My cigars are overhumidified. What can I do to restore the humidor to optimal conditions? Can the cigars be saved?

A. In most cases, the cigars can be saved. Overhumidification is a problem, especially prevalent during summer or in warmer, more sultry climates. But there are ways to combat it, and to ensure that your humidor stays in top shape year-round.
Adding cedar strips to the humidor—you’ll find these in many cigar boxes—will help maintain optimum moisture levels. Put a strip or two on the bottom of the humidor, a strip in the middle, and another on top, and you’ll watch the humidity reading drop as the cedar absorbs the humidor’s extra moisture. Just keep an eye on the cigars, and add or remove cedar until you’ve reached the desired humidification.

The one thing you should not do is simply leave the lid of the humidor open—this can lead to wild fluctuations in humidity, and turn cigars that are too moist into dried-out cigars in a short time. Another thing to consider is the number of cigars in your humidor; if you have a very large box containing few cigars, the smokes may absorb more than their proper share of humidity.

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