Fundamentals
In short
Cigars keep best at 65 to 70 per cent relative humidity and 18 to 21 °C. Analogue hygrometers may deviate by up to five percentage points — the reading is guidance, not measurement.
The familiar "70/70" rule — 70 per cent humidity at 70 degrees Fahrenheit — is roughly right. In practice a corridor works better: 65 to 70 per cent relative humidity at 18 to 21 °C.
| below 60 % | wrapper dries out, aroma flattens, cigars crack when cut |
| 65 – 70 % | ideal range: elastic wrapper, even burn |
| above 75 % | hard draw, uneven burn, risk of mould over time |
Relative humidity always depends on temperature: warmer air holds more water, so the same water content shows a lower percentage. That is why the two figures belong together. Above 24 °C matters twice over, because tobacco beetles become active in that range. A spot out of direct sun and away from radiators or fireplaces solves this by itself.
Analogue hygrometers work mechanically and deviate by up to five percentage points by design. That is not a fault, it is the build. As long as the needle sits steadily between 65 and 72 per cent, all is well. If you want the exact figure, add a digital hygrometer — or check the deviation with a two-way humidifier that regulates to a fixed value.
You need table salt, a little water, a bottle cap and a well-sealing freezer bag. Dampen the salt in the cap so that it is pasty, not flooded. Put cap and hygrometer together into the bag and seal it airtight. After six to eight hours the hygrometer should read 75 per cent — the difference from that value is your instrument’s deviation.
Too dry: recharge the humidifier and check the fit of the lid. If the value stays low, the humidor probably sits somewhere too warm or too draughty.
Too damp: leave the lid open for an hour or two and take the humidifier out briefly. If the value does not fall, the humidifier was too wet when fitted — always wipe it dry on the outside.
Swinging widely: usually the humidor is too empty. A large air volume reacts more sharply to every opening. A well-filled humidor holds its climate almost by itself.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-21
Handcrafted, lined with Spanish cedar, room for around 20 to 25 cigars. With hygrometer, humidifier, stainless steel cutter and gift box.
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Between 65 and 70 per cent relative humidity at a temperature of 18 to 21 °C. In that range the wrapper stays elastic and the cigar burns evenly.
Below 60 per cent the wrapper dries out. The cigar loses aroma, cracks more easily when cut and burns faster and hotter. Brief dips are uncritical, sustained ones are not.
Above 75 per cent the cigar draws hard and burns unevenly. If it stays that damp, mould can form — recognisable as whitish, fluffy patches that, unlike plume, cannot be wiped away.
It depends on room climate, typically every one to three weeks. A light rattle when shaken indicates that the humidifier should go back into distilled water.
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