Expert: James Yee - 8/24/2008

Question
Hi James,

First,Thanks for your previous answers.You've been a big help.

Now,I have a desktop wine cooler which takes 8 bottles of wine - so u know what its size is.

I am keeping my cigars in it on trays out of their boxes.
The walls are lined with spanish cedar take n out of cigar boxes.And I have humidity beans in there to keep them humidified.

My question is:  

As The cigars are in the cooler - open on trays - the coolers fan blows the cold air in - right on to the cigars.
Could that affect them in a bad way in taste or any other ways?
The humidity keepsjumping between 65- 76% - I noticed that when the fan cuts in the humidity moves...
But it stays between those mentioned numbers.
Also, the wine cooler is set on 18 Celsius degree so It should be OK.

But I still worried about the fan blowing the cold air on to the cigars.

If I kept them in their box they would not be properly humidified, would they?
Even if I left the lids slightly ajar....
That's what I think anyway.

Could you give me your opinion on this please?

Kind Regards,
Jan

Answer
Hi Jan,

Your cigars can still be stored in their original boxes.  Cigar boxes are not 100% airtight so there's no worry that your cigars won't be humidified properly.  (Storing the cigars in their original boxes can also protect the cigars from damage.)  

Having a fan blow air on to your cigars also won't affect your cigars.  A lot of humidors with electronic humidifiers actually use motorized fans to circulate the air and humidity inside the humidor.  This helps humidify your cigars evenly and cools the humidor environment so that tobacco beetles do not appear.  Your temperature is acceptable at 18 degrees Celcius but you should try to lower your humidity a little.  Prolonged exposure to 76% humidity is enough to cause mold to form.  The safe humidity range for cigars is 66%-74% humidity.

Hopes this answers your question. As always, if you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask.

Regards,
James