Cigar Storage Questions

[DeeDubya]

"Is the spiciness of cedar actually a poor choice for flavored cigars? Most of the appeal to flavored cigars is the mild smoothness and the slightly spicy aspect of spanish cedar seems to counteract this in the worst way possible... Would it actually make more sense to buy a collection of tupperware for all of your flavored cigars, as well as some beads to add to the tupperware? Or is there a better method to long term storage, such as choosing a humidor that does not have a spanish cedar lining."

There are some threads about Spanish Cedar. The important thing is that it is not the same as "Aromatic Cedar" like what is used in cedar closets or cedar chests. I'm afraid that would make for some spicey smokes indeed. Like WOXOF said it will impart very little flavor into a cigar. I would worry qbout the reverse. Your scented cigars will most likely leech into the cedar and screw up your humidor.

Most cedars are resiliant to dry rot and repel some insects. Red cedar like that used for siding, is rarely attacked by insects but termites will infest it after it ages.

And finally, I would not use a heavily laquered humidor. Unless it has been drying in open air for some time,

Also, you might be right about age and flavor preferences. I know many people who would not drink coffee but do now that they are older. Notice I didn't say mature. Some people, like me, never mature.

[Alcibiates]

I would store the flavoreds in tupperware, separating various flavors with freezer ziplock baggies. Beads are good.

Is something along the lines of gladware acceptable, or is it better to use 'actual' tupperware? I know that you can get large gladware containers very cheap; I normally use them for food so I have quite a few extra laying around, and I'd prefer to save money where I can (yay college!) What I'm really after is keeping them just in the gladware and skipping the ziploc bag, or is the bag essential for keeping them sealed off better? I'd ideally like to keep each flavor in its own gladware container

[Spanish cedar's] primary property in regard to its use in humidors is water retention that is most suitable for creating an artificial environment in which to store cigars.

Is it really necesary then? Or is it just a back-up, or a bit of a signature for cigar smokers? Most people that I've talked to have talked about Spanish Cedar like it's truly something special that has a unique home for cigar storage... And living in New Orleans I'm not too worried about humidity--we have to use dehumidifiers in our houses for the most part! Even with those, the house I stay in away from my on-campus apartment keeps at about 50% RH.

Your scented cigars will most likely leech into the cedar and screw up your humidor.

I've heard a lot of problems with this, but I'm also interested in what happens to the flavor of the cigar itself? Do you see a direct lose of flavor from the cigar as it leeches into the cedar? Or does the cigar smoke essentially the same and just mess up your humidor?

I would not use a heavily laquered humidor. Unless it has been drying in open air for some time

I'm not entirely sure that was the correct terminology on my part: I had heard about some humidors that aren't lined with cedar, and are lined with mahogony or another wood that I can't remember,and some are lacquered to be shiny inside and out--would this be a good idea for flavored cigars, as there is no cedar for the flavor to leach into? I'm not sure this will even matter, as I'm not sure that there is a loss of flavor as it leaches into the cedar--just an idea while I was on the line of thinking.

New question that has come up in my mind: Carrying cases... If I buy a decent/nice carrying case for a couple cigars to carry with me to dinner or wherever, how much will the flavor effect it? Obviously taking the cigars out whenever I return home, but how long will it take for the flavor to start effecting other cigars or 'ruin' the carrying case? Would it be best to only carry one flavor of cigar in its own case? Or would keeping one of the cellos that came with the cigars in the humidor to re-cello the cigar when travelling with it?

I tend to type pretty long posts, sorry if this is a lot to read/deal with!

[basil]

Is something along the lines of gladware acceptable, or is it better to use 'actual' tupperware? I know that you can get large gladware containers very cheap; I normally use them for food so I have quite a few extra laying around, and I'd prefer to save money where I can (yay college!) What I'm really after is keeping them just in the gladware and skipping the ziploc bag, or is the bag essential for keeping them sealed off better? I'd ideally like to keep each flavor in its own gladware container

I'm sure gladware is fine. I have RubberMaid. Brand isn't important - the seal is. I only suggested baggies as a way to prevent any different flavors you might have from contaminating each other; different flavors, in separate baggies, in the same tupperdore.

Is it really necesary then? Or is it just a back-up, or a bit of a signature for cigar smokers? Most people that I've talked to have talked about Spanish Cedar like it's truly something special that has a unique home for cigar storage... And living in New Orleans I'm not too worried about humidity--we have to use dehumidifiers in our houses for the most part! Even with those, the house I stay in away from my on-campus apartment keeps at about 50% RH.

