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Whether you spend $25 on a humidor or $2000 your humidor may experience difficulties maintaining the perfect humidity level for your cigars. If your humidor isn’t maintaining humidity like you assumed it would and now your cigars are in danger of drying out we recommend that you read the remainder of this article.

On most occassions when you buy a new humidor it does not come humidified unless the cigar shop that you purchased it from conditioned it and let it rest while it sat on the store shelf. If you are buying a humidor from an online store, it will need to be conditioned prior to use. The worst thing you could do to your precious cigars is to put them into an under-conditioned humidor.

When you buy your humidor you have to make sure it comes with the following items, if not buy them before you put cigars in your humidor:

Propylene Glycol Solution (Yea, you can use distilled water but we don’t recommend it. Using premixed humidor solution almost guarantees no mold growth or bacteria.)

Hygrometer (We highly recommend a digital hygrometer. Analog hygrometers are known to provide inaccurate readings.)

Humidifier (We prefer crystal based humidifiers over standard foam based ones. They hold moisture much better and when you notice that the crystals are shrinking you simply add more humidor solution.)

We also recommend having a clean spray bottle and int-free paper towel or cloth on hand.

Now that you have everything we listed above, you can humidify your humidor. When re-humidifying your humidor, make sure you remove your cigars and place them into humidified enviroment. Using a pre-humdified humipouch or humibag works well.

Steps To Seasoning Your Humidor

TIP - IF NOT ALREADY INSTALLED, HUMIDIFICATION DEVICES AND HYGROMETERS ARE NORMALLY ATTACHED WITH A STICKY PIECE OF VELCRO OR A METAL PLATE. NEVER CONDITION YOUR HUMIDOR UNTIL YOU HAVE PLACED THESE ON YOUR HUMIDOR’S INTERIOR LID. They WILL NOT STICK TO THE MOIST WOOD. THEY MUST BE ATTACHED ON A DRY SURFACE.

Start by pouring some of the humidor solution into the spray bottle. Just enough to get about 10-15 sprays worth out of it. Now take the spray bottle and not close, spray a section of the humidor down until the wood changes to just a slightly darker color.

TIP - WORK IN SMALL SECTIONS, START WITH THE LEFT, THEN RIGHT AND FINISH WITH THE INTERIOR LID. SPRAYING THE ENTIRE HUMIDOR ALL AT ONCE OR OVER WETTING IT MAY CAUSE THE WOOD TO WARP, CRACK OR SWELL.

You now need to wipe the section of the humidor down with paper towel that you sprayed with the Propylene Glycol Solution. Make sure it’s a good quality paper towel so it does not shread or leave lint on the wood. Rub the solution soaked wood down to dry off excess solution. Once you have completely sprayed and rubbed down the inside of humidor check it over to make sure that there are no dry spots. You want to condition the humidor so the wood absorbs moisture which will create an almost tropical enviroment to store your cigars in.

The last step is to add your humidification device. If using a sponge like humidifier make sure you saturate it with Propylene Glycol Solution to get it completely wet. Make sure you shake off any excess solution. You do not want it to drip and warp the wood. Now attach it to your humidor where you previously placed the velcro or metal magnet plates.

Close the seasoned humidor and let it rest for 72 hours. Do not place the humidor near a window or a warm spot in the house and do not peek at the humidify level or open it until time is up.

When you open the humidor, your relative humidity should be in the 70’s range. If not, repeat the steps and try again until you achieve this level. If your humidor is reading proper levels, you can place your cigars inside for safe storage. Make sure they rest comfortably, are not overcrowed and do not block any of the devices on the inside.

TIP - RE-HUMIDIFYING YOUR HUMIDOR COULD TAKE A FEW DAYS TO A FEW WEEKS. LARGER HUMIDORS MAY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TIME DUE TO THEIR SIZE.

If you tend to open your humidor on a regular basis you will need to monitor humidity and temperature readings. You will also find yourself re-humidifying your humidor on a regular basis.

For those who do not go into your humidor, you also need to check your levels. We recommend checking them on a weekly basis.

TIP - IF YOU THINK YOUR HYGROMETER IS NOT READING HUMIDITY LEVELS PROPERLY SIMPLY REMOVE IT AND WRAP IT IN A COOL DAMP WASHCLOTH. AFTER 30 MINUTES CHECK THE LEVEL. IF IT DOES NOT READ 100%, YOU WILL NEED TO ADJUST IT OR PURCHASE A NEW ONE.

written by : cigargypsy.com

Every January, Cigar Aficionado comes out with their top 25 cigars of the year. Check out which cigars made their elite cut in the January 2007 issue!

