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I just bought a box of Fuente Hemmingway Classics. I have a pretty nice humidor but it's maxed out right now. How long could I keep my box of Hemmingways fresh if I just keep them in their original box and in a cabinet which stays pretty cool? I don't have a basement but my cabinet stays around 65 - 70 degrees and is obviously away from sunlight. I'm not sure what the humidity is naturally in my house but it's probably 50% or there about.

I obviously don't want to ruin my expensive smokes. Any suggestions?

Most cigar shops sell small humidifiers that you can put right in the box.some are recharge-able,some you throw away after 30-60 days.Email me at [email protected] if you can't find one. Jim

Okay, so suppose I go the tupperware route, should I also include a damp sponge or some humidification device? I have one of those tubes that you can fill with tap water and the crystals fill up allowing for optimal humidity. Could I just put that in the box with the cigars or should I put it in with them in a tupperware dish?

I read once that if you buy a new box of cigars sometimes it can be good to store them in a cool damp place rather than pack them into your humidor. You guys don't think this is a good idea?

Good point on the tuperware...it is airtight, and if you do use a humidification device (and you should) take it out for a week or so and then put it back in the container for a few days and so on! Charlie

MrSoprano truth is I'd get yourself a small cooler say 32-34 qt. wal-marts got some for like $10 or so.I've got an Igloo 54,hell there like $20 everywhere right now or just get one big enough to hold that box + a couple more(cause if you hang out here you'll need it,LOL) but still fit in your cabinet.Send me your mailing address and I'll send you a chunk of florists foam and some 50/50 mix(propylene glycol and distilled H2O)so you can make your own humidifier.E-mail me your address at [email protected].....Oh BTW I've never tried a Hemmingway Classic before....Really LOL.Later,Jim

I'll vouch for Slim's ability to maintain cigars. The care package he sent me was in top shape. But I must add some insight, because I am a know it all. The propylene Glycol is amazing. It really does absorb a certain amount of moisture when humidity excedes 70% (RH). If your tupperdor tends to run high, don't use 50/50 PG and distilled. Instead, up the PG % to absorb the excess, yet release it when and if it's needed. Bottom line is to monitor the cigars regardless of how you keep them.

The retailer you are speaking of ships their cigars very wet. Cigars from there do indeed need to be dried out, or set-up. I concur with the Igloo-dor. Walmart or Sams has very economical coolers for $15-$20. They seal well and can accommodate several boxes.

You can use a soap dish with holes drilled in the top, and an unused sponge with distilled water as a humidifier. Even better would be to pick up some propelyne glycol at your pharmacist and mix it 50% with distilled water. This will maintain a perfect %70 humidity. You can also get a hygrometer from your local tobacconist. Radio Shack has fancy digital hygrometers and so do many WalMarts. The point is to monitor the humitidy, even if you just pop the hygrometer out of your desktop and place it in your cooler for a couple of hours to make sure it is o.k. Tupperware works good also. Just make sure it has a good seal.

the operative phrase is cool and damp. He's right if you have both of those attributes then your cigars will survive without a humidor. The question is do you have a room in your house that maintains 65-70% humidity? If not you do not have the damp end of the equation. This is why we all have humidors. I have a few igloodors and they work fine. I keep the cigrs in the original boxes and pop them in the cooler with a block of oasis foam. I like to open the small little drain valve to promote some sort of air circulation. My rig hold 73% for over 2 months without a recharge.

Well for that size cooler your not going to need that big of a brick.I'd say cut off about a 1/2 inch piece,now you've got a 4x4x1/2,put that in a piece of tupperware/rubbermaid dish.You can drill holes in the top if you want or just leave the top off.The 2 oz should be plenty to start with,and it's probably a 50/50 mix already right?Just put it on your foam
you don't really need to saturate it.Thats it.Just keep checking the humidity every couple days for a while and let us know where you at humidity wise that is.If it gets to high take the humidifier out and trim it down a little.Good Luck

Thanks for the advice. I have everything in place so now I am going back to Wal-Mart to get a replacement battery for my digital hydrometer. I know with a new humidor it can take weeks to get up to 70% but since the cooler is air tight and solid it shouldn't take that long should it?

After only a couple of days the temperature is steady between 65 and 75 degrees. The humidity is stuck around 67% but maybe that will bump up too in a day or so. So all in all it looks to be working pretty well in the Igloo cooler. I've got a digital hydrometer inside and I'm checking it daily.

Thanks again guys for all the advice.