Hello all! My wife bought me a humidor for my birthday. It came with all the items. I was looking at the directions and it stated that I should use distilled water for the humidifier. But the gent at the smokeshop included a bottle of propylene glycol solution with the kit. What's the deal? Distilled water or glycol solution?  Any advantages of one or the other? Thanks

tagged, I would like to know as well.

The PG solution is best.  It's 1/2 Distilled Water and 1/2 Prop. Gly.  It will keep your humidor at around 70% humidity better than distilled water alone and won't be as likely to grow mold.

Keep in mind that it may take a few weeks for your humidor to stabilize at around 70%.  If it's a little higher or lower, don't sweat it!  I actually prefer my cigars a little drier than 70%.

ONLY BUY GOOD CIGARS!  Don't settle for any cheap bundles with claims that they are as good as the better known cigars.  Stay away from Thompson Cigar Co.!!!!!


Some good dealers are:

JR Cigars
Rocky's
Cuban Crafters
Uncle Mike's

Google the names for their sites.


Balming

Thank you.

Glycol solution is just a humidty control method. In theory, it will release water if below 70% humidty, and absorb water above 70% humidity. My buddy swears by it, I just use distilled water.

You can get propylene glycol online at chemical supply shops for a helluva lot less than what they will charge you at cigar shops, if you want glycol. Then just cut it with distilled water at 50/50 and you are good to go.

(And if you are going to use water, it really really should be distilled, or you will get mineral buildups and can ruin the seasoning of the humidor)

Quoted: ONLY BUY GOOD CIGARS!  Don't settle for any cheap bundles with claims that they are as good as the better known cigars.

Boooooo!

Cheap 'dog rockets' have their place in any collection. Just don't buy the flavored crap.

Stay away from Thompson Cigar Co.!!!!!

+Eleventy billion.

Quoted: Quoted: ONLY BUY GOOD CIGARS!  Don't settle for any cheap bundles with claims that they are as good as the better known cigars. Boooooo! Cheap 'dog rockets' have their place in any collection. Just don't buy the flavored crap. Stay away from Thompson Cigar Co.!!!!! +Eleventy billion.

Well....................I actualy HAVE bought some decent bundles in the past, Consuegra #9 and LaFloriditas come to mind, but I only bought them after they were reccomended by many knowledgable people on a cigar BB.

Herfer's Paradise is/was the best cigar BB on the net.  I haven't been there in a long time though.

I have had pretty good luck with Cigars International 'noname' bundles. My current favorite smoke, AVO XO Maestosos, cost a bit much for regular consumption.

My personal favorite are Macanudo brand cigars.

Almost forgot...She bought me some Macanudos and some Drew Estates. Do you sort and stack by brand or by type? Thanks

65% Heartfelt Beads or an active humidifier like a cigar oasis are the best.[:E ]

Quoted: Almost forgot...She bought me some Macanudos and some Drew Estates. Do you sort and stack by brand or by type? Thanks

Ack!!! Don't store any fine cigars in the same humi as that infused crap like Drew Estates or Acid!!!!

It's fine if you like to smoke those, just don't mix them.

Quoted: Almost forgot...She bought me some Macanudos and some Drew Estates. Do you sort and stack by brand or by type? Thanks

I keep them roughly split by type (oscuros get their own bin, maduros get a bin, etc), but I am not too picky about it, except for 'premium' and ISOM cigars. Those I make sure are not touching other types of cigars.

You want to be careful with the DE and other flavored cigars. The flavor can 'soak' into the humidor, flavoring all of your cigars! If you like those, it is not a bad idea to keep them in a small cheap humidor of there own (easy to make a 'coolerdor', or you can pickup a really cheap humidor from any good online shop).

Cigar 'collecting' and smoking is a way more fun than I thought when I first started.

As stated earlier keep the Drew Estates and "Ass-ids" away from non funky cigars.  

