. First, North east, on the coast, 40 years a cigar person, big humidor 200/225 capacity down in the basement, AC 65/70 degrees humidified to about 55/60 bovida 69%. Upstairs, smaller humidor, cigars get moved up to, 100/125 capacity, 70/72 degrees with AC and 40/50 humidity bovida 69% , I use humidigel with distilled water, try to hold both at 70%, these conditions are pretty constant all year, bit drier in the winter months. There is no mention here if stogies are stored wrapped or unwrapped, would there be a reason to leave them wrapped, I rotate and roll my cigars constantly but still experience uneven burn, tunnelling sometimes, most cigars have been in the humidor 3/6 months. No one has talked about tightness/stuffed there humidors are, my large one is pretty full but I space out my cigars in my smaller one, presmokes, there in there about a month with better air flow but has made little difference as far as even burn. I have contemplated building my own humidor so I could stand my cigars upright on there caps in test tube holders for better all round humidification. After reading all this input, I will drop my bovida’s down to 65%. Thanks for everyone’s input.
Hey Bob! Thanks for your question and for checking out the article!
Humidor capacity is definitely a factor and I’d recommend keeping it as close to 75% full whenever you can. Too many cigars will cause some cigars to dry out while others will have to much and will suffer in the draw department.
It sounds like your primary is overfilled which could be causing some of the problems, but lowering your humidity should also alleviate some, too. Let me know if your problems persist!
Mark F
2 years ago
Great article. If 67% RH is an average we can agree on, is it safe to say that RH should be a little higher for cigars stored in their cellophane wrappers? I welcome any feedback.
Thanks for reading! The amount of humidity impact from leaving cellophane is likely negligible, so I wouldn’t worry too much. You can, however, cut the fold off the foot to allow moisture a bit easier access and I’d say it’s a good practice for storing cigars in the cello long term.
What do you consider long term for leaving the cello on and why, is it that permeable it will allow the same humidification as if unwrapped, I have always unwrapped my cigars before ageing for good all around absorbing?
Bob, great question! Long term IMO is going to be 6 months and beyond. I store my cigars in cello and have left them on for years with no issues, but some people prefer it the other way. There’s no right or wrong answer. There are minute differences, but keeping the cello on is not going to wreck your cigar collection. Experiment with it and see which way your palate prefers it!
Dennis
2 years ago
Well written and about time it’s said. Lately, Generally, I find leaving a cigar I am going to smoke out of the humidor for a day. Much better if you have high RH (or even 70%). And BTW, you can check your hygrometer: Put it in a plastic bag (sealed) with a capful of salt moistened with only a few drops of water for about 8 hours. Should give you a reading of 75%. It’s a good calibration technique that you can use to adjust your hygrometer or just make a note of the percentage difference for reference and mentally adjust the hygrometer reading accordingly.
Jared Gulick
Features Editor, Jared Gulick, is a Certified Tobacconist, nerd of all things science, musician and serial abuser of the Oxford comma. He made his way to the Famous Smoke Shop retail store in 2018 and joined the Advisors when it was discovered that he could locate the shift key. Prior to his work in the cigar industry, he was a recording studio engineer, songwriter, and a journalism major at Northampton Community College.
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This is a very accurate description of how RH and temp affects your stogies. I too have gone thru this exercise and found that a little less humity works wonders for the burn and firmness (my stogies and I live in South Florida). I keep the house at 77 degrees and the RH at 65%. Perfect for me. Give it a try and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Oh – and please give those new arrivals a few weeks in the humi before lighting up. Really improves the overall experience.
This is a very accurate description of how RH and temp affects your stogies. I too have gone thru this exercise and found that a little less humity works wonders for the burn and firmness (my stogies and I live in South Florida). I keep the house at 77 degrees and the RH at 65%. Perfect for me. Give it a try and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Oh – and please give those new arrivals a few weeks in the humi before lighting up. Really improves the overall experience.
Mike, That’s very helpful, I live in south Florida as well and have been driving myself crazy with temp and humidity. Thanks for your reply. I needed some insight on that.
Better get yourself a humidor with a cooler. 77 is really close to hatching temperature of cigar Beatles. Once you have those they will destroy your entire collection. I had that happen to 300k of cigars and have now invested in a cooling unit and in a few places the humidor is simply inside the wine cellar.
There are great option commercially available. In the it all depends a little on the seize of your collection and your risk adversity; if you only store a few hundred cigars your risk is low. If you store a few thousand expensive cigars… get yourself a cooler. They are totally cool as well, LOL.
