Expert: James Yee - 4/19/2008

Question
I am in the process of upgrading/consolidating my cigars in to tower-style humidor cabinet witj a moist-n-aire humidifier. All of inventory is currently at a solid 65%-70% RH, and I have been running the moist-n-aire in the empty cabinet for 24 hours.  I have seen many varying recommendations on how long to season a new humidor, including as little as 8 hours when using an electronic humidifier and as much as 2 weeks for stability.  Many of my sticks are currently cramped in an end-table cabinet and not getting the proper air flow - I am constantly rotating the inventory in the cabinet to prevent over humidification of those in the bottom of the deep drawer.  So, to get to the point, should I, can I safely move into the new tower now, or should I wait a week or two?

Answer
Hi Ed,

Though a humidor can indeed be fully seasoned within half a day, it is usually advised that you allow your humidor to sit for AT LEAST 1-2 days to monitor the humidity level before attempting to store your cigars in it.  Usually cigars are ready to be stored in a freshly seasoned humidor immediately but some humidors can perform erratically right after seasoning so to be on the safe side, it's generally recommended that the humidor requires at least a week (some people even suggest two weeks) for the humidity to fully stabilize.  

If it's an absolute emergency and your cigars needs to be relocated to the new humidor immediately, I would suggest that you monitor your new humidor for at least another 24 hours.  If the humidity level is fine after 24 hours, your cigars can then move into their new home.  

Hopes this answers your question. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James