Humidors - Informational

[WaxingMoon]

During my research on what goes in to a good humidor, I ran across this information.... Maybe it will help some of you.

Primarily three types of wood are used for the humidor’s interior lining:

• Spanish cedar (by far the most popular)
• American (or Canadian) red cedar
• Honduran mahogany

Spanish cedar offers the following advantages (botanical term “cedrela odorata”):

• Protection from tobacco worms - through the cedar’s special odoriferous quality
• High humidity absorption capacity - this ensures that a stable climate will be maintained inside the humidor and mold is prevented
• Supports the cigar aging process
• Positive effect on the flavor of the cigars

Spanish cedar does not originate from Spain as one might assume but is generally imported from Brazil and other countries of South and Central America. In some individual cases resin may form on the surface of the wood (See also humidor is secreting/resin). The risk of resin formation can be substantially reduced by previously drying the wood carefully.

American red cedar is inferior to Spanish cedar in humidity absorption and it exudes a more intense aroma. Some humidor manufacturers use American cedar because it is less expensive and with this wood there is no danger of resin formation. Particularly when storing cigars for longer periods the cigars will adopt a strong woody flavor that is generally not desired.

Honduran mahogany has a humidity absorption rate comparable to that of Spanish cedar and at the same time has a less intense odor. Thus, unfortunately, the deterrent effect on worms and the desired flavoring of cigars is also not as good as with Spanish cedar.
The veneer of the interior wood should be untreated.

For long-term cigar storage those humidors should be preferred, which are lined with Spanish cedar. For cabinet humidors other woods with high humidity absorption capacity can also be used because in cabinet humidors the cigars are generally stored in their original Spanish cedar boxes. A tray made of Spanish cedar is recommendable for storing individual cigars in cabinet humidors.


Airtight?

Cigar tobacco "breathes". Cigars consume oxygen and emit gases into the surrounding air. For this reason, it is important that humidors are regularly aerated in order to provide the cigars with fresh oxygen. Humidors should close so well that a constant level of internal humidity can be maintained. However, a hermetic seal is neither necessary nor desirable.

If the humidor is not opened for longer periods the necessary oxygen level can be maintained by placing a match under the lid of the humidor. Afterwards one should verify that the humidor is able to maintain a constant level of humidity.

Glass or wooden lid

For the storage of cigars that are to be consumed within a few months, humidors with glass or wooden lids are equally suitable. However, if cigars are to age over several years in a humidor then humidors with wooden lids are definitely preferable. When using humidors with glass lids avoid exposing the humidor to direct sunlight. Longer storage times may cause discoloration in the first few rows of cigars . On the other hand, glass-lid humidors have an advantage over wooden lid humidors in that they have to be opened less frequently and that they will be opened for shorter periods. Therefore a more constant interior humidity can be maintained. This is particularly useful for humidors in restaurants, clubs, and hotels. Glass doors on cabinet humidors do not have any negative impact on cigar storage, as long as cigars are stored in their original boxes. With respect to the placement of cabinet humidors, the glass door should never be exposed to direct sunlight.

Many buyers are confused when faced with nearly identical humidors ranging in price from $60 to $5000. Do such differences in quality exist that would justify these price variations?
First of all, what functional characteristics does a humidor need to fulfill. Basically humidors must be able to maintain a constant relative interior humidity.
In addition, the following conditions must be fulfilled:

• The interior wood must be able to absorb humidity well, which should be ensured by using a Spanish cedar lining.
• The humidifier should provide sufficient humidity to maintain a humidity level of approximately 70%.
• The hinges should be durable and ensure a low-friction functioning for many years.
• The humidor case should be well sealed and close tightly (not necessarily hermetically) so that no humidity may escape from the humidor. Then the humidification system will not require constant refilling.
• The basic construction of the humidor should ensure that high humidity inside the humidor will not result in deformations of the humidor case or lid and that the humidors will still close neatly after years of usage.

Everyone should make sure that these basic functional conditions are fulfilled when buying a new humidor. One should pay close attention to special offers from non-specialized stores. The making of a high-quality humidors involves hours of manual labor. For high-gloss lacquers up to 20 different layers of lacquer have to be applied and ultimately polished by hand.
Apart from functionality aesthetic aspects are also of importance. The humidor is a piece of furniture and an important part of smoking culture. Offering precious cigars from a beautifully constructed humidor increases the pleasure of smoking.

[Alex_T]

Thanks for the information!

I've been browsing around the online stores, and local stores trying to figure out which humidor to buy. It's all very overwhelming. Online mostly though, not so much in stores.

In stores the prices are extremely inflated, and you don't have a such a broad selection.

Online you can find tons of inexpensive humidors that look real good, but are they really? I rarely ever purchase stuff online because of the "not being able to hold it in your hands" aspect of buying an item. I'm sure most online cigar stores (reputable ones) have a good return policy, but it's a hassle, time consuming, and will always end up costing you extra cash for this and that.

Thanks again!!

[WaxingMoon]

This information was found at Humidor Cigar Guide - lot's of good stuff over there if you have time to take a look - it's worth the trip.