New (and old) in the humidor

[littlepea]

Following my introduction in the newbies forum, I thought this would be a nice place to share what is in my humidor, and the recent changes that have been made. I initially had a small second hand humi that I picked up from ebay to hold my first ever actual collection of cigars (the picture is from Christmas Day).

This contained:

Montecristo No. 2
Cohiba Robusto
Cohiba Secretos Maduro
Punch Coronation
Por Larranaga Petit Corona
Alec Bradley Prensado Churchill
Macanudo 1968 Maduro
Quorum Churchill
Inka Secret Blend Robusto

Last week I picked up a bargain... a Adorini Torino Deluxe humi, with 16 Cubans (and one NC) and a Credo punch cutter for ?140 from a friend of a friend quitting.

My humidor now contains all of the above (minus the Larranaga, AB prensado, and the Inka), plus:

4 Romeo y Julietta No. 3
4 Montecristo Open Juniors
4 Cohiba Siglo I
1 RyJ No. 2
1 Santa Damiana Tubulares
(All the above were tubed and removed from tubes)
3 HdM Petit Robusto
1 Montecristo No. 4
3 Inka Poderoso Maduro
1 Inka Bombasso Maduro
1 Chinchalero Picadillos

I have a Xikar Xi1 cutter, a Colibri firebird and a fake Dupont Gatsby lighter, and a Tommy Bahama ashtray (and my tipple of choice as you can see, the Laphroaig Quarter cask...although I'm partial to a good bourbon!).

I'm very happy with my collection now...just painfully aware that I can't really afford to smoke more than once or twice a month. I've managed to amass these cigars/accessories almost exclusively as gifts!! I can't wait till I can one day actually afford an entire box of cigars!!

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[SmokeyDave]

That is a nice first humidor you have there.

A good variety of sticks as well

[tippexx]

Very nice selections ... I like the use of the little divider separating the Patrician from the Plebeian. I think I might have been tempted to go one step further and segregate all the NC into the old humi. Not very multicultural maybe, but Apartheid is still permissible with cigars.

Why did you take your sticks out of their tubes?

[littlepea]

Very nice selections ... I like the use of the little divider separating the Patrician from the Plebeian. I think I might have been tempted to go one step further and segregate all the NC into the old humi. Not very multicultural maybe, but Apartheid is still permissible with cigars.

Why did you take your sticks out of their tubes?

I actually considered doing this, but wasn't sure how much of a difference it would make to a fairly untrained palette? The majority of the tubed cigars came with the humidor. When I received them, they were a little over humidified, and required some resuscitation. I removed them from their tubes to speed this process up. Having read that people often have mould issues with tubed cigars (or should I say, more often than non-tubed cigars), I decided against putting them back in. I know that cigars may age better in tubes...I am assuming you would store them that way?

[tippexx]

Having read that people often have mould issues with tubed cigars (or should I say, more often than non-tubed cigars), I decided against putting them back in. I know that cigars may age better in tubes...I am assuming you would store them that way?

Tubos are packed under near perfect humidity, so unless someone takes the cap off they can't become over or under humidified in a correctly regulated humidor. The caps aren't totally airtight, but I no longer remove mine on basis of whatever air might get out can also get in.

The problem might have been the Humidor. I've got a Torino Deluxe, the box is first rate as is the synthetic hair Hygrometer which although slower is as accurate as any digital (though I advise you salt test it). On the other hand the Adorini shuttered humidification unit with the crystal fleece inside is a pain. Adorini use exactly the same system on all their Deluxe humidors ... 100 count, 170 count, 200+ count etc. On a 50 count like the Torino it's too much for the air space, and a real job to get the humidity down to a stable 70%
You might want to think about firstly cutting a quarter from the fleece, and then another quarter if necessary .... or doing as I did in the end, getting rid of it completely and substituting a dry mist tube.

On tubes think of it this way. A box of RyJ Churchills Tubos will arrive at the vendos caps on, they might be stored for ten years, but they will still be sold caps on.

[littlepea]

The problem might have been the Humidor. I've got a Torino Deluxe, the box is first rate as is the synthetic hair Hygrometer which although slower is as accurate as any digital (though I advise you salt test it). On the other hand the Adorini shuttered humidification unit with the crystal fleece inside is a pain. Adorini use exactly the same system on all their Deluxe humidors ... 100 count, 170 count, 200+ count etc. On a 50 count like the Torino it's too much for the air space, and a real job to get the humidity down to a stable 70%
You might want to think about firstly cutting a quarter from the fleece, and then another quarter if necessary .... or doing as I did in the end, getting rid of it completely and substituting a dry mist tube.

On tubes think of it this way. A box of RyJ Churchills Tubos will arrive at the vendos caps on, they might be stored for ten years, but they will still be sold caps on.

I noticed this when looking at various Adorini humis, and experienced the difficulties of keeping the humidity down first hand too. I initially shut the vents on the humidifier (there is one small hole left uncovered), and the humidity settled initially, but then came up to 74%. I have since then removed the humidifier completely and the humidity has sat at 71% for the last 4 days, which I am happy with. I am now going to keep a close eye on the humidity and reintroduce the humidifier as appropriate, until finances allow me to adopt another method of humidification. It may sound like a pain to have to keep checking the humidity...however when you have an obsessive compulsion to look at your cigars each day like I do then it's not too bad

Your logic with regards to tubes is very sound indeed! From now on, any tubed cigars I purchased shall remain housed as intended

[tippexx]

I noticed this when looking at various Adorini humis, and experienced the difficulties of keeping the humidity down first hand too. I initially shut the vents on the humidifier (there is one small hole left uncovered), and the humidity settled initially, but then came up to 74%. I have since then removed the humidifier completely and the humidity has sat at 71% for the last 4 days, which I am happy with. I am now going to keep a close eye on the humidity and reintroduce the humidifier as appropriate, until finances allow me to adopt another method of humidification. It may sound like a pain to have to keep checking the humidity...however when you have an obsessive compulsion to look at your cigars each day like I do then it's not too bad

Your logic with regards to tubes is very sound indeed! From now on, any tubed cigars I purchased shall remain housed as intended

Try cutting the fleece .... it gives the right humidity, but the volume is to great.

[smokin_e2011]

Excellent start to your collection, some cracking smokes too...

[littlepea]

Tippexx...I gave cutting the fleece a go as you suggested. Humi sitting nicely at 71% for the last few days. Thanks, excellent advice.