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Humidor/Cigar recommendations

Vegan702

Vegan702

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Just recently (last 1 year) been smoking cigars. I usually just buy some at the club or at the local shop if I know I am going to have one, but I want to start stocking up on them for at the house and to save the cash from the mark up at the club. I am looking for a humidor that can sit on top of my ent. center which is made of cherry. I would like it to match if possible and is not too large (25-50 or so cigars). I have looked around ebay and other sites and they all appear to be about $35-$100.

1. Is there anything special I should be looking for?
2. Since I am in the desert with very low relative humidity are there other issues that come up that I need to adjust for?
3. What is a good travel case for say 5 or less that I can use for my golf bag and short trips?
4. Finally, I usually just go with suggestions from the store clerk, but any good recommendations on must haves to keep on hand?
 
1 – Find one that’s at least Spanish cedar lined. The finish isn’t as important, so long as the lid fits well, and there are no big gaps or air leaks
2 – Buy some “Relative Humidity” beads, and stick them in the toe of some pantyhose. I cracked open the floral foam humidity block that came with my humidor, and put the RH beads in there. I wet them every few days. Pony up for a good digital hygrometer. You can buy a kit from Heartfelt, and get beads from them as well. I keep all my cigars at 65% RH. 70% is too wet for many Nicaraguan and CC’s, which causes burn issues and splitting.
3 – Travel case, this is a personal choice. I like the Pelican offerings, and the Xikar. I have an older Cigar Caddy 10ct carrier, which I’ve carried for years, and it’s still going strong.
4 – That question is completely up to you. We need to know more about what kind of cigars you like (flavor profile, shape, origin, etc) to make any real good suggestions. I used to smoke a ton of Connecticut and Cameroons, now I smoke more Nicaraguan, Corojo and Sumatra wrapped sticks.
 
I can't add anything that Gummi hasn't written previously. However, you may want to subscribe to a cigar site (Herfers Paradise is one that comes to mind), where the forums and threads are mostly cigar related, and on-line cigar deals are posted.

They also have a "newbie sampler pack" thread where the FOG's will send you a selection of cigars from their personal stash if you tell them how much you are willing to spend. I've found that you get WAY MORE than you paid for if you go that route! These guys are VERY GENEROUS.

Good luck with finding the humidor and with your continued cigar smoking enjoyment.
 
Gummi answered them all pretty well. I would add for your last question buy some different kinds and try them out before buying a whole bunch of one type of cigar. Its kinda like finding a driver you like, try a bunch and go with what you like best. I went to the cigar store today and bought 3 Toranos and a Fuente reserva Xtra Viejo. These are all a bit stonger cigar. I have found that I like a lighter smoke earlier in the day and then increase them in strength through out the day.
 
What is your take on the Cigar Oasis or Hydra devices? Do they work as advertised and worth the $80-$100?
 
In a humi that small, an active humidifier is way overkill (they're designed for something with several cubic feet of capacity, like a cabinet or wine fridge)

The beads are rock solid. A tube like this: Humidor Humidity Beads, Heartfelt Humidity Beads would be more than enough to keep a desktop humi in perfect condition. The beads only require a spritz of water when you notice the humidity dropping.

This Adjustable Hygrometer - Thermometer from Heartfelt Industries is the hygrometer that I have in my humidor. It's pretty awesome. Go ahead and pony up the extra $2.25 for the calibration kit, and follow the instructions to the letter.

I check my humidor at least once a week, just to make sure that the humidity level is in good shape, and I also monitor the temperature to make sure that it's acceptable. During the winter months here, and the extreme summer, I have to add moisture to the beads more often than during other parts of the year. You'll have to add moisture to yours maybe once a month or so I would think.
 
Ordered those up. Funny thing is they are located in the same town as my parents. They must run their business from their home. Now to find a humidor.
 
I bought a cheap one for my first humidor and after it ruin a bunch of cigars, I finally invested the money in a good humi. I didn't break the bank by any stretch but I am so happy with a better quality humi.
 
If you haven't bought that humidor yet. I read somewhere that you should lift the lid a couple of inches and let it drop. A well sealed humidor will not slam as it closes due to the air trapped inside. It should not bind though. I bought my first off Ebay and couldn't keep the humidity uniform. Spent a bit more money at a local shop.

Now if I could just find some variety locally. We might have Cubans but whenever I am in the US I find a much greater choice to smoke, and cheaper too.
 
royalwulff said:
I bought a cheap one for my first humidor and after it ruin a bunch of cigars, I finally invested the money in a good humi. I didn't break the bank by any stretch but I am so happy with a better quality humi.
Click to expand...