#1 - Bolivar Royal Corona (Made By: Habanos S.A., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 94)

#2 - Coronado by La Flor Double Corona (Made By: Tabacalera La Flor S.A., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 93)

#3 - Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Imperial (Made By: Padrón Cigars Inc., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 92)

#4 - Romeo Y Julieta Short Churchill (Made By: Habanos, Cigar Aficionado Rating - 92)

#5 - Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 Torpedo (Made By: Toraño Cigars Inc., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 91)

#6 - Jose Seijas Signature Series 2000 (Made By: Tabacalera de Garcia Ltd., Altadis U.S.A., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 91)

#7 - Aurora Preferido Emerald (Made By: La Aurora S.A., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 91)

#8 - Ashton Estate Sun Grown (ESG) 20-Year-Salute (Made By: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 90)

#9 - Tatuaje Cabinet Noella (Made By: El Rey de los Habanos, Havana Cellars, Cigar Aficionado Rating - 92)

#10 - Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Belicoso (Made By: Fuente, Cigar Aficionado Rating - 90)

#11 - Oliva Serie G Cameroon Robusto (Made By: Oliva Cigar Co., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 91)

#12 - Macanudo Vintage 1997 No. III (Made By: General Cigar, Cigar Aficionado Rating - 90)

#13 - CAO Italia Novella (Made By: C.A.O. Fabricas de Tabacos, Cigar Aficionado Rating - 91)

#14 - Padilla Signature 1932 Churchill (Made By: El Rey de los Habanos, Padilla Cigars, Cigar Aficionado Rating - 90)

#15 - Fuente Fuente Opus X Reserva d’Chateau (Made By: Fuente, Cigar Aficionado Rating - 91)

#16 - Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Torpedo (Made By: General Cigar for Rocky Patel, Cigar Aficionado Rating - 91)

#17 - Puros Indios Viejo 1999 No 4 Especial (Made By: Puros Indios Cigars, Cigar Aficionado Rating - 91)

#18 - Montecristo Robusto Edicion Limitada (Made By: Habanos, Cigar Aficionado Rating - 90)

#19 - Saint Luis Rey Reserva Belicoso (Made By: La Flor de Copan, Altadis U.S.A., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 90)

#20 - La Aroma de Cuba Churchill (Made By: La Flor de Copan, Altadis U.S.A., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 91)

#21 - Punch Super Selection No. 1 (Made By: Habanos S.A., Altadis U.S.A., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 90)

#22 - Don Tomas Clasico Presidente (Made By: General Cigar, Altadis U.S.A., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 90)

#23 - Diplomatico No. 2 (Made By: Habanos S.A, Altadis U.S.A., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 90)

#24 - Quintero Churchill (Made By: La Flor de Copan, Altadis U.S.A., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 90)

#25 - Montecristo Petit Tubo (Made By: Habanos, Altadis U.S.A., Cigar Aficionado Rating - 90)

rating by : http://www.cigaraficionado.com/

The Don Salvatore Heirloom Collection is our finest example of humidor craftsmanship. Each piece is manufactured using a solid mahogany core and the finest exotic wood veneers and introducing remarkable carbon fiber! The humidors are constructed with unique dovetail joinery. The lacquer finish is a full 1/16” thick. The humidor walls are 7/8” thick and encased with fragrant Spanish cedar. The Santiago, Santo Domingo, Sumatra, and Cameroon feature rounded corners with a solid wood decorative inlay. The seal is the heart of the humidor. All Don Salvatore Heirloom Collection humidors are sealed to perfection to keep your treasured cigars in pristine condition. State of the art humidification systems are equipped with each humidor. System includes a premium grade humistat with magnetic back and a highly accurate digital hygrometer/thermometer. Magnetic back is hidden behind the inside solid Spanish cedar covered lid for a cleaner look. Item 1650 is available in Camphor Burl.
Outside Dimensions: 10-5/16 x 10-5/32” x 3-15/16”h
Interior Dimensions: 8-1/2″w x 8-3/8″d x 2-1/2″h

Capacity: 30 piece capacity


source: cigargypsy.com

We all know humans need oxygen so what makes you think cigar don’t? I’ve heard it time and time again how the most important quality of a humidor is it’s seal so it will maintain proper humidity levels. I agree with this somewhat but when a person who really doesn’t know much about cigar storage is brainwashed with this belief they actually risk ruining their stogies. Although you need a nice tight seal to maintain humidity, you do not want it too tight because it will prevent oxygen from getting in.

