calling all cigar smokers

Okay, I have some cigars which I want to keep for sentimental reasons, but I don't want to pay $150 for a humidor (the cigars are not that expensive). What are some inexpensive ways to keep these things over a long term (like 15 years).

In my family we smoke a certain brand of cigars at births and weddings. These cigars are from the births of my daughters, and I would lover to keep them smokable until they eventually get married. that way I am smoking the same cigars at their wedding as i smoked at their births. I do not smoke cigars regularly, and don't want to incur the expense of a humidor. Any input is greatly appreciated.

Matt

Send them to me. I promise I'll keep them 15 years for you.

Actually, to keep them that long you need a humidor and you have to keep it right 70/70. Don't know of any short cuts.

But, I will store them for you, until I find an appropriate match.

Martin

To keep your cigars that long will require some kind of maintenance, no way around it.

Instead of a traditional humidor, you can get by with a simple "tupperware" type container as long as it seals tightly.

As far as humidification, some shops sell humidification packets that you just tear open and place in your storage container. They last about 6 months and are probably the easiest.

Or, another thought would be purchasing a small plastic humidification unit to place in you storage container. These require an occaisional application of 50/50 humidification solution. They are the same as the ones that come with the wooden humidors. I think you can buy these separately.

Finally, I've heard that it is acceptable to keep cigars in the freezer. I think this is mainly to kill bugs that can infest tobacco. Not sure how long they will last this way, nor how they should be stored.


Scott

If you do use a tupperware type container, line the inside of the container with strips of spanish cedar. I doubt you can keep cigars fresh for more that a year using this methode though. Humidors are kinda neccessary to store cigars in. You can use an empty, clean jar of baby food to humidify the inside. Drill holes in the lid and fill it with antifungal humidifier solution. Don't use glue of any kind to secure the strips of cedar, just place them in to line the container. Cedar helps to balance the humidity level in the container. Remember that any extra chemical you put in your cigar container will get absorbed by the cigars. I place a few drops of vanilla extract in my humidor solution to give my cigars that extra fragrance. Keep in mind that good quality cigars get better with age while cheap cigars will only get worse. Humidors aren't that expensive and are worthwile of you're gonna keep cigars, check these out. Cigars International
Ernest
PS: Don't freeze them as some people may suggest. They will aborb the tastes and odors of anything else that may be in the freezer and can still absorb moisture and get moldy.

So basically I need to get a humidor. Now I ask out of ingnorance, what makes the difference between a $200 humidor, and a $30 humidor. Is it just the finish, or does it have to do with the humidification system, the quality of the lining, ... . In other words, is there some reason why they would keep better in a $200 box, than a $30 box. I am a firm beliver in you get what you pay for, but I don't necessarilly need a fancy finish on the box if that is the only difference, because I rarely smoke, and would only use this for long term storage.

Your input is greatly appreciated.

Matt

Good grief! I didn't mean to step over Scott's suggestions. Sorry 'bout that Scott! He is correct, overnight freezing of cigars is good for killing any bugs in cigars. Don't forget to slowly thaw them out by placing them out of the freezer and in the fridge for a few hours or the temperature change will cause them to burst out of their tobacco wrappers. Prolonged storage in a freezer will do the same.
Ernest

Humidor size (carrying capacity), humidifying system and exterior decorations will make the difference with prices. The standard humidor will come with a dial type humidity gauge and a humidifying element (plastic box with a sponge inside). Keep this sponge wet with antifungal humidifying solution and keep the gauge at 65. It will stay there as long as you check the humidifying element regularly. I got a bargain humidor like, This one . That was 5 years ago and it still works great. You have to look around but you can get real bargains on humidors. A good shave in the morning and a good bourbon and cigar in the evenings make for a well rounded day.
Ernest
PS: When you first get your humidor, wipe the inside down with DISTILLED water and allow to sit overnight. Then you can place your cigars inside and maintain your humidor. I check mines once every 2 weeks.

Yes, you get what you pay for, and like razors the quality of the craftmanship of the humidor is also built into the price. You basically want a box that seals tightly, line with Spanish cedar for water absorption and that can hold a static temperature and humidification level.

A humidor is just a box that recreates the atmosphere of the tropics, where the tabacco is grown. So, go to your local tobacconist, and ask about their humidors. You just need a basic box with a decent disk humidification unit. Also, throw out the dial humistat as they are generally worthless and purchase an inexpensive digital one - they work a lot better and are much more accurate.

You really don't need to spend more than $100.

Just my 2 cents.

Humidor's are nice but wholly unnecessary for what you want to accomplish.

