humidity questions, what else?

urbino

Hi, everybody.  I'm new here, returning to cigars after having dabbled fairly thoroughly in them as a relative yoot.

I have a couple of questions about humidity.  First, why distilled water?

Second, what's the best way to keep boxes of cigars?  That is, should you open boxes as soon as you get them and put the cigars in a humidor, even if you won't be smoking any of them for months or years?  Or will they be fine just in the boxes, with the shrinkwrap intact, for a good long while?  Or what about putting the boxes in the humidor?

I think that's enough to start me off.  Thanks!

j0z3r

Howdy and welcome.

1: Distilled water because tap water has minerals that will build up and eventually clog your humidification device.

2: Up to you. Personally, I will store a full box in the humidor with the box lid removed and all cellophane removed so that the cigars can breathe. I suppose as long as they are properly humidified, you can store them however you like though.

Joe

madurofan

The minerals and "contaminants" in tap water can also leave a residue on your cigars affectign the flavor. Second I store my boxes with the lid on BUT I remover the cello from the box but leave it on the cigars.

urbino

j0z3r:

Howdy and welcome.

Howdy and thanks.

In the past, I haven't had a humidifier that was really capable of getting clogged up.  Just the ol' damp paper towel in a baggie, or the little tubes of gel/crystals.  I've just ordered up a Cigar Oasis XL, though, so I'll try to take better care of it.

kuzi16

j0z3r:

I will store a full box in the humidor with the box lid removed and all cellophane removed so that the cigars can breathe.

cellophane is a porus material. your cigar breathes inside the celo. no need to take it off. I keep it on for protections sake.

madurofan

urbino:

I've just ordered up a Cigar Oasis XL, though, so I'll try to take better care of it.

Welcome to the club. I have a cigar oasis as well and freaking love it. I've just ordered some beads to help keep the humidity down for the summer months but you'll love the oasis.

dep691

The boxes that I store I remove the cello from the box leave it on the cigars. When I am ready to smoke one I place it in the desk top for  week or so. I have never had a problem with the cigars drying out, I just notice that they seem to smoke better when I pull one out and let it sit for a little while in a different environment than the box.

Markbb

When I store my cigars in the cedar humi. I always pull the cello. because I personally like the look of  naked cigars in my humi. but I leave the cello. on when I store in the tupperdors, distilled water on the beads and no worrys like to keep the humi. temps around the 70 to 72 degree mark, the smell is awsome when I open the lid smell of tobacco and cedar..

j0z3r

kuzi16:

j0z3r:

I will store a full box in the humidor with the box lid removed and all cellophane removed so that the cigars can breathe.

cellophane is a porus material. your cigar breathes inside the celo. no need to take it off. I keep it on for protections sake.

I know, I figure when they are inside of a box they are fairly well protected, so I lose the cello. Preference I suppose.

urbino

And the less time they spend in direct contact with plastic of any kind can probably only be a good thing, I suppose.

urbino

madurofan:

Welcome to the club. I have a cigar oasis as well and freaking love it. I've just ordered some beads to help keep the humidity down for the summer months but you'll love the oasis.

Thanks! Everybody seems to like them, so I've got my hopes up. One question, though -- it sounds like a lot of people are buying digital hygrometers to use with the CO. Is the CO's digital hygrometer not accurate?

jihiggs

leaving the celo on the box is about the same as leaving the celo on the cigars, the debate continues, I figure it just comes down to preference. as for the hygro question, I have never seen any analogue hygros worth anything, only digital.

urbino

jihiggs:

leaving the celo on the box is about the same as leaving the celo on the cigars, the debate continues, I figure it just comes down to preference. as for the hygro question, I have never seen any analogue hygros worth anything, only digital.

Yes, but the hyrometer on the oasis is digital, isn't it? (I haven't been home to open mine up, yet.)

kuzi16

as strange as it sounds, cellophane is made from wood. its the most "natural" plastic out there. (if you can even call it plastic) cello even burns. it doesnt exactly melt. I have no problem leaving it in the cellophane.

kuzi16

jihiggs:

leaving the celo on the box is about the same as leaving the celo on the cigars, the debate continues, I figure it just comes down to preference.

I think the plastic around the box is PLASTIC not cellophane. its plastic around the box to keep them fresh. cellophane is too porus to keep a cigar fresh in a box.

urbino

kuzi16:

as strange as it sounds, cellophane is made from wood.

I'll be damned.

madurofan

Urbino, DON'T TRUST THE OASIS HYGRO ... mine is like 4% off. I've heard other guys say as much as 9%. Buy an adjustable digital Xikar makes a nice one its like $15 and then salt test it.

madurofan

kuzi16:

as strange as it sounds, cellophane is made from wood.

WTF? Really? Learn something new everyday.

kuzi16

yup... i was shocked when i heard it too.

madurofan

Soooo technically you could smoke a stogie with the cello still on .... hmmm that sounds like it would be pretty retarded but its possible

kuzi16

it would burn kinda funny. next time you take the cellophane off a cigar, put a flame to it. if it was plastic it would melt quickly, but it burns.

madurofan

thats cool I'm gonna try it tonight. Would it emit a smell or taste?

urbino

madurofan:

Urbino, DON'T TRUST THE OASIS HYGRO ... mine is like 4% off. I've heard other guys say as much as 9%. Buy an adjustable digital Xikar makes a nice one its like $15 and then salt test it.

Hm. Well that's pretty disappointing for a product in that price range. Thanks for the excellent tip, though, madurofan.

urbino

madurofan:

thats cool I'm gonna try it tonight. Would it emit a smell or taste?

Tastes like chicken.

madurofan

urbino:

madurofan:

Urbino, DON'T TRUST THE OASIS HYGRO ... mine is like 4% off. I've heard other guys say as much as 9%. Buy an adjustable digital Xikar makes a nice one its like $15 and then salt test it.

Hm. Well that's pretty disappointing for a product in that price range. Thanks for the excellent tip, though, madurofan.

It happens buddy don't take it as a sign of the product quality. Even the most high end hygrometers can be off.

madurofan

urbino:

madurofan:

thats cool I'm gonna try it tonight. Would it emit a smell or taste?

Tastes like chicken.

LMAO. Every wonder why chicken tastes like everything? Maybe they didn't know what it actually tasted like so they made it taste like everything?

kuzi16

madurofan:

Even the most high end hygrometers can be off.

because of this i reccomend an adjustable one. ... or at least write down on the hygromiter how far its off.

... but even that can change. I salt test every fall before i turn the heater on or after i change the battery. never hurts.

madurofan

Both of my digi's are adjustable, the Xikar is far better IMO. I salt test every 3 or 4 months, whenever the weather changes basically.

kuzi16

i thought it was xikar that made em. i just couldnt remember.

urbino

I just ordered a couple of adjustable ones from the bead people, along with some beads, just to have some on hand. Thanks again for the tip, guys.

mikalsan

I just learned three things. I did know the beads absorbed excess moisture though. One of the reason I love them so much. When I bought them, I just thought they released moisture unless they were under water (only then absorb). Cool combo to have, Distilled water and beads. As far as the oasis, I will keep that inmind. I'll aslo wow my Herf tomorrow with the woody cellpophane trick. Then convince one of them to eat it (because Urbino says it tastes like chicken)