When you have a humidor that is above 50% capacity you need to remember to supply fresh air to them on a bi-weekly basis. Cigars that are stored for long periods of time can become “stale” or “spoiled” if not rotated.


TIP - AGING CIGARS NEED TO BREATHE. CIGARS TAKE IN FRESH OXYGEN AND RELEASE GASES INTO THE SURROUNDING AIR WHICH HELP IN “SEASONING” YOUR HUMIDOR OR “ADDING FLAVOR” TO IT. FOR THIS REASON YOU SHOULD AERATE YOUR CIGARS.

Let’s say you have a humidor that holds 50 cigars and you have 30 cigars stored in it. We all know a properly treated humidor holds moisture in the wood which humidifies the cigars. If you leave one cigar rested against this wood it will begin to draw moisture from it. Remember that cigar tobacco is absorbant and if left against the wood too long, it could possible become too moist to smoke or you risk growing mold on your cigar. By rotating and aerating the cigars every two weeks, you now have a more balanced aging enviroment for your cigars.

TIP - WE RECOMMEND THAT ANY CIGARS RECENTLY PURCHASED BE PLACED AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR HUMIDOR. THIS WILL ENSURE THAT THE CIGARS ARE EXPOSED TO OPTIMAL HUMIDOR CONDITIONS.

If you have a large humidor we know it can be a little confusing knowing which cigars are next in line to be moved on the bottom of your humidor so we suggest labeling the cigars by layers (blank cigar labels work great). If you have 10 cigars that are on the bottom of your humdior, all of these cigars would be identified as “Row A” or “Line 1″. The next row or second from the bottom would be labeled “Row B” or “Line 2″ and so forth. This way you know that the next time you rotate your cigars all labeled “Row B” will be moved to bottom of the humidor on the next rotation and “Row A” will be on the top.

TIP - DON’T WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON BLANK CIGAR LABELS? TAKE YOUR USED ONES FROM YOUR SMOKED CIGARS, FLIP THEM OVER AND WRITE ON THE WHITE PART. A SMALL PIECE OF SCOTCH TAPE WILL HOLD THE LABEL IN PLACE SECURELY.

Moving and rotating your cigars can become a real big task if you own a very large or more than one humidor. Adding a Spanish Cedar Cigar Grate to the bottom of your humidor will cut down time spent on rotating the cigars. By placing a cigar grate into your humidor, you raise your cigars enough to get them off the moist wood below. Raising them slightly will help balance the moisture within the humidor and prevent the cigars from becoming too moist.

TIP - YOU SHOULD TREAT YOUR CIGAR GRATE PRIOR TO PUTTING IT IN THE HUMIDOR. YOU SHOULD NEVER PLACE A DRY GRATE INTO THE HUMIDOR AS IT WILL ABSORB MOISTURE FROM CIGARS PLACED ON IT WHICH COULD RESULT IN DRY CIGARS.





written by : CigarGypsy.com

Most of us enjoy the finer things in life and cigars just happen to be one of those items. Cigar quality can be compared to the quality of fine wines. Both cigar tobacco and wine grapes come from the earth and require specific regions to grow in. The land that the seedlings are planted on effects the end quality of the plants. Cigar tobacco requires perfect growing, harvesting and aging conditions to be noted as “Top Grade Tobacco”. At this time, some of the most popular regions in the world to grow tobacco are; Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Costa Rica and Cuba. Although most tobacco is grown outside of the United States, a lot of people don’t realize that good quality tobacco is also grown in Pennsylvania.


