Some help and suggestions for a newbie

[stefan850]

Hey guys, so I'm slowly starting my CC obsession and I just have a couple of questions to ask.

First off, humidor. I read on a couple of places, including foh, that tupperware is better than a cheap humidor. I can't justify spending the money for a nice humidor yet (just started working) so I decided to go with the tupperware route.

I got a small (7 litres) container, I'll buy a bigger one later, this one is just for start to see how it all works out. I ordered Heartfelt Beads, ordered half a pound. By my calculation half a pound is enough for a 70 litres container so one quoter of a pound will be more than enough for me. So, when the beads come, I put one quoter of them in that bag that Heartfelt also sent me, I spray some distilled water on them, but make sure that at least 30% of them are not sprayed and I put them in the plastic container and that's it? I also got the digital humidity thing. There's nothing else I should do. Just spray distilled water every 2-3 months, once a week open the container for fresh air and it should all work fine?

Secondly some suggestions.

Till now, I tried mostly singles, I'll tell you what I loved and what I didn't like that much so hopefully you could suggest some CC for me. My taste sense is not nearly enough developed so I can't really describe in detail but I'll do my best.

Monte 4 & 5:

My first proper CC's, before them I smoked while I was in Serbia cohiba's but I was in most cases really drunk in a night club and I didn't really know what to do, how to smoke or anything at all. Since I came here in Sydney, I bought Monte both 4 & 5 in a pack of 5's. And my second Monte 4 I smoked while eating chocolate pudding and that taste, of Monte 4 and Chocolate pudding was the greatest thing I have ever tasted in my life. I don't know if those kinds of things go together but I do know that they absolutely should. At that moment I knew I'll be smoking CC's for the rest of my life.

Anyway, Monte 4 and 5 now in retrospect are alright. Although one Monte 4 was absolutely terrible for some reason. I also smoked 2 Trinidad Coloniales and 2 Reyes. I love them. They are a lot more "smooth" or kinda "milky" when I compare them to Monte 4's and 5's which are a lil bit more "rough". Cohiba siglo II was even more on a "smooth" and "milky/silky" side, but I didn't like that alot, I prefer the strong "finish" that both Monte and Trinidad seemed to have but Cohiba siglo II lacked, I don't know if that was just that one cigar I smoked or that's supposed to be like that, and it is very nice just not what I prefer. Besides a few Romeo and Julietes and and one Jose L Piedra which I found absolutely terrible I was also blown away with Upmann Magnum 46, it was a really strong, powerful cigar and I loved it, I was fighting with it and enjoying every moment of it.

So basically Trinidad's I love, Magnum 46 I love also, Monte's are alright, Cohiba Siglo II great but I don't think it's for me.

A friend from Europe is brining me some singles and I plan to buy a box of 12 Trinidad Reyes from Czar in September but what after that? Any suggestions guys?

I prefer smaller cigars, the biggest size would be of Magnum 46 that I would like. Just my preference at this time, it will probably change as I become more experienced.

And I apologize for my probably terrible descriptions of CC's, I just tried to describe the taste to the best of my current abilities so you could kinda give me some nice suggestions what to buy next.

[Rushman]

You will soon get tons of valuable advice. I know a lot of newbies that go the "tuppidor" route. The trick will be to maintain a consistent environment at the proper temp/rh levels for your cigars. If you can do that with Tupperware, more power to you and more money for cigars left in your pocket. As for cigar suggestions, i think a great route is to continue sampling singles or 3-5 packs until you nail down your likes and dislikes. Check out the MANY text and video cigar tasting reviews. Highly enlightening and usually funny (video anyway). Welcome and good smoking.

[capnshazam]

Hey guys, so I'm slowly starting my CC obsession and I just have a couple of questions to ask.

First off, humidor. I read on a couple of places, including foh, that tupperware is better than a cheap humidor. I can't justify spending the money for a nice humidor yet (just started working) so I decided to go with the tupperware route.

Well what do you define as a cheap humidor? You don't need to spend thousands to have a humidor that holds humidity perfectly well. An internet search will yield several sites that will provide good humidors for under $200 US.

Not saying there is anything wrong with tupperware, just you can buy a wooden humidor that will do the job for not much money. Never used heartfelt beads so I can't speak to how to use them I've just heard from enough people to know that they work.

Tim

[KarlJ]

You want to mist the beads with a spray bottle on the mist setting to damp the beads. Go slowly and don't saturate them. The beads appear clear when they are retaining water and white when they are dry. Mist them until you end up approx. 70% wet and 30% dry. To my knowledge you can't add too many beads so if you have the room, by all means use them up. You should also calibrate your hygrometer. Take a cap off a soda bottle or water bottle and fill it w/table salt. Dampen the salt with water, there should be no standing water in the mixture if there is place a napkin on the water to absorb the excess. Place the lid of salt and hygrometer in a small airtight container together(like a zip lock bag). Let it sit for 4-6 hours or if your patient go 24hrs. The hygrometer should read 75% if it is accurate. If it isnt 75% and it is an adjustable type follow the instructions to do so. If it isn't adjustable take note to what it's inaccuracy is and remember to mentally adjust the readings you get with it when it is in use.