Very well written. I have had some of the same experiences and you have documented it quite well. Thank you.
Thanks Mike…Live in So Fl as well and just got a new temp controlled humidor. Trying to get the balance right but found that 62-65 boveda’s give me the best results. The response about the temp is quite interesting as I’ve had beetles ruin many cigars as well. Thanks for taking the time to write this
70/70 is bad, old advice. 70% is near to soggy, sour stogies and 70* is near to mold and beetles. Never knew why anyone who smoked cigars thought this was a good range. It’s too wet and too warm.
70/70 is bad, old advice. 70% is near to soggy, sour stogies and 70* is near to mold and beetles. Never knew why anyone who smoked cigars thought this was a good range. It’s too wet and too warm.
I have been smoking cigars for years and smoked everthing from $150 FFOXs to machine made (disgusting) White Owl cigars and everything in between. I agree, 70% humidity is WAY too wet. I always had issues with draw and burn when I tried to keep the golden 70/70 rule. Maybe that is great for a warehouse storing pallets of cigars, but for a good smoking cigar right out of my humidor, I like about 65%. I have also noticed different cigars favor different humidities. EMS tend to like it a little damper, while some of my double maduros don’t mind it a little dry. Nothing better to me than a Punch Rothschild MM or an Ashton VSG at about 65% humidity. I have a particular “bundled” cigar that I like time to time, and when I order them and drop them into my humidor, the RH spikes for nearly a month. They are wet and unsmokable and make my other stogies too wet. I got a second humidor specifically for stabilizing them for a month so they don’t screw up my daily smokes.
Good points. New arrivals are wet to assure survival during transport and do require settling down.
I have been smoking cigars for years and smoked everthing from $150 FFOXs to machine made (disgusting) White Owl cigars and everything in between. I agree, 70% humidity is WAY too wet. I always had issues with draw and burn when I tried to keep the golden 70/70 rule. Maybe that is great for a warehouse storing pallets of cigars, but for a good smoking cigar right out of my humidor, I like about 65%. I have also noticed different cigars favor different humidities. EMS tend to like it a little damper, while some of my double maduros don’t mind it a little dry. Nothing better to me than a Punch Rothschild MM or an Ashton VSG at about 65% humidity. I have a particular “bundled” cigar that I like time to time, and when I order them and drop them into my humidor, the RH spikes for nearly a month. They are wet and unsmokable and make my other stogies too wet. I got a second humidor specifically for stabilizing them for a month so they don’t screw up my daily smokes.
I recently read an article that advise letting cigars dry for a few days in an un-humidified cigar box or humidor. The point is that cigars smoke and taste better at 65-68, than they do at 70-72.
I recently read an article that advise letting cigars dry for a few days in an un-humidified cigar box or humidor. The point is that cigars smoke and taste better at 65-68, than they do at 70-72.
I guess everybody has their own opinion on how they like their cigars. low RH/high temp High RH/low temp makes sense to me. It sounds like they compensate for each reading. I’m a newbie to the cigar world. Just bought my first humidor and trying to season mine. I live in central FL. I keep my house at 75* In the seasoning process my humidor is at 68% 77*. I’m using a 2 oz xikar clear jar.
I only use Boveda packs. I keep them in different RH levels, I keep 69% for normal every day use, and 70-75% for the leaky wood humidors when the humidity in the house drops real low. I live in South Texas and our humidity can swing as much as 70% in a day to night cycle.
This post is accurate up to the last paragraph.
Just to correct old myths here, the relative humidity needs to be maintained regardless of temperature. See this article http://www.cigargroup.com/faq/#5.0a . Whatever RH you pick, maintain that RH at your chosen storage temperature.
One thing that has to be remembered when talking about relative humidity is that temperature and humidity go hand in hand. They are relative to each other. When talking about cigars, RH means temperature and % humidity and have to be referred together.
why would you use a 75% boveda? you should have used a 70 or 68 if you’re going with your theory.
I would probably agree with this. I do see the softer cigars, may switch to lower RH Bovedas
I live in the Palm Springs area which is known for having the same humidity factors as the Gobi desert.
I have a fairly new humidor and keep the Rh between 70 and 72%, yet I still hear a slight crunch when I cut the end off to light a cigar.
Could I be using the wrong fluid for the humidifier?