Tobacco fields are prepped just like any other crop field and seeds are planted in early spring. Tobacco seeds are very tiny and should be planted on flat fields so the seeds will stay put and not get washed away during rainfall. After the seeds are planted, some growers like to cover them with cloth, straw or palm to shade the seeds from the sun. When the seeds begin to germinate, the cover is removed and the seedlings are allowed to grow long enough to produce strong roots to withstand being transplanted into the larger tobacco fields. As the plants grow, they are monitored on a regular basis for quality, defects and insect damage. Tobacco leaves are normally watered by rain and dew gathered on the leaves in the morning. It is not uncommon to have the farmers water the plants with mineral treated water if rainfall is low. Tobacco roots grow quickly and very often grow close to the surface. Due to this reason growers have to be careful with the plants when cultivating around them. Disturbing the soil any more than necessary could damage the plants roots.

As the plant begins growing leaves, flower buds will begin to appear and need to be removed by hand to prevent them from stunting the growth of the tobacco leaves. Quality of cigars is directly related to the quality of the tobacco leaves and therefore growers will take additional measures to protect their crops. One way is to hoist large wooden poles and cover the plants with large tarps, gauze or cloth. By giving them partial shade the plants are less likely to get damaged from natural elements. The cover also prevents the tobacco leaves from becoming too thick which is a natural response to sunlight and helps them remain silky to the touch.

It normally takes about 6 months for the transplanted tobacco seedlings to be ready for harvesting. During this time, the plants are checked on often making it a labor intensive process. When it is time to harvest the plants, most growers remove the leaves by hand because they are very delicate and could tear if not handled properly. As the leaves are being removed, they will be sorted by size and physical condition because only the best leaves will be used as wrappers. Any tobacco leaves that are not good enough to be wrappers will be used as the filler. Once the leaves that will be used as wrappers have been stacked into bundles, they are then taken to a tobacco barn to be cured. The tobacco is hung or strung on poles to dry them. Aging normally takes anywhere from a month and a half to two months and could vary slightly depending on weather conditions.

Growers understand the curing process is very important and just like having optimum growing conditions is important, so is the aging process. Most cure barns are positioned so that the sun will face one side of the building and then over the day make it’s way to the other side providing even heat. Although somewhat difficult, growers control temperature by opening and closing doors and vents in the aging barns to account for weather changes. If the barn becomes too hot, the leaves will begin to break down. During the fermenting process, the tobacco leaves will turn from a healthy green to a golden brown color. Once the leaves have finished fermenting they are taken down and the leaves are stacked into bundles according to color.

Once the leaves have been bundled together, they are sent to cigar factories and warehouses for processing. Although the wrappers are ready to be rolled, they are more than often placed in bales to be aged for longer periods of time. By slowly maturing the wrappers in a constant humidified environment, the cigar wrappers will become more flavorful.



Written By: CigarGypsy.com

Are you interested in buying cigars over the internet but don’t know how to? If you are new to the virtual shopping place, don’t fret. Buying cigars online is easy. All you need to do is keep the below mentioned tips in mind when making your purchase online.
Tips To Buy Cigars Online

1. In order to know which cigar to buy, you must know your preference. While the Cuban cigars have long been known as the best cigars ever, there are many other cigars, which are equally good. Of course, Cuban tobacco’s attributes are products of the island’s climate and the tobacco growing method employed in that island. Cuban cigars are superior because of the manner in which they are rolled. In any case, Cuban cigars are unavailable in America, and importing them or buying them from someone who has done so is illegal.
2. Besides Cuban cigars, there are numerous other superior brands of cigars available online. You can choose from Honduran, Nicaraguan, and many other Caribbean and Latin American cigars. The internet offers literally hundreds of cigar websites selling almost any brand of cigar available in the world.

3. If you are a novice cigar smoker , then a good way to get initiated into this culture is to buy a cigar sampler. Online retailers sell cigar samples extensively, and they contain cigars from different parts of the world with differently grown and treated tobacco. The internet is a good place to start experimenting with cigars.
4. Before buying cigars online, you may want to try to compare the prices at each cigar-selling website. Check out cigar website reviews, articles, forums etc to figure out if the people running the websites know their cigars or not.
5.After have chosen the website from where you’ll buy cigars, it’s time to order them. Buy a small number of cigars initially to see the response of the website with your shipment. You will have to wait for the cigars to be delivered on your doorstep to know the condition they arrive in.
6.Besides cigars, you can also purchase cigar accessories such as cigar cutters, humidors etc online.
7. Credit card is the usual mode of payment.
8. Before taking the final step for buying cigars online, check the return or exchange policy on the website. This will help you in case you receive infested or spoilt cigars.

source : http://www.tosmokeacigar.com