Maintenance Instructions for Prometheus Humidor, Optima and SCS

1. Storage of Cigars

Your cigars will taste best if they are kept in the environment which provides Relative Humidity range of 68 - 70% and temperature range of 68 - 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 - 21 degrees Celsius). If your cigars go through harsh temperature and humidity variations, they will lose their flavor. Prometheus humidors equipped with a Prometheus Optima humidifier provide an optimally controlled environment (Relative Humidity of 68% - 70%) for your priceless cigars.

2. Relative Humidity

The Relative Humidity (RH) is defined as the amount of moisture in the atmosphere in comparison with that at 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 degrees Celsius (68 degrees 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 70%, 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 68% - 70%?

In common with many organic substances, cigars dry out in the absence of humidity in the air, or absorb moisture when air humidity is high. They establish equilibrium with the surrounding humidity. A dry cigar burns too quickly. The temperature at which burning occurs is too high because it is not tempered by the natural moisture of the cigar. The
smoke is hot and bitter, and the cigar becomes harsh. In contrast, a damp cigar does not burn easily. It becomes difficult to draw.

For a pleasant smoke, a cigar should contain a certain amount of moisture which corresponds to 13 - 14% of its total weight. When this is the moisture content, the cigars burn smoothly; and the draw is easy. The aroma of tobacco is fully developed while the irritating effect of the smoke is moderated by the humidity of the cigar itself. The ideal moisture content of a cigar (13 - 14%) corresponds to a Relative Humidity of 70%.

4. How to Create and Maintain a Constant Relative Humidity of 68% - 70%?

If you place a water reservoir inside the humidor, the water will evaporate right away. 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 short period of time. However, as you open and close the humidor, the humidity inside the humidor will disappear rapidly. This means that your cigars will dry up shortly after all water in the reservoir has completely evaporated.

In the above environment, your cigars will go through sudden humidity change. Many humidors come with a humidifier containing a foam, which soaks up water and lets its water evaporate rapidly just like the above water reservoir example.

Prometheus Optima humidifier comes pretreated with 1) a special chemical mixture including propylene glycol; and 2) distilled water. This special chemical mixture controls the evaporation of distilled water. The Prometheus Optima humidifier lets its water evaporate when the Relative Humidity falls below 68% - 70%.

Prometheus Optima humidifier, which is pretreated at our factory in France, comes sealed to preserve its pretreatment. Please do not break its seal until you are ready to use it. Once you open the seal, you just have to fill it with distilled water and your Prometheus Optima humidifier is ready to be used.

Also, a Special Care Solution has been developed by our laboratory to ensure proper performance of the Prometheus Optima humidifier. This solution regenerates the special chemical mixture.

We advise you to treat your Prometheus Optima humidifier with our Special Care Solution (Prometheus SCS) once every six months so that your Prometheus Optima will continuously deliver controlled evaporation of distilled water. You can purchase Prometheus SCS at premium tobacco shops worldwide.

5. Prometheus Optima and How to Maintain Proper Humidity inside Humidor?

By adding distilled water to the Prometheus Optima humidifier periodically, you can maintain the Relative Humidity of 68% - 70%. Under normal use, your Prometheus Optima humidifier should be refilled with distilled water approximately once every month. Make sure to use distilled water only so that no bacteria will develop inside your humidor.

When you set up your Prometheus humidor for the first time, you might have to refill your Prometheus Optima humidifier more than once a month because the inside veneer of a new humidor is quite dry. In addition, you might want to wet a paper or cotton towel with distilled water and gently press it against the inside surface of your new Prometheus humidor. Do not rub the wet paper or cotton towel harshly against the inside surface. This will damage
the inside veneer of your Prometheus humidor.

In setting up your new humidor, do not shock your new humidor by overhumidifying it in order to get the humidity level up quickly. This might damage your humidor and the lid might warp. It usually takes about a week to achieve the ideal humidity level in your new humidor.

6. Hygrometer

The hygrometer will enable you to determine whether you need to refill your humidifier.

Many years ago, the old models of Prometheus humidors came with an analog hygrometer (the kind with a needle and a dial). The analog hygrometer does not accurately measure the humidity level. Consequently, starting in 2001, Prometheus has begun offering its humidors with a complementary digital hygrometer/thermometer whose
measurement of humidity is more accurate.

You can purchase a Prometheus digital hygrometer/thermometer at premium tobacco shops near you or contact us.

The instruction on how to use the Prometheus digital hygrometer/thermometer is enclosed inside the packaging box, or visit our website: www.prometheuskkp.com

Please note that digital hygrometers have a margin of error of +/-3%. The best way to determine how well cigars are humidified inside the humidor is to monitor your cigars regularly, and feel and smoke them.

7. Tobacco Beetles

When the humidity inside of your humidor falls below the ideal Relative Humidity range of 68% - 70%,please refill Prometheus Optima humidifier with distilled water (about once a month).

During the humid summertime, the humidity inside your humidor can go up significantly. If the humidity goes higher than 70%, leave the humidor lid open until the inside humidity goes down.

In addition, please make sure that your humidor is kept in the temperature range of 68 - 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 - 21 degrees Celsius).

During the winter months, do not put your Prometheus humidor next to a heater. During the summer months, try to keep your Prometheus humidor in an air-conditioned room which maintains a temperature range of 68°F - 70°F (20°C - 21°C).

If the humidity and temperature of your humidor move above the ideal range (68% - 70% and 68°F - 70°F), tobacco beetles, which exist in larvae form inside of tobacco leaves, can hatch. If the outbreak of tobacco beetles occurs, you will find your cigars with circular pinholes. This is the evidence of tobacco beetle infestation. In two days, the fullfledged beetle infestation can destroy every cigar in your humidor.

In the first place, you must prevent the inside environment of your humidors from getting too moist or too hot by keeping it in the ideal range (68% - 70% and 20°C - 21°C).

If beetle infestation occurs, discard all of your cigars with the circular pinholes and put the ones without the pinholes in a sealed plastic bag. Then place them in the freezer for 72 hours in order to kill the tobacco beetles and their larvae.

After 72 hours, move the cigars to the refrigerator for one day, and then back to your humidor. This extra step will protect your cigars from the shock of sudden temperature change.

Before you put the cigars back in your humidor, clean the inside of your humidor with a paper or cotton towel dampened with distilled water.

8. Mahogany or Spanish Cedar

The inside veneer of Prometheus humidor is mahogany. Some humidors come lined with Spanish cedar. We have chosen mahogany because it will not affect the flavor of your cigars, whereas Spanish cedar will give your cigars a cedar taste and aroma. Also, Spanish cedar can bleed sap but mahogany does not.

9. Cleaning of Prometheus Humidor

To clean the inside of your humidor,wet a clean cotton or paper towel with distilled water and gently wipe the inside of the humidor. If you would like to remove fingerprints or stains on the inside mahogany veneer, use fine grit and paper and gently rub it sideways along the grain of the veneer but not against.

If you own a Prometheus humidor with glossy finish, we recommend you to clean the outer surface with rubbing alcohol. If your Prometheus humidor has a satin finish, use a clean cotton towel and gently wipe the outer surface. You must not use rubbing alcohol or any cleaning solution in cleaning the satin finished humidors.

WARNING: Warping of Your Humidor Lid
Prometheus stands behind its humidors and if a Prometheus humidor has any manufacturing defect, Prometheus will repair it at no charge according to its warranty. However, if the lid of the humidor warps due to improper maintenance by its dealers or consumers, the warped lid will not be covered by Prometheus Humidor Warranty. 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.