Dovetail Humidors

The care and feeding of your
Dovetail designs
Humidor

1. Humidification of Tobacco

The best cigars are made from tobaccos grown in tropical or equatorial areas such as Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, Cameroon and Indonesia. The humidity of the climate in these regions is ideal for the maturation of tobacco leaves. The Relative Humidity is high (70 to 80%) and almost constant. Tobacco matures in this atmosphere before cigars are manufactured and sent around the world. Once cigars leave their factory, they undergo harsh temperature and humidity variations, and can complete their maturation only in the controlled environment. Cigars need their original humid atmosphere to achieve maturation and deliver their aroma at their best. Consequently, it is necessary to recreate the humid climate of the production area when storing the cigars at home or at the office. Dovetail Designs humidors equipped with Dovetail Designs (humidity regulator) provide an ideal controlled environment (Relative Humidity of approximately 62 to 75%) for your valuable cigars.

2. Relative Humidity

The Relative Humidity (RH) may be defined as the amount of moisture in the atmosphere in comparison with the saturation point at a given temperature. Water exposed to air gradually evaporates until the saturation point at which the air may retain the highest quantity of evaporated water. At the saturation point, the slightest drop in temperature will cause condensation. This is known as the dew point and corresponds to 100% RH. At 20 degree Celsius (68 degree Fahrenheit) and a normal atmospheric pressure, the amount of water present in the air at 100% RH is approximately 15 grams per cubic meter. At a Relative Humidity of 62 to 75% the amount of evaporated water is approximately 10.5 grams per cubic meter.

3. Why Create a Humid Environment with a Constant Relative Humidity of around 65 to 75 %?

Cigars are naturally hygroscopic products. In common with many organic substances, they dry out in the absence of humidity in the air, or absorb moisture from the ambient air. They establish equilibrium with the atmospheric humidity, which surrounds them. A dry cigar burns too quickly. The temperature at which combustion occurs is too high because the natural moisture of the cigar does not temper it. The smoke is hot and acrid, and the cigar becomes harsh. In contrast, a damp cigar does not burn easily. It becomes difficult to draw and craters occur at the combustion point. The smoke is heavy and the aroma, pungent and tart. For a pleasant smoke, a cigar should contain a certain amount of moisture, which corresponds to 13-14% of its total weight. Thus, the combustion is regular; the draw is easy; and the smoke is bluish and light. The aroma of tobacco is fully developed while the irritating effect of the smoke is moderated by the humidity of the cigar itself. This is why it is necessary to maintain the Relative Humidity of the atmosphere in which cigars are stored. The ideal moisture content of a cigar (13 to 14%) corresponds to a Relative Humidity of 62 to 75%.

4. How to create and maintain a Constant Relative Humidity of around 62 to 75%.

If you place a water reservoir inside the humidor, the water will evaporate right away all at once. As a result, the air inside of the humidor becomes quickly saturated by evaporated water and the humidity inside of the humidor will shoot up in a very short period of time. As soon as the Relative Humidity runs past 85%, mold appears. Beyond 90%, cigars will rot away after a few weeks or even days. Of course, a limited amount of water in the reservoir would avoid the decay of the cigars, but the cigars will dry up shortly after all the water has completely evaporated. As a result, it is critical that the humidor is equipped with a humidity regulator, which will allow the water to evaporate slowly and gradually to maintain a constant Relative Humidity of 62 to 75%. The Dovetail Designs humidity regulator, which is installed inside of the humidor, accomplishes this. I have mixed special chemical substances such as propylene glycol with distilled water. This special starter fluid, a chemical mixture, controls the evaporation of the water. I advise you to treat your Dovetail Designs Humidor with my special care solution once every six months so that your humidor will continuously achieve the slow and gradual evaporation of the distilled water. You can purchase the starter fluid from my web-site.