Don’t just rely on your Boveda packs. A good hygrometer is an absolute must have. Not the cheap analog ones that come with most humidors. Trash those as soon as you get it. Use a high quality digital hygrometer. If your gonna spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on your smokes, why not spend $30-$40 on a reliable hygrometer.
I have a humidor it reads 71 degrees and 61 % humidity is that good where it’s at?
So instead of the 70/70 rule , you opt for the 68/67
Rule. I’ve smoked since the 1970’s you’re putting way too much thought into it. Let’s lite up and just move along.
I appreciate those who try to help with articles such as this. But it is typical that the info ends with a line that resembles “do whatevet works for you”. That equates to little help at all.
I emply 2 of those electric humidifiers you can buy on Amazon that have fans mounted on a cube filled with a soaked pad. Each has a humidity readout, calibration, and alarm. I have my 2 humidors such that they are overkills so far as how many cigars the units will support and I keep an eye on them.
My humidors are said to hold 25 and 300. I mostly smoke Cubans. The large box is the aging storage unit and the smaller one is for those on deck for smoking. I try to age my cigars before smoking and rotate the stock as I refill the supplies.
My issue is with draw moreso than burn or texture. I have received many big name cigars that are rolled too tight to even enjoy and that pisses me off. Its a lot of hassle to get Cubans to the US not to mention the cost. But then when you cant even draw through them – its bery frustrating.
It is not the distributor – I use 3 trusted ones. The Cigars and manufacturers are also the same. I have 3-4 favs I buy that are consistently fine tobaccos -Well known and popular models too. But my best efforts to control quality and consistency via good sealing, Spanish cedar-lined high quality humidors, excellent cigars from trusted genuine Cuban suppliers AND emphatic concern for consistent environmental control have STILL left me with scratching my head.
I want a near effortless draw, a sweet but full bodied tasting experience. A good burn is of course desired too but Id rather re-light then turn blue sucking on a stubborn stick.
I carefully stack, humidify, and baby my cigars from their arrival to their lighting. I never change himidities unless it is done gradual and not more than 3-4 degrees RH overall. I have teied 70. 69. 67, & 65 without it making any difference. My ring sizes vary from about 46-54
For most of my preferences.
But I still end up with nearly 20% of my smokes being rolled too tightly or seeming that way. I am out of ideas.
Enjoyed the read and explanation. Thanks for sharing such details. I’m new to the cigars smoking (4 mos). Cigarette for 35 yrs an no more..
I’ve noticed that different blends and sizes smoke so differently. I’m still trying to find the balance.
I live aboard a boat in New England, trying to keep the RH within a desirable range has proven to be quite difficult.
Always looking for improvement..thanks for sharing your information with us
Humidifiers like Cigar Oasis etc are great but just remember, they are a one way device. They will add RH, but if your location is to humid you have no way to lower the RH. Thus the reason for products like Boveda, they will add humidity and take it out if it gets to high.
if you use 50/50 water/propylene glycol in the oasis, it’ll do the same thing as boveda. just keep in mind that propylene glycol doesn’t evaporate as fast as water, so once you do it, you only need to add water to the oasis and rarely need to add propylene glycol. If you keep adding 50/50, you’ll eventually have mostly propylene glycol, so your RH will be too low. On the other hand, if you use boveda, you don’t have to worry about all that crap, but it is more expensive. If you think its worth the expense not having to worry, use the boveda
I think fat cigars I have more problems with the burn and the draw than thinner ones. my favorite ring size is 42 to 44.
I agree with a lower number for sure. Cigars dont burn well with higher moisture.
So what’d be you’re low number with say 65 degrees?
This was really helpful. I was starting to worry about the fluctuations but was not experiencing issues with my cigars and the way they smoked. Temp about 68-72 and RH between 65-68 seems to be working ok for me.
No one with any cigar experience rejects the idea that cigars need to be kept in a controlled environment for best results. But I think as a person learns what a satisfying cigar experience is for them, they should maintain their cigars accordingly. I have always thought of the 70/70 ‘rule’ as more a rule of thumb or a strong suggestion, rather than a hard-and-fast, immutable mandate. I used to worry when watching my humidor gauges fluctuating by a few degrees or a few percentage points in RH. But what I slowly realized, was that as long as the cigars weren’t rock hard or soft as damp sponges, and as long as they cut, lit, burned and tasted good for my tastes and preferences, and as long as there were no families of tobacco beetles chilling among my cigars, then they were good, well-kept cigars. Do remember though, that too many WIDE fluctuations may cause the wrapper to split and crack.