By the way I use the heartfelt beads in my desk top humidor and I really like them. -Karl

[stefan850]

Well what do you define as a cheap humidor? You don't need to spend thousands to have a humidor that holds humidity perfectly well. An internet search will yield several sites that will provide good humidors for under $200 US.

Not saying there is anything wrong with tupperware, just you can buy a wooden humidor that will do the job for not much money. Never used heartfelt beads so I can't speak to how to use them I've just heard from enough people to know that they work.

Tim

Well I did find some that would seem to be alright for under 200 dollars, but they are mostly for 50 - 75 cigars which I think I'll fill really fast. So my plan is to not buy a humidor until I decide to buy a nice corner table like humidor that can keep at least a couple of boxes/cabs inside. Until then, tupperware, at least that's the plan.

You will soon get tons of valuable advice. I know a lot of newbies that go the "tuppidor" route. The trick will be to maintain a consistent environment at the proper temp/rh levels for your cigars. If you can do that with Tupperware, more power to you and more money for cigars left in your pocket. As for cigar suggestions, i think a great route is to continue sampling singles or 3-5 packs until you nail down your likes and dislikes. Check out the MANY text and video cigar tasting reviews. Highly enlightening and usually funny (video anyway). Welcome and good smoking.

About the temp, that might be an issue during the summer but I'll try to manage it the best that I can. And I am reading as much as possibly can about the cigars. Thanks to this wonderful forum I already learned so much.

You want to mist the beads with a spray bottle on the mist setting to damp the beads. Go slowly and don't saturate them. The beads appear clear when they are retaining water and white when they are dry. Mist them until you end up approx. 70% wet and 30% dry. To my knowledge you can't add too many beads so if you have the room, by all means use them up. You should also calibrate your hygrometer. Take a cap off a soda bottle or water bottle and fill it w/table salt. Dampen the salt with water, there should be no standing water in the mixture if there is place a napkin on the water to absorb the excess. Place the lid of salt and hygrometer in a small airtight container together(like a zip lock bag). Let it sit for 4-6 hours or if your patient go 24hrs. The hygrometer should read 75% if it is accurate. If it isnt 75% and it is an adjustable type follow the instructions to do so. If it isn't adjustable take note to what it's inaccuracy is and remember to mentally adjust the readings you get with it when it is in use.

By the way I use the heartfelt beads in my desk top humidor and I really like them. -Karl

Calibration kit will arrive together with the beads and hygrometer but thank you very much Karl, appreciate the advices/guide. I'll probably need it in the future anyway

[Wil]

About the temp, that might be an issue during the summer but I'll try to manage it the best that I can. And I am reading as much as possibly can about the cigars. Thanks to this wonderful forum I already learned so much.

If you don't have temperature control (like a wine fridge), you need insulation. I keep my boxes (and desktop humidor) in a really well insulated ice box with Heartfelt beads. A little bit dearer than tupperwear, but provides some protection against extreme heat.

I got one like this - but got it cheaper on the bay of e (same supplier).

http://www.techniice.com/2011/iceboxes/index_iceboxes_classic.asp

[docbp87]

I know that a 50-75 ct. humidor seems MASSIVE to you right now, since you are probably buying singles, etc... but I promise you... in 6 months you'll have a wine fridge full of boxes, two desktop humidors, and a coolerdor or two full of boxes. It just happens, and it feels like it happens over night. Best of luck, and you are lucky to have found this fantastic forum so early in your hobby! These guys (and gals) will steer you right!

[stefan850]

I know that a 50-75 ct. humidor seems MASSIVE to you right now, since you are probably buying singles, etc... but I promise you... in 6 months you'll have a wine fridge full of boxes, two desktop humidors, and a coolerdor or two full of boxes. It just happens, and it feels like it happens over night. Best of luck, and you are lucky to have found this fantastic forum so early in your hobby! These guys (and gals) will steer you right!

Oh, I'm aware of that friend. I read here on this board how a lot of people make that mistake, as I said in the previous post

Well I did find some that would seem to be alright for under 200 dollars, but they are mostly for 50 - 75 cigars which I think I'll fill really fast. So my plan is to not buy a humidor until I decide to buy a nice corner table like humidor that can keep at least a couple of boxes/cabs inside. Until then, tupperware, at least that's the plan.

So my first humidor will definitely be for 4-5 boxes + a drawer or two for singles, 3/5 packs.

And lucky indeed I am. All of the members of this board are very knowledgable and it has just the perfect balance of general talk, socialising and cigar talk.