Selecting a Quality Humidor

When selecting a humidor, you may be drawn in by looks; many humidors are made with beautiful woods, encased in rich leather, and in general are made to be appealing to the eye. While looks are something to certainly consider, keep in mind the main goal of a humidor: to store, protect, and properly age your cigars. Think of a humidor like a woman and your cigars as your children; having a beautiful wife might be nice, but if she doesn’t properly care for your kids, you would not want to leave them in her hands.

The first step in deciding if a humidor is of good quality is through its construction. A humidors construction, for our purposes, consist of its outside and its inside.

Outside the Humidor

A humidor can be made in one of two ways. First, called a veneer, is when the outside is made of hardwood, such as cherry, or the favored Mahogany, and the inside is lined with a veneer of Spanish cedar. This type of humidor is cheaper than its counterpart, which is certainly a consideration. Furthermore, it is less prone to cracking, and can easily accept high gloss finishes, which in turn can make them more attractive.

The second type is solid wood construction, which means the entire humidor is made of solid Spanish cedar. Since Spanish Cedar is a softer, more absorbent wood, it means that your humidor is more prone to take damage. In addition, it does not adjust very well to high gloss finishes and lacquers.

Currently, the industry standard is the first option, as they tend to be more durable. Most people swear by the Mahogany outside.

It’s the Inside that Counts

If you ask most people about the inside of a humidor, they will tell you in simple terms that there is only one type of wood to use: Spanish cedar. While I tend to agree with that statement myself, there are in fact three different types that can be used. Here, we will discuss the nature of each one, and their advantages and disadvantages.

To understand the disadvantages of some of the other woods, we should first start by understanding the advantages of the most popular of woods, Spanish cedar.