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Several basic questions from a complete beginner..

Starflyte

Starflyte

Banned
Joined
Jun 19, 2012
Messages
17
Hello everyone,

So I am a first time home-buyer as of December, and now that I have a condo with a balcony and a view, I decided to pursue the delights of a cigar every now and then, to go with a drink. I have had a few cigars in the past, and the times when I purchased from a lounge, I really enjoyed them. Now I am purchasing cigars on my own, and have already accumulated a sampler pack, as well as a few singles. I was looking at some package deal that included a humidor, and so I decided to research humidors, and well here I am...

I perused the first page of threads, but didn't find these specific answers, so I hope you won't mind if I ask the following:

1) Am I ok in starting out with a basic humidor, the kind that go for around 30 bucks, with the humidity gauge on top?
2) Do I take the cigars out of the plastic, when storing in a humidor? If so, do different cigars rub off on one another, and ruin their distinct scents (or maybe it enhances them)?
3) If I get a humidor, and that liquid stuff to put in it, am I good to go? In other words, is it easy to store them, or is this something that will be difficult?
4) Lastly, does storing them greatly enhance their flavor? Oh yeah, and can you store flavored cigars, along with regular cigars?


Thank you very much for your patience.
 
Starflyte said:
Hello everyone,

So I am a first time home-buyer as of December, and now that I have a condo with a balcony and a view, I decided to pursue the delights of a cigar every now and then, to go with a drink. I have had a few cigars in the past, and the times when I purchased from a lounge, I really enjoyed them. Now I am purchasing cigars on my own, and have already accumulated a sampler pack, as well as a few singles. I was looking at some package deal that included a humidor, and so I decided to research humidors, and well here I am...

I perused the first page of threads, but didn't find these specific answers, so I hope you won't mind if I ask the following:

1) Am I ok in starting out with a basic humidor, the kind that go for around 30 bucks, with the humidity gauge on top?
2) Do I take the cigars out of the plastic, when storing in a humidor? If so, do different cigars rub off on one another, and ruin their distinct scents (or maybe it enhances them)?
3) If I get a humidor, and that liquid stuff to put in it, am I good to go? In other words, is it easy to store them, or is this something that will be difficult?
4) Lastly, does storing them greatly enhance their flavor? Oh yeah, and can you store flavored cigars, along with regular cigars?


Thank you very much for your patience.
Click to expand...

1. No. Get something decent with a good seal. Quality Importers humidors are some of the best ones made that are affordable. The analog gauge is often inaccurate, so invest in a $20 digital hygrometer that allows you to calibrate it. Or, just save yourself the time now and build a coolidor.

2. This is debatable. Over the many years that I've been smoking cigars, I have concluded that it's best to leave the wrapper on. It will protect the cigar.

3. No. Invest in a Puck. Google "cigar puck". Or, get some RH beads.

4. Cigars will become more mild over time the longer you store them. NO, do not store flavored cigars with un-flavored cigars. They will marry, and take on each others natural and un-natural flavors. Keep the flavored stuff away from the regular stuff.

Hope this helps...
 
My man, you've been blessed by the gods, the man, the legend, his majesty himself has personally taken time to answer your questions. I'm feeling a little weak in the knees, being in his presence.
 
wkoti said:
My man, you've been blessed by the gods, the man, the legend, his majesty himself has personally taken time to answer your questions. I'm feeling a little weak in the knees, being in his presence.
Click to expand...

:laugh: This should just be the pinned thread that everyone can be directed to when they come in and ask this set of questions. Starflyte, a general rule of thumb is that there is TONS of information beyond the first page of threads. I mean tons. Sometimes its a good idea to click to the very last page of the forum and start reading from there. 12 years (+/-) worth of threads and knowledge have been stored up for this very reason. Read read read read, oh and read. Best of luck with your humi start up! Welcome to the slow downward spiral of the cigar hobby! :laugh:
 
Nobody mentioned yet, but if you decide to hang out here for a period of time, your going to need a cooler-dor http://www.cigarpass.com/forumsipb/topic/13217-cooler-dor-101/
 
Hey thanks so much for the feedback so far..

As someone who works full time, and going to school at night, amongst other things, I will confess openly that I am discouraged to read that this is going to be difficult. I don't mean to be a party-pooper, but I'm a little bummed to hear that it's not going to be a simple process. There is no way in heck I am going to be able to research how to "build my own". :(
 
Difficult...?? Not hardly;

- Buy a cooler. Get one that has a nice tight fitting lid.
- Wash it out with very hot water.
- Get some humidity control beads and a decent digital hygrometer.
- While the cooler is air drying, do a salt test on the hygro to make sure it's calibrated.
- Put the beads and hygo in the cooler.
- Shut the lid.
- Add cigars (you'll have to open the lid to add the cigars. Close it when you are done).

.....done.
 
You're talking about a big cooler, like the kind you take to a picnic? And why is a cooler necessary? Are you saying that these wooden humidors don't work?

Aye carrumba.

