& HumidorsOnline.co.uk C.Gars Limited Est. 1997 16-18 Kingsgate Place, London, NW6 4TA 0207 372 1865 www.cgarsltd.co.uk [email protected] Turmeaus Tobacconist Mayfair 1 White Horse Street, London W1J 7LB 0207 495 7330 [email protected] Whisky and Cigars by Robert Graham Ltd 4 Broadwell Parade, Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead, London NW6 3BQ 0207 624 3351 [email protected] Robert Graham Ltd 9 Sussex Street, Cambridge, CB1 1PA 01223 354 459 [email protected] Robert Graham Ltd Est. 1874 194A, Rose Street, Edinburgh EH2 4AZ 0131 226 1874 [email protected] Humidor Set up And Care Instructions Congratulations! You’ve purchased one of our excellent ranges of Humidors that will keep your Havana cigars in perfect condition for many years to come. Havana cigars mature like fine wines, in fact they will continue to improve for up to their first 15 years but they do need a little basic care. The humidifier in your humidor should be topped up either with humidification solution or distilled water (available from most petrol stations). Humidification solution is a mixture of distilled water, polyglycol and a mould inhibiter and will guarantee that your humidor is kept at 70% relative humidity (+/- 2%) Try to site your humidor in a location with a temperature, which never exceeds 70 F. The temperature range you are aiming for is between 66 F and 70 F. The relative humidity that you are aiming for is ideally 67–70 %. Robert Graham Global Whisky Shop 111 West George Street, Glasgow G2 1QX 0141 248 7283 [email protected] The Treasurer by Robert Graham Ltd Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8AA 0131 556 2791 [email protected] Turmeaus Tobacconist Est. 1817 32-34 Fenwick Street, Liverpool L2 7NB 0151 236 3802 [email protected] Turmeaus Tobacconist Est. 1817 34 Watergate Street, Chester CH1 2LA 01244 348 821 [email protected] C.Gars Ltd associate in Ireland Decent Cigar Emporium 46 Grafton Street,Dublin 2, Ireland +353 (1) 671 6451 [email protected] You should be able to use the humidor as soon as you add the water to the humidifier, there is no need to wait a few days. To test the condition of your cigars, press with the pad of your thumb just below the band of the cigar. The cigar should feel firm but springy if it is in good condition; if it feels hard and brittle then the cigar is under humidified. If it feels soft and spongy, then the cigar is over humidified. Havana cigars need fresh air! Be sure to open your humidor periodically and be sure to rotate the cigars, i.e. if you are not smoking regularly, at the end of each week put the cigars from the bottom layer of the humidor to the top layer of the humidor and so on. All our products are fully guaranteed for your total satisfaction, should you require any further help or guidance, we are available for your convenience 24 hours a day. Kindest regards, C.Gars Limited and HumidorsOnline Sales Team How to Calibrate your Hygrometer Adjusting After Calibration A hygrometer is an instrument used to measure relative humidity. If yours is the adjustable type, adjust the screw or setting so that it would have read 75 percent. You will have to do this very quickly, or remember how much you need to adjust the setting (e.g. if it read 72 percent when it should have been 75 percent, you would need to set it ahead by 3 percentage points). Relative humidity is a measure of how much water the air is holding, relative to the maximum amount of water the air could possibly hold at a given temperature. Because of the delicate design of hygrometers, it is easy for them to become inaccurate (e.g. with shipping or just over time). A simple method of calibrating your hygrometer will help ensure you are measuring the relative humidity as accurately as possible. Hygrometers should be calibrated yearly. Hygrometers are available in both digital and dial models, and both should be checked for calibration. Some dial types will have a small screw or adjustment on the back so you can adjust them after calibration. Tip: give a hygrometer about 2 hours to stabilize before taking a reading, as changes in the relative humidity may take a while to register accurately on a hygrometer. To calibrate a hygrometer you will need: 1/2 cup table salt approximately 1/4 cup water coffee cup hygrometer large re-sealable freezer bag Place 1/2 cup of salt in the coffee cup, and add the water. Stir for a bit to totally saturate the salt. The salt won’t dissolve in this amount of water; instead, the salt should have the consistency of wet sand. Carefully place the cup containing the salt/water mix in a re-sealable plastic bag. Place the hygrometer in the bag, away from the cup of salt and water. Note: make sure none of the salt/water mix comes in direct contact with the hygrometer, or the hygrometer may be damaged. Completely seal the bag. Place the sealed bag aside at room temperature for 8-12 hours. Pick a location free of drafts, out of direct sunlight, and away from heating or cooling vents. The temperature should be fairly constant. After being in the sealed bag for 8-12 hours, check the reading of the hygrometer. It is best to read it while still in the bag, since if your house air is dry the reading may go down quickly once you take the hygrometer out of the bag. The relative humidity in the sealed bag with the salt/water mix should be 75 percent. You may want to put the hygrometer back in the bag for another 8 hours to double check your adjustment. Remember: always give a hygrometer about 2 hours to stabilize before taking a reading, as changes in the relative humidity may take a while to register accurately on a hygrometer. FILLING THE HUMIDIFIER: Fill a cereal / soup bowl with distilled water or humidification solution. Immerse the humidifier into the bowl until it soaks up the maximum amount of water/solution. Remove humidifier. Wipe/shake off any access water/solution. Place humidifier back in your humidor. You can re-use any access solution to top up the humidifier when needed. Simply store it back in the original bottle.