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70/70?
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Robby Offline
#1 Posted: Wed, Feb 5 2003, 4:00 PM EST
Joined: 10-30-2002
Posts: 5,067
Question to the gallery.

I have electronic humidity control in my "bloom-a-door" :-) and I've heard differing opinions regarding proper humidity for long term storage.

Some say, 70/70. Others say cigars are better kept at 65% RH. Still others say, 70% long term with a "dry box" for a period at 60-65% for pre-burn perfection.

Does anyone have any thoughts?
xibbumbero Offline
#2 Posted: Wed, Feb 5 2003, 4:06 PM EST
Joined: 01-25-2002
Posts: 12,535
Yes. X
efm Offline
#3 Posted: Wed, Feb 5 2003, 4:13 PM EST
Joined: 01-23-2001
Posts: 499
I think most cigars smoke better closer to 65% but that's a preference thing. Experiment.
rayder1 Offline
#4 Posted: Wed, Feb 5 2003, 5:19 PM EST
Joined: 06-02-2002
Posts: 2,226
You get a little tighter draw at 70. (Sometimes a really tight draw). I am in a tough spot with one of my humidors. It was showing 72-74% consistantly. I pulled out the humidifier left the box open and finally got it back down to 65%. The cigars in the box at 72-74 had a real tight draw compared to the same ones from my more stable humidor.

I haven't seen any damage, but I guess you can really mess up your cigars more by keeping them too "wet" as opposed to a little on the dry side.
jd1 Offline
#5 Posted: Wed, Feb 5 2003, 5:46 PM EST
Joined: 02-14-2001
Posts: 3,118
I like mine around 68% and have noticed that not only do you tend to get a tighter draw at over 70% but you risk damage long term because at over 70% your smokes will eventually even out at 70%; then, if you do put them in a drier environment (again depending on how dry) the wrapper, because it dries first, could split. This happened to me when moving some of my smokes from a 70%+ environment to about a 65% environment that got to about 60% before I could get it stabilized.

All in all, experimentation is the key but try to avoid abrupt changes from higher to lower, if they were at a higher % for a long time. Whew! that was at least 5c worth!
Robby Offline
#6 Posted: Thu, Feb 6 2003, 6:12 AM EST
Joined: 10-30-2002
Posts: 5,067
many thanks. One footnote, I have 3 digital hygrometers, they all claim to be + or - 2%... I have seen as much as 10% variation between them!! My electronicly controlled unit I tend to trust because it was so darn expensive (100 bux). So I would be leary of a measurement from a single source. If you know folks who have a digital hygrometer, I would swap and trade a few and perhaps average the readings between them to help calibrate yours. i.e., if you're reading 70, and you're 6 to 8 on the low side, your pushing 80%, very bad...
lenny4z Offline
#7 Posted: Thu, Feb 6 2003, 6:17 AM EST
Joined: 10-29-2002
Posts: 297
You can use the salt test to verify the accuracy of your hygrometers. Some of the digitals can be calibrated, but most cannot. If yours cannot be, simple make a note of the difference and then you'll know what the actual humidity is.

-Lenny
lenny4z Offline
#8 Posted: Thu, Feb 6 2003, 6:18 AM EST
Joined: 10-29-2002
Posts: 297
Oops, forgot to post the URL for the Salt test: http://www.cigarsinterna...com/html/cig101_12st.asp
BMW Offline
#9 Posted: Thu, Feb 6 2003, 7:15 AM EST
Joined: 10-21-2000
Posts: 3,010
Don't believe what X says, he lies a lot. LOL

Barry
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