Expert: James Yee - 11/28/2007

Question
i was recently give a box of Cohiba's as a gift, but do not have a humidor.  is there an alternative for storing?

Answer
Hi Tammy,

What I recommend is that you keep your box of cigars in a "humi-pouch". Humi-pouches are basically thick Ziploc-style bags with a humidified lining built into the layers of plastic.  They're intended for travel and short-term cigar storage and once the seal on the bag is broken, they can properly maintain your cigars for 3 months (90 days) straight.  Humi-pouches are available at any reputable tobacconist/cigar shop and come in a variety of sizes.  They usually cost anywhere from $5 to $15 a bag and can accommodate anything from a few cigars to whole boxes.

Alternatively, you can also fabricate a makeshift humidor using a brand new (and clean) Tupperware container.  Simply line a large Tupperware container with natural Spanish cedar and add a humidification device to produce humidity and a hygrometer to properly read the humidity level.  Tupperware containers are almost air-tight so you would need to vent the container periodically to prevent over-humidification.  The humidification element and hygrometer are available at most tobacconists/cigar shops and low-end models would most likely cost around $10 each.  Spanish cedar can also be found at most tobacconists and most stores will even give you the cedar for free (or charge very little for it) as the cedar are usually leftover scraps from empty cigar boxes.

While these storage containers/makeshift humidors (or “tupperdors” as most people prefer to call them) can last longer than a humi-pouch, they will require more maintenance than a humi-pouch.  Like a real humidor, a tupperdor would require constant supervision and maintenance on a weekly basis.  Humi-pouches however, eliminate the maintenance and guesswork that comes with maintaining a humidor/tupperdor.

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

Regards,
James