A "Tupperdor" or an "Igloodor" will suit your purposes quite nicely. I recommend a $20 48 quart Igloo Cooler. It will hold about 12 boxes of cigars. Just wash it out with baking soda to get rid of the new plastic smell. Spanish cedar lining is easy and nice but cigar boxes work just fine. DON'T USE REGULAR WESTERN CEDAR. ONLY SPANISH CEDAR "cedrela odorata". If you decide to line the 'dor with Spanish Cedar contact your specialty hardwood vendor and specify cedrela odorata. I use cigar boxes and just cut the lids off the cigar boxes and cut some spacers or get some free yard sticks and cut them to size to let the air circulate around inside the Igloodor.

A temperature of about 70 degrees f. and relative humidity of about 70% will keep your cigars nicely for years. To keep in those conditions you will need some more stuff.

The 50/50 solution everyone talks about is 50% distilled water and 50% propylene glycol. For about $35 you can get a gallon delivered from the chemistry store http://tinyurl.com/c89nu. Mixed with a $2 gallon of distilled water that will last you until your granddaughters are married. Tampa Humidors Tampa Humidor has a 50/50 solution at about $5 for 8 oz but you can make equally good 50/50 solution for under $40 for 256 ounces. Do the math.

The cute little hockey puck or rectangular humidifiers are nice but you really want something more utilitarian. I recommend going to Target and getting two or three or four plastic travel soap dishes from the travel department. You get the absorbent material from a florist or from Michaels Crafts. Its the absorbent florist foam and its the same stuff they put in the cute little humidifiers and might cost $5 for a brick the size of a loaf of bread. Use a sharp, thin blade (an un restored razor would work fine) to cut the foam so that there's a quarter inch all around and on top. Drill a bunch of 1/8th to 1/4 inch holes in the top of the travel soap dish and you have your basic killer, cheap humidifier.

You should have a decent hygrometer and thermometer to control the humidity and temperature. Tampa Humidor also has digital hydrometers for about $20 that work fine but my favorite is an Oregon Scientific remote sensor that tracks both temp and relative humidity. It will cost you about $35 delivered from Newegg http://tinyurl.com/3aj89h. Sometimes you can find them at Lowes or Target for about the same price.

For another $10 or so you can install a fan to keep the air circulating so the cigars get the same humidity. American Science and Supply, or your local computer store will sell you a computer fan for $5 http://tinyurl.com/lpqwu and an AC adapter for $2 - $5 http://tinyurl.com/2vpra. Put in several rubber washers as spacers to keep it away from the wall, screw it to the side of the wall with long panhead screws and wire it up to the adapter and there you go.

Wet the foam about half way thru with 50/50 solution and then add distilled water until the foam is damp but not dripping. Expect it to take a couple of weeks for the humidity to stabilize in the 'dor. Thereafter just add distilled water when the R/H drops below say 60%. Maybe once a year put in a little more 50/50. The PG doesn't evaporate but it gets washed out with the distilled water.

This set up will keep your cigars in good shape for generations and won't break the bank. If you want to go nuts, spring for one nice humidor for display but keep your cigars for aging and long term storage in the Igloodor. Total cost of this for a 1st class storage/aging setup is about $100. The second one is only about $45 (Igloo, soap dishes and remote sensor).

Beetles are pretty rare. I've only had them once in decades of cigar storage. If you freeze the cigars do so for only 24 hours in a ziplock bag and then let them recover for a couple of days in the fridge before you return them to the humidor.

Mold is a more likely problem and if you see any developing smoke the cigars now before they are ruined. Don't confuse mold (bad) with "Bloom" (good). A tell-tale sign off aged cigars is bloom. This is a light whitish gray powder that is left from the cigar's essential oils drying on its surface, and is considered a very good sign that the proper aging is taking place. Not all cigars develop bloom, but those that are heavy in oils almost always do over time. Cigars exhibiting bloom are typically exceptional in flavor.

Some reliable sources for cigars at good prices are:

JRCigars.com: The World's Largest Cigar Store and Lowest Prices!
Mike's Cigars Distributors, Inc. - we sell cigars and cigar related accessories
Cigars at Famous - Cigars from the planet's largest discount cigar store!
Mom's Cigars and Tobacco
Holt's Cigar Company -- Holts Home page
Cigarbid.com Auctions

and for Island smokes www.cigars of habanos.com

Enjoy and buy enuf to have a few good ones while you wait for Prince Charming to carry off your baby girl.

Regards,

Mike Layne
Suffers from Cigar AD.
Sometime a Cigar is just a Cigar.

Thank gawd some other cigar geek stepped in. I started out with a 'Tupperdor' and ended up mostly filling a 'fridgeador' (non-functioning fridge converted to very large humidor). Follow Mike's instructions and you'll be fine. The fan is optional, but nice to have. I wouldn't worry about beetles too much unless the cigars have been in warm conditions. IIRC, the little bastards hatch out when it's over 85 degrees F (assuming viable eggs in the cigars).



Wayne