Expert: James Yee - 9/29/2008

Question
Hi James,
        For the past 2 years when I travel I find myself buying Cuban cigars to bring home to keep for special occasions. I love the taste and just got back from vacation with 4 Montecristo No.2. I've just know decided to google how to keep Cuban cigars fresh and came across your name. You seem to know your stuff so my question is for a beginner smoker/collector what is your choice for affordable humidors and some good tips. In the past my Cohibas are dry when I'm ready to smoke them and its a waste of a good cigar. Sorry I've waited so long to try and fix this problem, but I don't see myself changing my mind about Cuban cigars.
                    Thanks for your help,
                          Travis

Answer
Hi Travis,

If you frequently purchase cigars or prefer to save your cigars for special occasions, it's best to invest in a humidor.  A humidor will keep your cigars safe and humidified and if properly maintained, you can keep your cigars preserved almost indefinitely.  A humidor also helps your cigars age nicely which can add richer and more defined flavours to your premium cigars.  (A big plus since you like Cuban cigars.) ;)

For humidors, there are literally hundreds of different styles and designs so my best recommendation is that you visit your local cigar store and find a humidor design that you like and at a reasonable price that you feel comfortable spending.  A good beginner humidor can cost anywhere between $100-$200 while more high-end, designer humidors may cost in upwards of $2,000 and higher.  Inexpensive humidors around the $10-$50 price range usually lack quality and are poorly mass-produced which can negatively affect your cigar collection.  Avoid these humidors at all cost.

When buying a humidor, you don't need to splurge for the absolute best but it's important that you still buy a moderately priced and well-constructed humidor to protect your cigar collection.  Examine the humidors at your local cigar store and look for a strong, sturdy humidor with a heavy lid that produces a good "vacuum seal" when you close it.  Be sure to also examine the corner joints and humidor lid and watch out for gaps or imperfections in the seam that may cause humidity to leak out.  Humidors that have a glass-top inlay or door must also have a good seal to prevent humidity from seeping out at the edges.

It's also important that your humidor has three crucial elements.  First, the interior wood should be made from Spanish cedar.  While a humidor without Spanish cedar can still function, Spanish cedar is more ideal because it helps absorb and regulate humidity more properly and prevents erratic performance.  The scent and natural oils of the Spanish cedar wood also encourages your cigars to age nicely and prevents bug infestations and wood rot.  Second, the humidor should be of adequate size.  Determine how many cigars you purchase in a year and purchase a humidor that can accommodate that amount plus have a bit more room to spare (in case you expand your collection).  Finally, the humidor should be relatively simple or traditional in design.  The most common humidor design is a traditional box with a hinged lid and maybe one or two trays.  Avoid novelty humidors or humidors with complex compartments, excessive mechanisms or gimmicks as these humidors are usually more trouble to maintain than anything else.

Most humidors will include a humidification device (usually an aquafoam core) and an analog hygrometer.  When buying your humidor, make sure that it comes with these two items.  If not, you will have to buy them separately.  These two devices are extremely crucial at maintaining your cigars.  You may want to upgrade to a digital hygrometer as they are more accurate at measuring humidity.  For a desktop humidor, a passive, aquafoam-based humidifier is fine but if/when you upgrade to a larger, commercial-sized humidor (such as a cabinet), you will need to upgrade to an electronically controlled humidification device.

After you've bought your humidor, you will need to season it.  Seasoning will help prepare the interior wood and allow it to function properly.  Some high-end humidors are factory seasoned and ready to use but most aren't so check any documentation that came with your humidor.  (Seasoning instructions are a bit long so when it's time to season your new humidor, check my question archive for seasoning instructions or feel free to just email me and I will gladly repost seasoning instructions for you.)

Once your humidor is fully seasoned and ready to be used, it will need 100% distilled water in the humidification device so be sure to refill (“recharge”) the humidification device when needed.  When the humidification device looks and feels dry and the humidity level begins to drop, add more distilled water.  (Use only distilled water and nothing else.)  It is also important that you constantly monitor the humidity level with the hygrometer.  The ideal environment for your cigars is 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 70% humidity.  If the temperature is too high (greater than 74%), tobacco beetles may appear and ruin your cigars.  If the humidity is too low (less than 67%), the cigaras may feel too dry and burn too quickly (and be more susceptible to physical damage).  If the humidity is too high (greater than 74% humidity), cigar mold will appear and the cigars may feel too soft or soggy.  70% humidity and 70 degrees Fahrenheit is considered optimal.

Hopes this answers your question.  I know my reply is a bit long but it should help you get started.  If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James

P.S. – I must mention this:  Until you purchase your humidor, it’s best to keep your cigars in a properly maintained environment.  What most cigar smokers use is something called a humi-pouch.  These are Ziploc-style baggies with humidified linings built into the membrane of the plastic.  They’re intended for short-term cigar storage and travel and can keep your cigars properly maintained (with minimal maintenance) for up to 3 months.  Just put your cigars in the bag and you don’t have to worry about them for 3 months.  After 3 months, you will need to replace the bag or relocate your cigars to your humidor.  These humi-pouches are perfect for you to store your cigars in until you purchase a humidor.  They’re available at most cigar stores and are available in a variety of sizes.  Depending on the size, they usually have a price between $5-$15 per bag.