What Spanish Cedar provides, once it's seasoned, is stability. It has to do with the density and uniformity of the grain. Aesthetics aside, if what you can afford for now is gladware, it'll be perfect. And, if the humi/tupperdore encloses the cigar environment, then the beads control it. 50% rh is a bit low - you can get beads that will maintain 65 and 70.

[logan37]

Gladware is fine. All you want is the air/moisture tight seal.

Spanish cedar is regarded as the best because it can absorb/release moisture without warping, as well as keeping a stable humidity/temperature. Although spanish cedar can absorb flavors and release them, it's negligible, to my understanding. the flavor seeping that the our fellow botl's are talking about is from the flavor of one cigar mixing with another. So keeping flavored cigars and non-flavored separate is a good rule to follow.

I've never heard of flavored cigars "screwing" up a humidor other then it absorbing flavors of flavored cigars, thus passing those mixed flavors into your non-flavored smokes.

I've never seen a humidor lacquered inside, I'm not sure what DW means here. I'll let him answer that one.

Carrying cases will not effect the taste of your cigars themselves. And since they are usually used only for short periods of time, mixing of flavors from the cigars themselves isn't an issue. If you only need to carry a 2-3 out for a night, get a leather case. Doesn't matter what price as long as it prevents your smokes from getting crushed. And make sure you get one that will hold the largest ring size that you smoke. The larger the better, you never know. If you want a travel case for 5-15 cigars get an otterbox or something similar. Those are airtight and waterproof and will not effect the taste of your smokes.

[Alcibiates]

What Spanish Cedar provides, once it's seasoned, is stability. It has to do with the density and uniformity of the grain. Aesthetics aside, if what you can afford for now is gladware, it'll be perfect. And, if the humi/tupperdore encloses the cigar environment, then the beads control it. 50% rh is a bit low - you can get beads that will maintain 65 and 70.

Just saying that our humidity is quite high so its not a huge rush of humidity out of the box when I open it, so if its not a humongous benefit and is generally only needed in the less humid areas, then I would pass on it. I'm a bit confused why you need a humidifier AND the cedar? Is cedar more precise, or is it just one of those A+B>A scenarios?

Spanish cedar is regarded as the best because it can absorb/release moisture without warping, as well as keeping a stable humidity/temperature. Although spanish cedar can absorb flavors and release them, it's negligible, to my understanding. the flavor seeping that the our fellow botl's are talking about is from the flavor of one cigar mixing with another. So keeping flavored cigars and non-flavored separate is a good rule to follow.

So you could actually keep flavored cigars and non-flavored cigars in the same humidor if you have a divider in there? What I read was people complaining that one flavored cigar would ruin a whole batch of great cigars; although I also hear a lot of trashing on flavored cigars in general...

I've never heard of flavored cigars "screwing" up a humidor other then it absorbing flavors of flavored cigars, thus passing those mixed flavors into your non-flavored smokes.

1: hooray for my vocabulary randomly dropping and using a poor word choice!
2: This is really just a minimal effect, though, correct? How much work is it to change a humidor that's been used for flavored cigars into a non-flavored cigar humidor? I ask because I think I may smoke flavored cigars for a number of years, and wonder if a humidor is worth the investment at all... I love how they look, but I don't foresee a time anytime soon that I could afford to buy cigars AND a humidor... so maybe that's a moot question.

I'm still interested in how much of the market share flavored cigars takes up, yet most people shun them and its hard to find information on them... I've been scouring the internet and I can't get too much on them... Thanks a bunch of the answers, guys! I love getting multiple views on things, so keep replying!

[basil]

I'm a bit confused why you need a humidifier AND the cedar?

Without some kind of humidifying system, eventually the rh would drop, at least where I live. and, 'cuz a cedar-lined humidor looks badass.

[logan37]

Without some kind of humidifying system, eventually the rh would drop, at least where I live. and, 'cuz a cedar-lined humidor looks badass.

That too.

[Alcibiates]

Without some kind of humidifying system, eventually the rh would drop, at least where I live. and, 'cuz a cedar-lined humidor looks badass

Yeah... that's my primary reason for wanting one, but the budget thing is a real pain. I've seen some very nice ones on ebay for quite cheap, so I may get one, but I'm not sure yet. I think it'll be a christmas gift to myself dependent on how often I decide to smoke and if I can afford enough cigars to fill it up decently. I don't want to buy a small one, but buying a large humidor with <50 cigars seems silly. I'm a bit interested in the glass humudiors, although I think there would be some problems with them, but that's a whole different thread, and I'm sure there's ample reading on that!