That doesn’t mean that 70/70 or whatever other combination wouldn’t be the ‘perfect’ environment, but the lengths and expense some cigar smokers go to to maintain those EXACT numbers, isn’t really worth it or necessary. And it’s always a good idea to have a point of reference to shoot for, but again, a person should determine proper keeping by how the cigar performs, not by what a bunch of gauges show, BUT at the same time one should respect the general range of values that have been shown to be beneficial.
Keep in mind too that most digital hygrometers are generally accurate to within a few percentage points, plus or minus. This means that what the reading says may actually be a few percentage points higher or lower that what the humidity really is. The best analog hygrometers are not really less accurate (as some will claim), they just take longer to adjust to humidity changes. Bear in mind that wild claims about about hygrometer accuracy abound. Just remember that laboratory-grade hygrometers costing thousands of dollars are only accurate to within plus or minus 1 percentage point. Take therefore with a grain of salt any claim to the same by one costing 9 bucks! There are some that are close to that accuracy though, but expect to pay at least $25 or more for it.
Now, if a friend or visitor wants to go checking my humidor environment and consequently turns his/her nose up at my cigars when I offer them, that’s fine, they can bring their own and I’ll save mine for me!
Great read thank you for taking the time to share…
I’ve been smoking for five or six years now, and have always purchased my cigars one at a time at my hangout. But about a year ago, I bought a humidor and started a collection. I don’t have air-conditioning, so it gets very hot in the summer and the heat in the winter in my apartment is very high, but there’s one big difference…winter air is much drier. That means my cigars get moister in the summer and drier in the winter.
My guess is that it’s not all about relative humidity as much as absolute humidity. When the air outside is hot, it can absorb more moisture, which means per square foot, the amount of water vapor is very high compared to the same humidity level in the winter. Therefore, I think that higher temperatures require slightly lower relative humidity and cooler temperatures require slightly higher relative humidity.
So, apart from keeping my humidor in the bottom of my closet, where it has smaller temperature shifts (and being slightly cooler), I rely on the pinch test. I know from experience that I like a cigar with just a little bit of give when squeezed. If it seems too hard, I add a higher percent Boveda pack and if it feels too soft, I put in a lower percent Boveda pack.
As far as aging, I’d probably want to keep the cigars slightly cooler and slightly drier, just because that makes the most sense to me.
Well written article for sure, I have been having problems with my cigars no matter a wooden humidor or the tuppador i have they seem to be too soft once i light them and smoke like they are over humidified even though they are kept at 65% humidity I dont know what the issue is but its frustrating .
If you are investing your time and money in anything do your homework. I purchased a newair humidor it takes the guesswork out relatively inexpensive
I am fortunate to have years of experience storing corks. What works for corks, works for stogies. Keep it cool, say 63 to 65 and let the RH fly. It will stop around 60, which is perfect to age everything.
RH too low for too long=flavor destruction. I can’t count how many times a well meaning non-cigar smoker friend handed me a cuban cigar his boss or someone handed him at a party 6 months before that he put in his dresser drawer until he thought of me! I would throw it in my humidor for 6 months to no avail. It was too late. Might as well be smoking hay. I think the way to go would be (and I don’t have the patience or really the need to do this for that matter) to store cigars at a higher RH for longer term, and maybe a month before smoking time, switch to a humidor with a lower RH. My home thermostat in the summer months is set to 78. Using the 135 measuring stick mentioned in the article would mean leaving my cigars at a 57 RH. I don’t think so.
In my experience, I think what screws up the cigar smoking experience more than a low or high RH is inconsistency. For instance, you let the humidor go too long before adding juice, and then over compensate when humidifying it again. In a couple days, you have yourself a cigar that’s dry in the middle, and wet on the outside, or the side of the cigar exposed to the humidified air is wetter than the side lying on the humidor floor or against another cigar. A sure recipe for burning issues where the filler burns faster than the wrapper and binder because the cigar hasn’t reached an even humification. That’s when tunneling and burning issues occur.
James, thanks for reading. As you pointed out, 57% humidity is far too low – but 78 degrees is also far too high. You’re at high risk for tobacco beetles above 74. They aren’t as big of an issue these days, but it’s something to keep in mind. More importantly, higher temperatures = higher humidity – and with that comes mold issues. This is why it’s better to regulate with a 2-way system like Boveda or the Famous cigar solution that will increase and decrease your RH as necessary. Is your humdior temp also at 78 degrees or are we just talking about the thermostat?
