New to cigars and to collecting.

[tollickd]

Hi all,

Fist my name is Daniel I live in Cyprus!

I am starting collecting cigars/smoking I have many questions and hope you guy might be able to help (sorry if these questions have been asked before).

I have a old cooler in the attic never used I am thining of using this to make my own coolidor.

Now for the questions:

1/ I see alot of people use plastic zip bags for the cigars is it ok to do and do you need to seal them or keep them open to the air?

2/ Because i live in a hot place the temp may be a pain i see some people use the ice blocks in the coolidor do they help?

3/ I also see people use the old empy boxes to store single cigars, so do i need to line the coolidor with the wood if i keep them in the boxes?

Hope you can help with this


daniel

 

[CoventryCat86]

Welcome Daniel.

1. I don't understand your question, do you mean keeping the cigars in plastic bags inside of the cooler or outside the cooler?
2. I've never heard of that I would strongly advise against doing that.
3. No. I think lining a cooler with wood is a complete waste of time as it accomplishes almost nothing.

 

[Dickson]

First welcome.

Hey CC,

Care to embelish on answer number three. I have been collecting spanish cedar to do just this. Wouldn't it at least enhance the flavor?

Thanks

 

[Jack Straw]

Welcome from sunny SC!

 

[Ginseng]

Hi Daniel and welcome to CigarPass! Please visit this forum to introduce yourself to the community.

Let me share my perspective on your three questions. There will be many different viewpoints so select that which seems most reasonable to you.

1. People who use plastic Ziploc bags typically do so for longer term storage. When doing so, most would keep the seal closed. This is because the type of plastic used is reasonably transparent to oxygen and moisture vapor so will still allow the cigars to "breathe" while protecting them from large changes in conditions (such as when you open a cooler). Always allow the box or cigars to come to equilibrium within the cooler before you enclose them in a Ziploc.

2. I have heard that some folks use sealed freezer gel packs on top of their coolers during the hot season. This sounds like a reasonable idea although I have not done it. If I were to do it, I'd put them in a shallow pan or tray so the condensation does not drip into the lid of your cooler. If the room you intend to keep the cooler in is warm year-round, you might consider moving it to another room entirely.

3. You don't necessarily need to line the inside of the cooler with cedar or any other kind of suitable wood. However, many folks end up putting extra pieces of cedar in there anyway. It might add a little to the nice smell, but if you're storing boxes, you probably would not notice it. The best reason I know of to have extra wood in there is to provide a little extra material to absorb or release moisture as temperature changes or as you add/remove boxes. I always store loose sticks in spare cab boxes just because it's convenient.

Also, if this is a cooler that has been unused for a long period of time, it may smell stinky inside. I would use a combination of dish detergent and baking soda and warm water to clean it out before using it to store cigars.

Best,
Wilkey

 

[BobbyRitz]

Great answer Wilkey.

Welcome to CP Daniel. It's a great site with volumes of useful information. I search the site on a daily basis as I'm generally new to cigars as well.



Rob

 

[BlindedByScience]

....3. You don't necessarily need to line the inside of the cooler with cedar or any other kind of suitable wood. However, many folks end up putting extra pieces of cedar in there anyway. It might add a little to the nice smell, but if you're storing boxes, you probably would not notice it. The best reason I know of to have extra wood in there is to provide a little extra material to absorb or release moisture as temperature changes or as you add/remove boxes. I always store loose sticks in spare cab boxes just because it's convenient....
Best,
Wilkey

Good comments from Wilkey.

I have three coolers up and running and have never felt lining them would accomplish anything other than to take up space that could be better used to store cigars. I keep all my cigars in boxes. Empty boxes get used for singles / fivers / etc. A bag of Viper's beads and a hygro complete the environment.

Regards - B.B.S.

 

[ThankYouForNotSmoking]

First welcome.

Hey CC,

Care to embelish on answer number three. I have been collecting spanish cedar to do just this. Wouldn't it at least enhance the flavor?

Thanks

Well, answering for CC, assuming you keep your cigars in boxes, the penetration of the spanish cedar odor would be minimal. If you do keep singles, it might help a little - but very, very little. Some cigars the blenders recommend not aging with too much cedar because it'll overpower the other flavor notes in the cigar (ie. Tatuaje Maravillas were recommended to be aged in their foil, not in the cedar box). The only other advantage I can think of is the the cedar would absorb moisture and help stabilize the humidity, but even then, that's minimal as well.

It's not that lining the cooler will do nothing, it's that it'll do next to nothing, be a hassle and, like BBS said, take up precious cigar room (not to mention, waste precious cigar smoking time).

 

[tollickd]

cheers guys for all the replies. I am working overtime in work this weekend I will be going to my local LCDH at the end of the month.

At the momment I have a 50 cigar humidor with:

1 Bolivar bonitas
1 Partagas Petit Coronas Especiales
1 Romeo y Julieta Cedros De Luxe No.2
1 Romeo y Julieta No.2 Tubos

and I did have a San Cristobal El Principe but I smoked it on new years.


daniel

 

[Dickson]

Daniel,

That 50 will shrink in no time.

TYFNS,

Thanks.

 

[tollickd]

Yep, thats why I am planning a coolidor, also i am getting about 10+ single cigars when i get paid, well may be 11 one to have in the office while i work.

as long as the boss is ok with it


daniel