Introduction and question about humidors, RH, etc..

[hp-^]

Just so you know where I'm at: I smoked my first cigar yesterday, a Romeo Y Julieta, and enjoyed it quite a bit even though the smell stuck with me for the entire evening and the roof of my mouth is burnt this morning(it may have been the pizza I had before too).

I'm interested in buying a humidor, but there are several aspects I am unfamiliar with and some general information I'm aware of.

Info. I'm aware of (correct me if I'm wrong):

-RH around 70%, as low as 65%, probably around 68%
-do not put flavoured cigars in
-use 50/50 solution at first, then distilled water

I need help understanding:

-how to tell how fresh a cigar is when you buy it or want to smoke it
-can you mix factory-made (I'm interested in Swisher Sweets) with premium cigars? Or any other combinations?
-is there going to be a hefty customs charge for having this shipped from the U.S.?

If you could lend me some of your experience it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[BigMacFU]

Welcome to the boards HP.

First off, no you don't mix machine made with hand rolled because you don't want to buy machine made cigars, they're crap.

Secondly, you're not going to buy a humidor, you're going to buy a cooler, 60qts. and up. Then, you're going to buy humidity beads from this website heartfeltindustries and get the 1 lb. bag.

Thirdly, cigars are a product similar to wine in that you don't have to worry about freshness, age is a wonderful thing for a tobacco, what you have to worry about is whether the cigars purchased have been properly maintained at a good temperature and humidity level. Almost all cigars purchased on-line come from vendors who maintain their stocks well.

Finally, as for the customs charge, I don't know, Roham and some of the other guys are fellow Hosiers, so they'd be able to tell you more.

[TheyCallMeManiX]

and by the way swisher sweets and stuff like that have a chemical inside them that detiriorate spanish cedar . . . its a freak of nature kind of thing but if you put those inside your humidor they will eat it up faster than mexican termites on a hairless beaver!!! . . . same effect on plastic just fyi . . . you know

[Lopaka]

Aviod Swisher Sweets in all honesty. When you smoke good quility smokes....SS taste like

[mithril]

welcome to the board. take the advise of these guys, they (and others) haven't steered me wrong yet.

[Mazeman]

As for the humidifying "solution", follow the manufacturer's instructions for your humidifier.
Some humidifiers, as well as the humidity beads, require ONLY distilled water.

[Island Epicurean]

Not to be a real Kill Joy or anything, but Federal Tobacco Regulations forbid the buying/selling of tobacco products from other Provinces/Countries. (As per my reading of the Federal Legislation.) I think Customs may confiscate them if they process them.