José Bello / Master Cigar Sommelier
All lovers of fine smoke have found themselves facing the great dilemma that buying our first humidor can represent. We have to recognize that, in most cases, when we buy one, we let ourselves be influenced by what is flashy or decorative, without thinking about functionality. However, the long journey of fine smoking has shown us that not necessarily the most beautiful humidor is the one that really meets the needs of optimal conservation of our precious cigars.
Before talking about humidors, I want to remind you of three important points in the conservation process of our cigars:
1.- The relative humidity percentage at which our cigars should be kept is between 65% and 75%, therefore, 69% is the ideal humidity percentage for their conservation.
2.- Not only humidity is important, but also the temperature at which we keep our cigars is fundamental for their optimal conservation (between 16 and 18 Degrees Celsius; always considering that it does not exceed 24 degrees, to avoid the hatching of Lasioderma, better known as tobacco beetle).
3.- Cigars should be rotated in position and on their own pivot every 3 months, to ensure that the humidity reaches all levels.
The variety of humidors available in the market is mainly based on the type of utility we are going to give them. We may need one to preserve our cigars for long periods of time, as the most popular case, but we may also need one to display in our store or simply something that serves us to take a trip with our smoking companions. That is why I have developed this brief explanation of each of the different types of humidors that you can find in the market and their functionality.
The Spanish cedar humidor
Let’s start with the most famous and common among consumers, among its different presentations, sizes, shapes, and colors, it becomes the ideal humidor for storing our cigars at home. Its main advantage is the Spanish cedar with which it is made; this wood allows the essential oils of our cigars to decompose and generate a macrobiotic transformation called maturation. Maturation allows our cigars to decrease their ammonia acids, nicotine, and all the tannic acids present in tobacco. Additionally, Spanish cedar allows maintaining an ideal environment for its conservation for long periods of time, as long as we keep our tobaccos monitored and in optimal conditions.
Something we must always keep in mind when buying a cedar humidor is that it is made entirely of pure cedar, that is, it is not just a veneer that covers the interior, since, if so, it does not maintain the internal humidity correctly. Likewise, even if it is completely sealed, we must understand that this humidor can carry a percentage of its external condition inside it, therefore, it must be in a cool climate and free from contact with sunlight.
Cedar humidor with glass window
In general, it remains under the same line as its predecessor, however, it has a main difference, and that is the upper glass window. Although in some cases it may seem attractive or useful, since we can visualize our cigars without opening the humidor lid, we must understand that having this transparent window entails more negative than positive things.
Although the utility of being able to visualize our cigars without opening the humidor seems attractive, this makes its conservation extremely vulnerable since, being transparent, it allows the access of UV rays because even when the humidor is exposed to internal lights of our home, it represents a long-term danger, since the rays emanating from our light bulbs are also harmful to the conservation of our cigars and therefore hinder their maturation and conservation process.
Travel humidor
We arrive at our favorites and very useful: the travel humidors, those that extend the party of fine smoking beyond our home borders.
There are countless travel humidors, ranging from one cigar to 40; from resistant plastic to cedar-coated. In any case, all are made with the aim of preserving our tobaccos during a transport process from our main humidor to a remote destination.
The travel humidor fulfills the same function as the famous cigar cases, they are humidors to maintain the conditions during the transportation time. In terms of time, a cigar is not advisable to keep in this type of humidors for more than a week; additionally, we must take special care with the temperature, as they are very prone to overheating if we leave them in extreme climates, such as our vehicle parked in the sun.
Cabinet humidor
With a combination of elegance and style, it may be one of the most eye-catching humidors on the market, composed of a combination of wood and transparent glass, making cigars look very elegant indeed.
But as you can imagine, the fact that it is transparent reduces its functional capacity when it comes to optimal conservation. This humidor is specifically made to display cigars, however, what it contributes to the maturation process is not negligible, due to being a humidor in most cases made with Spanish cedar, with proper maintenance, they can store moisture correctly inside.