I certainly don’t expect you to keep your cigars at 57% humidity to keep within the 135 system guidelines, but it can be a tool that’s helpful to some within reasonable boundaries.
Great point about the RH fluctuations. They play havoc with cigars for sure!
Never had a beetle issue, but I am an avid Beatles fan!
P.S. I cycle through cigars so fast, beetles don’t have a prayer to hatch. i only have a few hundred cigars at any one time. 3 a day. 90 a month. I’m good!
Glad you’re enjoying them. Thanks so much for your input – Beatles fan myself!
I find this discussion somewhat funny in that no one has said anything about how they control the temperature in their humidors. I assume most humidor temperatures are associated with the temperature created by the air conditioner or heater in the home where that humidor is located. Since I live near Houston, we run the air conditioner nearly year round, but being 75 years old, my wife and I have grown accustomed to a little warmer temperature than when we were younger, so we keep the house at 79 during the day and 77 at night. There is no way I could afford to cool my house down to 68 or even 70 degrees for the sake of my cigars. I could book a flight directly to Cuba cheaper than cooling my house down.
Larry. Great point about temperatures. It’s something we tend not to bring up because it’s so wildly unpredictable. Someone’s local microclimate, central-air vs. window units vs. none at all, heating systems – there are too many variables. That’s why we always suggest to keep your cigars in the most consistently stable parts of your home. A finished basement or a closet, something like that.
I don’t run an AC up here except for an emergency portable unit on extremely hot days, and keeping my stash in my closet has served me well. Thanks for reading!
Bob H
Jared, I have a few questions as far as storage practice’s goes. First, North east, on the coast, 40 years a cigar person, big humidor 200/225 capacity down in the basement, AC 65/70 degrees humidified to about 55/60 bovida 69%. Upstairs, smaller humidor, cigars get moved up to, 100/125 capacity, 70/72 degrees with AC and 40/50 humidity bovida 69% , I use humidigel with distilled water, try to hold both at 70%, these conditions are pretty constant all year, bit drier in the winter months. There is no mention here if stogies are stored wrapped or unwrapped, would there be a reason to leave them wrapped, I rotate and roll my cigars constantly but still experience uneven burn, tunnelling sometimes, most cigars have been in the humidor 3/6 months. No one has talked about tightness/stuffed there humidors are, my large one is pretty full but I space out my cigars in my smaller one, presmokes, there in there about a month with better air flow but has made little difference as far as even burn. I have contemplated building my own humidor so I could stand my cigars upright on there caps in test tube holders for better all round humidification. After reading all this input, I will drop my bovida’s down to 65%. Thanks for everyone’s input.
Hey Bob! Thanks for your question and for checking out the article!
Humidor capacity is definitely a factor and I’d recommend keeping it as close to 75% full whenever you can. Too many cigars will cause some cigars to dry out while others will have to much and will suffer in the draw department.
It sounds like your primary is overfilled which could be causing some of the problems, but lowering your humidity should also alleviate some, too. Let me know if your problems persist!
Great article. If 67% RH is an average we can agree on, is it safe to say that RH should be a little higher for cigars stored in their cellophane wrappers? I welcome any feedback.
Mark,
Thanks for reading! The amount of humidity impact from leaving cellophane is likely negligible, so I wouldn’t worry too much. You can, however, cut the fold off the foot to allow moisture a bit easier access and I’d say it’s a good practice for storing cigars in the cello long term.
What do you consider long term for leaving the cello on and why, is it that permeable it will allow the same humidification as if unwrapped, I have always unwrapped my cigars before ageing for good all around absorbing?
Bob, great question! Long term IMO is going to be 6 months and beyond. I store my cigars in cello and have left them on for years with no issues, but some people prefer it the other way. There’s no right or wrong answer. There are minute differences, but keeping the cello on is not going to wreck your cigar collection. Experiment with it and see which way your palate prefers it!
Well written and about time it’s said. Lately, Generally, I find leaving a cigar I am going to smoke out of the humidor for a day. Much better if you have high RH (or even 70%). And BTW, you can check your hygrometer: Put it in a plastic bag (sealed) with a capful of salt moistened with only a few drops of water for about 8 hours. Should give you a reading of 75%. It’s a good calibration technique that you can use to adjust your hygrometer or just make a note of the percentage difference for reference and mentally adjust the hygrometer reading accordingly.