Probably a really generic question that I'll find an answer to after I post:
If you use beads, is it essential to keep them from touching the smokes? Such as keeping them in a small container with holes drilled in it versus just dropping beads in there? And if you can't just drop them in there, what does it to do the smokes if the beads are touching the smokes (out of idle curiosity)?

the flavors will still seep into non flavored cigars through the air, also through the absorption of the cedar.

I was told two different things about this, but I guess they're both true: the cigars will seep flavor into eachother if they're touching, or into cedar; so it's best to get rid of both to be safe.

[logan37]

Just saying that our humidity is quite high so its not a huge rush of humidity out of the box when I open it, so if its not a humongous benefit and is generally only needed in the less humid areas, then I would pass on it. I'm a bit confused why you need a humidifier AND the cedar? Is cedar more precise, or is it just one of those A+B>A scenarios?

the humidor creates a stable environment. the loss or gain of humidity from opening it should go back to that stable environment if seasoned properly. the humidifier, depending on what you have will either increase or decrease the humidity to make it stable again. Crystals and sponges only increase the humidity. Beads increase and decrease the humidity(they can absorb and release moisture)(www.heartfeltindustries.com). humidifiers also replenish the moisture of the cedar lining when moisture is pulled into cigars from the cedar as well as opening the box. A+B=stable environment for tasty smokes.. Also invest in a digital hydrometer and make sure you calibrate it correctly. Read the sticky about setting up a humidor. It's in the begging of that.

So you could actually keep flavored cigars and non-flavored cigars in the same humidor if you have a divider in there? What I read was people complaining that one flavored cigar would ruin a whole batch of great cigars; although I also hear a lot of trashing on flavored cigars in general...

the flavors will still seep into non flavored cigars through the air, also through the absorption of the cedar.

If you're not ready to invest in a humidor now just use tupperware, gladware, whatever. If you don't want your flavored smokes to mix with non-flavored get 2. If you don't mind the mixing then just get 1. It all comes down to what YOU like. You definitely want to invest in some beads or some kind of humidifier(most guys here use beads). Read the sticky for setting up a "coolerdor" in the accessories thread. Thats pretty much the same way you would set up your tupperware. I had to make one just to fit my overflow.

I'm still interested in how much of the market share flavored cigars takes up, yet most people shun them and its hard to find information on them... I've been scouring the internet and I can't get too much on them...

I can't think of anyone here that likes flavored cigars, but if you like 'em, that's all that matters. Most importantly, the best research you can do is dive in and taste them for yourself.

[DeeDubya]

Back a few years ago, my friend Rob at Hill Country Humidor bought some Acids. The rep warned him about displaying them with the boxes open, so even though they are still on the shelves he keeps the boxes closed. You know how they are packed with the loose leaves around the cigars? Those leaves are impregnated with the herbal oils used to infuse the flavors/scents into the cigars. About a week after he began stocking Acids, I could immediately smell them upon entering his humidor, even though he was keeping the boxes closed.

Well, to make my point, Rob gave me several different Acids to try. I brought them home and put them in with my other cigars. Next day when I opened my humi (this one was small and held about 150 sticks) I could smell nothing but the Acids. So, I took the Acids out and put them in a tupperware container. Several weeks later I could still smell the Acids. I don't think it was long enough to actually affect the other cigars but I could not get the smell out of the humidor. It's been a couple years now. I can tell you from experience that the scents will leech into the cedar and stay there.

Anyone need a good humidor, cheap?

[lement92]

i started out liking flavored cigars and very mild cigars. the company i keep all smokes full bodied and ultra-full bodied stuff. so gradually over time i graduated on up. went from smoking CAO flavors and don diegos just over a year ago to quite a bit of camacho and pepin stuff now. i would say that as long as you're smoking them pretty quick, you probably wouldn't have any problem with marrying. if you are looking to age some flavored smokes, i would get a separate small humi, maybe even a piece of tupperware, and use a separate humi for each flavor. if you like that little bit of spice that cedar adds, go for it. if you prefer the smoother smoke, just don't use as much cedar.

[CAJUNBLAZE]

I would just break down and buy a humidor. The money you spend on a tight seal tubberware container and smaller containers for your flavored smokes will about cost you about the same. Then put your flavored smokes in ziplocs and store in the humidor. If you decide you enjoy smoking you will still have to get a humidor and if you don't, just resell it on ebay.

Rich