Nevermind folks. I changed my mind. My bad. I don't mean to take up space in y'alls forum. I had no idea this would be such a difficult "hobby".
Maybe it's for the best though, as cigars aren't that healthy anyways. I'll probably just smoke a cigar once every blue moon, where I don't have to worry about "hydrometers", and "beads", and "humidors", and monitoring gauges, etc.... I'm on summer break right now, but once school kicks back in, the last thing I need is something else to worry about, especially if it's going to involve a lot of money if I don't do it right.
 
You should read through the humidor section a little first. You won't get all your answers in one day. Start slow and enjoy the hobby. Wooden humidors work great but for the amount of cigars most of us have we aren't about to go buy a 2-3,000 dollar humidor when we can use a marine cooler for a fraction of the price and spend that extra money on cigars. Wine coolers work just the same, etc...I started off with a cheap desktop humidor and graduated to a cooler. It's all up to you.
 
...and make sure you check to see that your humidor is level, so that all the flavors don't spill out.
 
Starflyte said:
You're talking about a big cooler, like the kind you take to a picnic? And why is a cooler necessary? Are you saying that these wooden humidors don't work?

Aye carrumba.

Nevermind folks. I changed my mind. My bad. I don't mean to take up space in y'alls forum. I had no idea this would be such a difficult "hobby".
Maybe it's for the best though, as cigars aren't that healthy anyways. I'll probably just smoke a cigar once every blue moon, where I don't have to worry about "hydrometers", and "beads", and "humidors", and monitoring gauges, etc.... I'm on summer break right now, but once school kicks back in, the last thing I need is something else to worry about, especially if it's going to involve a lot of money if I don't do it right.
Click to expand...

Exactly!

If you do it right, it wont be a lot of money. Also, the cooler method is virtually maintenance free. I set mine up last year and I've only had to rehydrate my beads twice since then, and even then it's only lightly spraying them with a spray bottle of distilled water. As BBS said, not difficult at all.

A cooler isn't necessary, but it is a lot easier to maintain than a cedar humi once it is set up. Although, for most of us here, they have become necessary due to the excessive amounts of cigars we acquire!

But...perhaps this isn't the best way to go for you yet, especially if you're not planning on smoking a cigar more than a few times a year. No problem with that, really. Everyone approaches the hobby differently. I personally think you just need to take a deep breath, relax, don't stress about it (it is summer break after all!) and do a little research in this forum. You'll be amazed at how easy and effective it is to set things up the right way. :thumbs:
 
Wkoti, you noticed that also! I just started to read and was thunderstruck by seeing the second reply from the Shiek, the Kama of Sutra, the benovelent master.

Leaves me in awe!
 
Heres what I would do if I was a newbie, but know what I know now.

If storing 50 or less cigars, I would go to Walmart or wherever, and get a decent size "lock-n-lock" tupperware size container. You want something with a good seal. Next, I would buy a 65% Boveda. Then, I would see if I could get a few pieces of the thin spanish cedar sheets that are used as dividers in cigar boxes. That would be it.

I would not have to worry about a cheap humidor leaking humidity, I would not have to worry about refilling a humidifier, and I would not need a hygrometer. The Boveda should last about 2 years, and you just replace it when it dries up.
 
You're not really going to give up that easy, are you? This isn't difficult. You can setup a coolidor in 5 min.
 
Really, it's a piece of cake. If you're just smoking infrequently, get a humipack or a tupperdor and a tube of beads.

If you decide you like it and want to smoke more often, get a decent humidor with a good seal, and a tube of beads.

If you decide you really like it and want to start spending on acquiring boxes and fivers and whatnot, get a coolidor.

None of this is difficult, and none of it is onerously expensive. Smoke happy!

~Boar
 
I'll second this method. If you're just starting out, and don't smoke very frequently, this is the best and most cost effective method. You'll get the hang of very basic humidor needs, and if you decide cigar smoking is something you really enjoy and want to pursue, you can always go the cooler route later on.

Edit: I guess I'll "third" it, since it seems NANP had pretty much the same to say.

ronc said:
Heres what I would do if I was a newbie, but know what I know now.

If storing 50 or less cigars, I would go to Walmart or wherever, and get a decent size "lock-n-lock" tupperware size container. You want something with a good seal. Next, I would buy a 65% Boveda. Then, I would see if I could get a few pieces of the thin spanish cedar sheets that are used as dividers in cigar boxes. That would be it.

I would not have to worry about a cheap humidor leaking humidity, I would not have to worry about refilling a humidifier, and I would not need a hygrometer. The Boveda should last about 2 years, and you just replace it when it dries up.
Click to expand...
 
Go the Tupperware route. It's like a mini cooler, easier, and cheaper than a desktop humidor.
 
I would just throw my arms up and quit personally. I would probably do the same thing when something "difficult" pops up with your condo, car, job, etc. If you can't be bothered to spend 15 minutes, and $40 buck on your new hobby without being overwhelmed, maybe cigars (and life in general) are not for you.

Aye carrumba!
 
How long did it take you to smoke the last cigar you bought? Do this to go the store for food, buy a good tupperware container. Then when you get home sit down and light one up. While your smoking it use your laptop to buy a boveda pack. This way your multitasking. Once it comes in the mail sit down and burn another one and open the tupperware and put in the pack.

If you don't have 15 minutes to set it up, you certainly don't have enough time to smoke one.
 
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