Expert: James Yee - 5/22/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

I have a couple of cigars in a humidor that I think have become stale/too hard to smoke.
Im not sure how they got this way; I have the humidity at the right level but there may have been a time a couple of months back where I let the interior get too dry.
Is it possible to bring these cigars back to life an dhave them be moist again?

If so, how do i go about doing that?

Thanks,

Avi

ANSWER: Hi Avi,

Dried out cigars can easily be restored by letting them sit in your humidor, at approximately 70% humidity, for at least two months.  This will allow your dry cigars to re-absorb the necessary humidity that it requires so that they will be moist again.  If your humidor is properly maintained but your cigars are still dry, conduct a salt test on your hygrometer to ensure that it's still accurate.  Sometimes a hygrometer (particularly an analog hygrometer) can lose accuracy over time.  Salt test the hygrometer to make sure it's still accurate.

To perform a salt test, simply take a small dish and add one teaspoon of regular salt.  Next, add a few drops of distilled water to the salt and mix it up so that it has a crumbly texture.  Place this dish in a Ziploc bag with your hygrometer (don't let the salt touch your hygrometer).  Let the hygrometer sit inside the sealed Ziploc bag for at 4-6 hours.  After 4-6 hours, the hygrometer should display a humidity level of 75%.  If it does not display 75%, calibrate the hygrometer so that it does.  (Analog hygrometers should have a calibration pin or knob at the back of the unit.)  Although some digital hygrometers are factory calibrated and extremely accurate, they should still be tested.  If you're using a digital hygrometer, you should still test it.

Next, if your humidor interior has become dry, you will need to re-season it. Seasoning a humidor will prepare the wood so that it can absorb and regulate humidity more effectively.  This will allow your cigars to be more fresh and allow your humidor to maintain a more consistent humidity level.  Technically, it's perfectly fine to use an unseasoned humidor but you may experience erratic humidor performance and more frequent humidifier refills.

To season your humidor, simply take a clean (sterilized) spray bottle and spray the interior of your humidor with distilled water.  Be sure to cover the entire interior.  Let the humidor sit for a few minutes so that the water can be absorbed into the wood.  Next, take a clean sponge and wipe up all the excess water.  Be sure to thoroughly wipe the interior with the sponge so that there are no puddles.  Place the humidification device (charged with distilled water) inside your humidor.  Soak the sponge that you were just using with more distilled water and let that sit in the middle of your humidor on top of a plastic baggie or in a dish.  Now let your humidor sit for 24 hours.  After 24 hours, check your humidor.  If the sponge or humidification device foam element feels dry (or lost a lot of moisture), repeat the seasoning process and let your humidor sit for another 24 hours.  When your humidor is able to sit for 24 hours without losing much moisture in the sponge or humidification device, your humidor will be seasoned and ready to use.

Hopes this helps.  As always, if you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: James,

Unfortunately I cannot remove my hygro from my humidor as it is sealed in.
I only have a small aluminum humidor...

Any other way for me to check?

Thanks again,

Avi

Answer
Hi Avi,

What you should do is buy (or borrow from someone) a small digital hygrometer, salt-test and calibrate that so that it's accurate and let it sit inside your humidor for at least 6 hours.  If the humidity reading on your digital hygrometer matches the humidity reading on your non-removable hygrometer, then your non-removable hygrometer is accurate.  If the non-removable hygrometer's humidity reading is not accurate, you will need to calibrate it.  There should be a calibration screw or knob on the back or side of the unit.  Simply turn this knob/screw to adjust the hygrometer needle.

If your non-removable hygrometer is not accurate and you can't access or calibrate it at all, you may want to disregard it completely and just use a seperate digital hygrometer inside your humidor for a more accurate reading.

Regards,
James