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Cigars/walk in humidor

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Expert: - 6/15/2008


Question
I am building a walk in humidor for a client of mine, and I am having a hard time finding the correct type of door to use. I know it needs to be air tight, but to what extent. It is going into a bar, so there will be alot of traffic in and out of the humidor. thanks for your help

Answer
Hi Matt,

It's perfectly fine if the door is not 100% airtight as the commercial humidification system inside the humidor room will constantly maintain the proper humidity and temperature levels.  Also, it's actually recommended that the walk-in humidor's door is NOT airtight because the room will need to vent hot air and circulate fresh air in order to keep the cigars properly maintained.  The normal gaps at the base of the door and around the frame are able to accomplish this so it's best to not make the door airtight.  (Having an airtight door can potentially cause the cigars to over-humidify and taste stale.)

Whatever type of door you choose, it must be resistant to moisture/swelling and metal fixtures such as the door hinges, door knobs, locking mechanism and screws should be brass or a treated metal that is rust proof.  Ideally, the door should have large glass panes so that the cigars inside the humidor are clearly visible by customers without having them to actually walk inside the humidor.  If the walk-in humidor is located near any windows or direct lighting, the glass panes should be treated for Ultra-Violet (UV) protection.

Hope this answers your question. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James

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James Yee

Expertise

My main area of expertise is Cuban cigars but I can also assist you with cigar etiquette, humidor maintenance and troubleshooting. Unsure of a certain cigar brand? Wondering what a certain cigar tastes like? Have any questions about Cuban cigars? Just let me know! I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. (NOTE: My main focus is on premium, hand-rolled cigars and not cheap, machine made, convenience store cigars.) IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE CIGAR OR CIGAR-RELATED APPRAISALS. If you have a vintage cigar item and you want to know if it's worth something, please contact an antique dealer that specializes in "TOBACCIANA".

Experience

I currently have 19 dedicated years of cigar smoking and counting. I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. For 5 years, I studied with Cuban torcedores (rollers), catadores (taste testers) and revisadores (inspectors) on every aspect involving the production of the Cuban cigar and I am currently writing a book that will help beginners understand everything they need to know about cigars and cigar smoking.

Publications
Maple Leaf Gardens: Memories & Dreams 1931-1999 (1999; ISBN: 0920445616)
50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do (2006; ISBN: 0452286654)
The [London] Times (October 8, 2009)


Education/Credentials
B.A. University of Toronto

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