I could not agree more. I am now on my third humidor - progressively getting better quality and bigger size as the collection grows. A 50 cigar humidor is a good starter. My advice is to really research it. Buying the cheapest humidor should not be the goal so much as buying the best one at a certain price point. Read reviews, a lot of them. As said previously, Spanish cedar lined humidors are mandatory, and a good fit. It should feel solid and the lid should fit snugly. I found that the floral foam humidifiers dry out too quickly for my environment. So I bought a great device (forgot the name, but can look it up later if you want) that has a reservoir for water and it feeds the foam over an extended period of time. It lasts for several weeks.
When you get your humidor, you will want to prep it prior to putting in all of your prized cigars. The cedar lining will be dry, and if you put cigars in it, it will extract all of the moisture out of the cigars. This prepping process is called peppering. You simply wipe down all of the cedar lined surfaces with water, and begin humidifying it. Wait a day or two until your hygrometer measures that there is a steady and consistent humidity of 65-70%. THEN, put your cigars in.
Lastly, I was instructed to use distilled water. Tap water is a dicey situation, particularly if you live somwhere with really hard water and a lot of minerals. Those flavors can be absorbed by the cigars. It may be overkill, but I always use distilled water. I buy it cheap for like a buck a gallon at the grocery store. Good luck!
 
I already outgrew my 120ct desktop that I bought when I started this thread and purchased a wine cooler to convert into cigar storage. In fact just got the ship email today. I've been a small spending spree over the last month or so. :)
 
Vegan702 said:
I already outgrew my 120ct desktop that I bought when I started this thread and purchased a wine cooler to convert into cigar storage. In fact just got the ship email today. I've been a small spending spree over the last month or so. :)
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Fun, isn't it?

If a wine cooler stores wine at 55-60* F, and cigars are best at 70* F, what happens to the cigars at wine cooler levels?
 
I don’t think a more expensive humidor will necessarily mean it’s any better. Important is that the cigars are kept at around 70% humidity. Experimenting is probably your best bet. I’ve got a small travel humidor at home which works fine for me. I would love to get a table humidor for my living room one day though. I’m sure that would impress the guests.
 
I have a custom built humidor from Waxing Moon Wood, run by a great guy named Ed, he'll make it exactly like you want it. Here's his website: http://www.waxingmoonhumidors.com/, mine is made from a very old American Wormy Chestnut board, it's very cool. And a great conversation piece. Gaze at my other baby:
OgAAAAhjRkRkWqm51i-wsGWqrAihQFjtWEggYD6aFoYKKPV4gfEByRyITG81iyJ-TXGGNMfJQy7S93CNaPp5cfmze5IA15jOjJG2rVGhdtxV0bbsBq0b8nJDLYUj
 
Been awhile since I posted this thread and alot of purchases since then. So much so, that I am in the process of converting a cloest in my office into a walkin humidor lol. I have a sickness that can't be cured. Will post a couple photos when completed, hopefully next weekend.

IceyShanks - I had Ed build me some drawers for my first vino, does an excellent job!
 
Glad you posted, I didn't want to be the one bringing this from the dead, but Icey, that is a gorgeous humidor... I don't smoke cigars as much as I used to but I still enjoy them. I'm a baby compared to you guys, I think my humidor only holds 25 - 30 cigars. I mainly smoke Cohiba's, but will experiment if I see one that is highly rated by Cigar Aficionado.

Geez, I need a bigger house with a cigar smoking man cave. Can't wait to see the pics of your walk-in humidor.
 
Cannot add much to the humidor or other parts but my favorite cigars are Punch brand and especially the Indian Larry from ACID cigars.
 
Here is a picture of the humidor almost complete. I have some touch ups to do like paint the door, trim wall switch plates, etc.

 
Holy cow, that looks amazing, you're going to be able to fit a lot of cigars in there!:clapp:
 
Good Deal on Padilla 68 Robusto - while supplies last

Good Deal on Padilla 68 Robusto - while supplies last

10 padilla 68 robustos for $15. Free s/h with two.

http://www.cigar.com/DailyDeal/ccCigarDeals.asp

They were out of stock earlier this morning, but I just ordered two, so they must have put a few more up for sale.
 
Ran out of snuff today at the office. Found a place nearby called The Tinder Box. Long story short, after an hour and a half in there, I bought my first cigar. I got a Macanudo Rothchild. The guy who owned the store said it would be a good "starter" cigar. Anyone have any comments/concerns about this cigar? Everything I read about them when I got back to the office said they were a great cigar. I am playing on Saturday and thought that would be a great time to give it a shot. I'm excited. Can't wait.
 
Vegan702 said:
Here is a picture of the humidor almost complete. I have some touch ups to do like paint the door, trim wall switch plates, etc.

Click to expand...

That awesome piece of work is going to take a fortune to fill!
 
Tbox said:
Ran out of snuff today at the office. Found a place nearby called The Tinder Box. Long story short, after an hour and a half in there, I bought my first cigar. I got a Macanudo Rothchild. The guy who owned the store said it would be a good "starter" cigar. Anyone have any comments/concerns about this cigar? Everything I read about them when I got back to the office said they were a great cigar. I am playing on Saturday and thought that would be a great time to give it a shot. I'm excited. Can't wait.
Click to expand...

Macanudo's are nice cigars, a good starter for sure. My buddies dad swears by Macanudo. Nice pickup, enjoy, the cigar and the round!
 
Is there an expiration date for cigars? How long could you store one in a good humidor and preserve the quality?

I have a 50 count that I received as a gift, but I can't keep the humidity high enough. It is very dry here though. I'm now looking for a higher quality 20 count, as I don't smoke that many cigars, especially in the winter. My local shop has these Lamborghini 20-count humidors, anyone know anything about them?
 
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