AS to the polypro solution, it also depends on what kind of humidification device you have.  Many of the more inexpensive humis use "oasis" type foam to hold the liquid.  They say that by treating the humi with the solution every six months or so (in lieu of water) it will help keep the foam absorbent.  I've seen many humis come into the shop where the foam just wouldn't take any water, and was bone dry.  The foam was shot.  The solution helps the foam last longer.  Then again, if you have a sharp blade, and any sort of dexterity, you can just get the foam from a craft store for $.99 instead of paying $15 for the "magic" solution.

FWIW, we also sold a TON of those "humi-tubes".  Clear plastic tubes with polypro "rocks" in them.  No messing with distilled water.  Just use tap water.  These are paricularly nice for cheap or travel humis.

Also, do NOT use tap or bottled water.   We had an arrogant SOB customer with more money than sense.  Had an Elie Bleu humidor, and since he was so "special", he thought it would be even better to use Evian instead of distilled water.  All the extra minerals etc in the bottled water wreaked havoc on his humi.

Generally the first time "seasoning" the humi (wipe down interior surfaces with paper towel soaked with distilled water, "charge" the humidifier, and let it sit closed overnight with NO cigars in it.  If you put the cigars in right away, the humi will suck all the moisture out of the cigars.  It needs to "stabilize" before you put stogies in.) we would charge the humidifier with the solution.  That way you just use distilled when you need to add moisture. Every six months use the solution.

Rich

tag

Quoted: Quoted: Almost forgot...She bought me some Macanudos and some Drew Estates. Do you sort and stack by brand or by type? Thanks I keep them roughly split by type (oscuros get their own bin, maduros get a bin, etc), but I am not too picky about it, except for 'premium' and ISOM cigars. Those I make sure are not touching other types of cigars. You want to be careful with the DE and other flavored cigars. The flavor can 'soak' into the humidor, flavoring all of your cigars! If you like those, it is not a bad idea to keep them in a small cheap humidor of there own (easy to make a 'coolerdor', or you can pickup a really cheap humidor from any good online shop). Cigar 'collecting' and smoking is a way more fun than I thought when I first started.

Listen to Tomislav!

Keep the flavored ones somewhere else, or throw them away!  Most longtime cigar conisseurs won't go near the flavored or infused stuff.  If you only smoke those types, then by all means do whatever you like.

I personally like stronger bodied cigars.  In my opinion you can't go wrong with:

Arturo Fuente Petite Corona

Arturo Fuente Short Story

(Most anything made by the Fuente's)

Carlos Torano 1916s

La Gloria Cubana Silencios

La Gloria CUbana Wavells

Cuban Crafter's JL Salazars

IMO, cigars are best enjoyed when you have at least an hour to relax, and with a good cup of coffee ground from fresh beans.


Balming

The only non- cubans I smoke Are Padrons.

If you're new, it's wise to start milder and build up from there.  
Fuente makes great mild to medium cigars.
I generally prefer strong cigars.  Some of my faves...

Davidoff Millenium series (If I feel like spending $)
La Aroma de Cuba ( a great smoke from Ashton)
Padron (any of 'em.  They make a fantastic smoke.  I like the 3000)
Punch (great cigars.  I particularly like the corojo rothchilds and the Gran Puro series)
Rocky Patel's "the edge"

Some milder cigars you may want to try...
Macanudos are ok, and a great "intro" to cigars.
Davidoff (if you want to spend beau coup bucks)
Private Stock (GREAT "apprenctice rolled" cigars of Davidoff.  The No.11 will cost $3-$4 per stick as compared to the "Special R" for $14)
Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur (milder and more refined than the regular Hoyos)

one great benefit of the "cigar boom" being over is that it is now a buyer's market.  Back during the "boom" any mom and pop (or big company for that matter) could turn out any POS dog rocket, charge $10 a stick, and laugh all the way to the bank.  Well, as people educated themselves on 'gars, the sheisters went by the wayside (for the most part).   You can now find a good quality cigar for $3 a stick.  I would recommend frequenting your local mom and pop tobacconist.  They should be able to give you some good recommendations, not to mention a nice "get away" during the workday where you can take a break, enjoy a smoke, and shoot the shit.  I can't recommend that enough. It's important to try to support local business.  Once in a while, I'll order from JR etc, but I still do go to the B&M shops.

Rich