Acrylic humidor
Ideal for display, undoubtedly one of the most striking and flashy humidors for many people, but the most dysfunctional when it comes to caring for our cigars.
They are undoubtedly a luxury, however, they are specifically made for places where it is necessary to display the cigar; due to their condition of being completely transparent, they let all the light into their interior, being able to affect the conservation of the cigars, and therefore, we understand that they must be located in areas with little light access.
Additionally, due to their material, they are prone to being influenced by external temperatures more quickly than a wooden humidor, and last but not least, the material does not contribute anything to the correct maturation of our cigars. In short, it is a humidor only to display the cigars in a commercial location or restaurant.
Tupperware container or Tupperdor
It is not luxurious and somewhat rudimentary, and yes, as you read it, Tupperware containers are also used as humidors on occasion, and although they are undoubtedly not the most aesthetic, it is a quick and efficient solution to keep our cigars while acquiring a correct humidor.
Due to their transparent material, they let sunlight through to the cigars, so they should be stored in a dark and cool place, away from light contact, and it is advisable that the control of the internal humidity of these containers be generated through special humidity bags for this purpose.
It is not the most advisable, but it is undoubtedly a quick solution to give your cigars the proper care for a short period of time. And please, the most important rule of all: do not place it in the living room of your house in plain view.
Jar humidor
Striking but not very functional, this humidor has become quite popular among consumers, to the point that some cigar brands have released lines where their presentation is a ceramic jar.
Although its presentation is striking, the best thing you can do in this case is to take them out of there and store them in a conventional humidor. I have nothing against them, but I will explain below some reasons why it is not considered a recommended humidor for the conservation of our cigars.
– This type of humidors are generally made of ceramic, glass/acrylic, or brass, and these materials are not suitable for maintaining the ideal conditions of our cigars.
– Cigars should preferably remain horizontally and not upright, as this does not generate a correct maturation process.
– Due to the position and tightness of the cigars, handling becomes complicated, removing or inserting the cigars into the jar may break or damage the wrapper, damaging your smoking experience.
– Generally, the humidification element is placed in the form of a bar inside the jar, causing moisture to reach directly the cigars closest to it.
Undoubtedly, there are many negative characteristics to consider a jar as our personal humidor, but there are always decisions.
Electric cabinet humidor
Luxury and comfort come together in one place, and it is what I consider the best of all humidors. Why? Because it combines in one element all the positive aspects of each of the humidors, and just as we listed the negative characteristics in the jar, this time, we will list the positive characteristics of the electric cabinet.
– Internally they contain cedar trays that allow the correct maturation of our cigars over time.
– Its internal conservation degree allows maintaining a correct humidity constantly inside the humidor and without the need for periodic checks.
– Its main feature is that it allows maintaining the temperature of our humidor in the ideal range, which is between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius.
– It is the ideal humidor for storing our cigars for long periods of time if what we are looking for is to create a vintage.
– They are undoubtedly very elegant.
In my opinion, it is the perfect humidor for our cigars, however, like everything, it also has some negative things that we must take into account:
– They generally have a front glass window, which despite being made of a material that in most cases prevents access by UV rays, ideally, it should be kept in an environment away from sunlight.
– We must take into account the difference in temperature inside compared to the outside, this to avoid internal condensation in the humidor and therefore that our cigars may come out wet.
And what we consider in some cases, the most negative point of this type of humidors, is that they are the most expensive, they can cost thousands of dollars, but we must take into consideration that they do a lot of work for us in the important task of taking care of our cherished cigars.
As you can see, there are many different options to preserve our cigars, each one adapts to our different needs and it is there, knowing the advantages and disadvantages of each of the options, where you will have the power of decision to choose the most appropriate one. What I do consider important to always remember when choosing your humidor is that what you will preserve in it is a work of art, which when smoked will generate an unprecedented pleasure in you and that according to the conservation you give to that cigar, that pleasure can increase or decrease considerably, that is, choosing wrong, more than not preserving your cigar correctly, you are jeopardizing the enjoyment of your pleasures in the future.