5. How to Maintain Proper Humidity inside your Humidor.

The periodic addition of distilled water to humidity regulator is enough to enable it to stabilize the Relative Humidity in your humidor indefinitely. Under normal use, your humidity regulator should be recharged with distilled water approximately once every month (this will vary according to how often you open the humidor). Make sure to use distilled water only so that no bacteria will develop inside of your humidor.

When you set up your Dovetail Designs Humidor for the first time, you might have to recharge your humidifier more than once a month because the inside humidity of a new, unused humidor is quite low. In addition, you might want to wet a cotton towel with distilled water and gently wipe-down the inside surface of your new humidor so that the RH humidity of 62 to 75% can be quickly achieved. A new humidifier should be charged with about one ounce of starter fluid and replenished with distilled water the next four times needed, then re-charge with starter fluid. However, do not over fill the humidifier

6. Hygrometer

The hygrometer will allow you to “estimate” whether you need to refill the humidity regulator. An analog hygrometers  (has a plus or minus 10% accuracy) will ony be so accurate. Consequently, a digital hygrometer is more accurate. A digital hygrometer is very accurate, but remember the proof will be in the cigars.

7. Tobacco Beetles

When the humidity inside of the humidor falls below the ideal Relative Humidity range of 62 %, please refill the humidity regulator with distilled water -- about once a month. During the humid summer time, the humidity inside your humidor can go up significantly. If the humidity goes up higher than 75%, leave the humidor open for a while.

In addition to the Relative Humidity, please make sure that your humidor is kept in the temperature range of 68 to 75 degrees. During the winter months, do not put your humidor right next to a heater. During the summer months, try to keep your humidor in an air-conditioned room, which maintains a temperature range of 68 to 72 degrees.

If the humidity and temperature of your humidor move above the ideal range (62% to 75% and 68 to 72 degrees), tobacco beetles, which exist in larvae form inside of tobacco leaves, can hatch. If the outbreak of tobacco beetles occurs, you will open your humidor or a new box of cigars to see your cigars with a neat, circular pinhole. This is the evidence of tobacco beetle infestation. In two days, the full-fledged beetle infestation can destroy every cigar in your desktop humidor.

In the first place, you must prevent the inside environment of your humidors from being too moist or too hot by keeping it in the ideal range. However, if the beetle infestation occurs, put all of your cigars from the infested humidor in a sealed plastic bag and then, keep them in the freezer for 72 hours in order to kill tobacco beetles and their larvae. After 72 hours, move the cigars to the refrigerator for one day and then, to your humidor in order to protect your cigars from the shock of sudden temperature change. Before you put the cigars back in your humidor, clean the insides of your humidor with a cotton towel wetted with distilled water.

8. Mahogany or Spanish Cedar

The inside of your Dovetail Designs Humidor is lined with Spanish Cedar. Some humidors come lined with Mahogany. Spanish cedar imparts some flavor, but more important, is the fact that bugs hate Spanish Cedar and that is why the best cigars in the world come in Spanish Cedar boxes. That is why I use Spanish Cedar.

9. Cleaning your Dovetail Designs Humidor.

Using a clean cotton towel gently wipe the outer surface of the humidor. For the inside cleaning, wet a clean cotton towel with distilled water and gently wipe. No need to use any type of furniture polish. Your humidor has a hand rubbed oil finish that is very durable.

WARNING: Warping of Your Humidor Lid

Dovetail Designs stands behind its humidors and if a Dovetail Designs Humidor has any manufacturing defect, I will repair it at no charge. However, if the lid of the humidor warps, Dovetail Designs will not cover the warped lid. 

Very important

In order to prevent the lid of the humidor from warping; do not place the humidor under direct sunlight or track/spot lighting. Moreover, if your humidor experiences dramatic temperature changes, the lid of the humidor will also warp. During the winter months, you must not keep your humidor next to heater and during the summer months, prevent your humidor from being exposed to extreme sunlight. A sudden change in the environment is the main cause for lid warpage.

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