Hello all! What pro tips do you wish you heard when you were starting out?

[DennyPaul]

Hey all! Excited to start exploring the CCs. Actually just had my first cigar ever earlier this year and loved it. I found I'm partial to the Montecristos they sell here in the US, so I jumped on the no 2's that were available on last weekend's 24:24. Very excited for 'em!

I've done a modest amount of research, I know the basics of setting up a humidor and have a decent cedar box that holds it's humidity well.

Aside from that, it's safe bet I don't know anything, but I'm looking forward to learning!

So, what pro tips do you wish you new sooner rather than later?

[Fuzz]

Welcome to FOH!

Don't bother buying boxes in the beginning. Buy as many samplers or 1/4 packs as you can. It is better to taste a wide variety before you start zeroing in on specific boxes to buy.

Note, non-Cuban cigars are nothing like Cuban cigars.

When it comes to humidors/tupperdors.... always go bigger. You are eventually going to fill it up, if you continue with this hobby. I personally prefer tupperdors as they are easier to maintain and cheap to buy (is use 100L for my boxes, 50L for Nudies and 30L for my singles/loose cigars). Aesthetics don't bother me.

Fancy lighters are nice to look at, wonderful to hold, but once broken... a pain in the ass. You might want a nice one when going out, but at home I use any old jet lighter. The Iroda lighters are great for traveling, as they can be separated and secreted in your luggage, or buy a BIC refill at your destination.

And most importantly, don't rush. Enjoy the journey.

[Connoisseur Kim]

Welcome to FOH!

I also recommend always go bigger for CC storage options since your CC collection will grow faster and faster. Tupperdors and Coolidors are easy to maintain stable humidity, larger (especially with 150 Qt coolidor), and cheaper than traditional desktop humidors that make them ideal CC storage vessels.

[DennyPaul]

On 10/8/2023 at 8:19 PM, Fuzz said:

Welcome to FOH!

Don't bother buying boxes in the beginning. Buy as many samplers or 1/4 packs as you can. It is better to taste a wide variety before you start zeroing in on specific boxes to buy.

Note, non-Cuban cigars are nothing like Cuban cigars.

When it comes to humidors/tupperdors.... always go bigger. You are eventually going to fill it up, if you continue with this hobby. I personally prefer tupperdors as they are easier to maintain and cheap to buy (is use 100L for my boxes, 50L for Nudies and 30L for my singles/loose cigars). Aesthetics don't bother me.

Fancy lighters are nice to look at, wonderful to hold, but once broken... a pain in the ass. You might want a nice one when going out, but at home I use any old jet lighter. The Iroda lighters are great for traveling, as they can be separated and secreted in your luggage, or buy a BIC refill at your destination.

And most importantly, don't rush. Enjoy the journey.

Thanks I will! Starting with a 1/4 box of monte no 2 and 1/4 box of RyJ wide churchills. Those are what I understand are a couple examples of the most popular; may as well start there. Any suggestions?

On 10/8/2023 at 10:50 PM, Connoisseur Kim said:

Welcome to FOH!

I also recommend always go bigger for CC storage options since your CC collection will grow faster and faster. Tupperdors and Coolidors are easy to maintain stable humidity, larger (especially with 150 Qt coolidor), and cheaper than traditional desktop humidors that make them ideal CC storage vessels.

More humidors seems wise with my current spending pattern ha. How important is it to add ceder to a tupperdor?

[Fuzz]

15 minutes ago, DennyPaul said:

Thanks I will! Starting with a 1/4 box of monte no 2 and 1/4 box of RyJ wide churchills. Those are what I understand are a couple examples of the most popular; may as well start there. Any suggestions?

More humidors seems wise with my current spending pattern ha. How important is it to add ceder to a tupperdor?

I just keep some cedar sheets you get in boxes to help separate the cigars in my singles tupperdor. Spanish cedar is good to help maintain humidity, but if you're using beads and your rh is stable, it's not really important in my opinion. When you start storing boxes, there's your cedar.