Airflow, smells and ammonia

[tydra]

A few questions regarding airflow, external smells and ammonia.

I have an Aristocrat MXT and live in a one bedroom apartment so I don't have a choice but to keep my cabinet a few feet opposite my open style kitchen.

First question: Is the Aristocrat completely air proof to the extent that kitchen smells wouldn't affect the cigars?

Second question: Since I'm aging quite a number of boxes, I occasionally tend to smell some ammonia wafting out when I open the cabinet doors. Should I keep the doors open every now and then or would that affect the intensity of the flavors being developed through the aging process? And if it's ok to keep the doors open, then for how long and how often?

[CanuckSARTech]

I'd say no, let the cabinet stay closed. Any ammoniatic smell will dissipate on it's own.

Regarding the near the kitchen thing, I'd say you'd be fine there. Presumably, this is a finished aristocrat, and the wood isn't really full-on porus/permeable. Granted, there could be some transfer there, but unless you are constantly cooking very pungent things, I don't imagine it being a problem.

I'm sure that you could always contact Bob Staebell to get his opinions/thoughts on the designed nature of that to happen or not.

[tydra]

Hi Canuck,

Thanks for the reply,it definitely makes sense.I guess I'm being paranoid.

I hope I didn't portay any negativity towards Bob. I LOVE my cabinet and it's an amazing piece of humidor AND furniture.The set and forget system has the humidity at exactly within 2% and that's immensely improved the balance of the smokes I've had.

[CanuckSARTech]

Your welcome.

No, no negativity implied or perceived at all. It's a perfectly fine question to think about - I know that I wouldn't want anything profound to impact negatively on my cigars, smell- or taste-wise.

Again, it couldn't hurt to check with him, if you're at all uneasy about things.

But, hope something here helped you.

Cheers.

[Vinnyc]

Nice to see shlomo moaning again do these Canadians ever stop

[CanuckSARTech]

Nice to see shlomo moaning again do these Canadians ever stop

As opposed to the rest of the world's population moaning again about other stuff?

And, we try not to stop. Whenever we can get time in, in between bashing baby seals.