Please help a noob out (Trying to get started w/ cigars....in over my head!!)

[investinwaffles]

Ok guys,
So 2 nights ago I smoked a really good (in my opinion) cigar, the Rocky Patel Decade and it really got me turned back onto cigars.

But last night, I really wanted to try another so I rushed to the shop only to find out that a football game was just getting out (I live basically in Boulder, CO - big college town). Needless to say that I didnt get there until after they closed and was super pissed! Its been a ******* long week and I only drove the 30mins to pick up a cigar so it was a total loss.

Now I am really really wanting to get my own humidor and start a collection. I was really set on getting a 5 Vegas "Tradicion" Starter Kit but upon further inspection it is out of stock everywhere but one place:

http://threecigardogs.com/5-Vegas/Samplers/5-Vegas-Tradicion-30-Cigar-Combo/flypage.tpl.html

It seems like a good deal because I get a nice big humidor with it, plus 30 good cigars (10 each).
10 - 5 Vegas Classic Churchill (7" x 52)
10 - 5 Vegas Gold Series Churchill (7" x 50)
10 - 5 Vegas Series ’A’ Apostle (7" x 50)

How are these Cigars? I have been wanting to try a 5 Vegas Gold for a while, but I am going to try again today and see if I can snag one from the cigar shop.
I feel like I would spend around $80 on a comparable Humidor, but $70 for 30 cigars seems like an OK deal too, right??

I was also looking at the "blue chip" combo:
http://threecigardogs.com/Miscellaneous/Samplers/Blue-Chip-Combo-8/flypage.tpl.html

They seem a little diverse and better quality maybe?
5 - Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic 1979 (5" x 50)
5 - Graycliff 1666 Presidente (7" x 48)
5 - Gurkha Ltd. Master Select Robusto #4 (6" x 52)
5 - La Herencia Cubana Toro (6.5" x 52)
5 - Rocky Patel Vintage ’90 Robusto (5.5" x 50)
1 - Yukon Humidor (40 capacity)
1 - Humi-Care Crystal Humidification Jar (4oz)

The only issue with the above package is the humidor is so small. I was planning on buying a few 20-cigar boxes of whatever I find to be my favorite. Should I just buy my own humidor and then fill it with whatever I want, or go with one of these combos?

I found a few that i liked on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Glass-top-h...ultDomain_0&hash=item27be1ff1ca#ht_500wt_1361

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Clear-Top-C...ltDomain_0&hash=item4cfa8bc531#ht_1116wt_1110

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...sPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en#ht_3223wt_1344

Last one is nice but it is too small as well.

What do you guys think I should do? I smoke about 3 cigars a week and was planning on starting a cigar journal for myself to keep track of the ones I like and dont like.
I was also planning on ordering a few mix-and-match combos (one stick, buy 4 get the 5th free) to get a good feel for the different types. The cigar shop near me is OK, but it is very small and their humidor is mostly out of stock (it was the last Rocky Patel Decade so I bought it figuring it was good).

Just really confused as to what I should do! I really like the 5 Vegas humidor box but I also really really like the first eBay box as I can really organize my cigars instead of stacking them (the 5 Vegas box will be fine too I think, just no display top which I like )

 

[dustin]

1. I would recommend buying a name brand a humidor. With cheapies and ebay specials you never know if what you get will be sealed properly. Generally, this is going to cost you $150 or more for just the box. Generally speaking, light and temperature change are bad for cigars so display tops aren't really a great idea. I have a display top on my box, but it is stored on a shelf in a closet where no one can see it.

2. Get a digital hygrometer and calibrate it properly. Analogue hygrometers are useless for the most part.

3. Heartfelt beads or boveda packs are going to be the easiest way to keep the humidity consistent in the humidor.

4. If you are smoking mostly non-cubans I would keep the humidity and temp around 70rh and 70f.

5. Its important to season your humidor before putting cigars in there. This takes about a week. The idea is to get the spanish cedar inside of it to have about 70rh. Otherwise you will have issues with it drying out your humi and cigars kept inside it. The way I do this is by setting a shot glass of distilled water (don't spill the water, it will crack/warp the cedar) in it for two to three days. Check the humidity at the end of this period and if its 75rh or higher take the shot glass out. Put in the humidification unit (heartfelt beads, boveda packs or whatever), and let the humi sit another two or three days. Don't be opening it during this time. Read the humidity after the second two or three days. If its 70 or so (depending on which RH units you choose), you should be good to go. However, don't add a whole lot of cigars at once. Maybe do 5 at once, every 4 or 5 days until you have it to the level you want.

 

[Matyoka]

What :dustin: said !!!!

 

[investinwaffles]

Cool, thanks alot guys. I have a slight dilema, I got impatient and bid on a box of cigars, which I ended up winning. I dont want to tupperdor them for too long so I want to pick up a humi kind of fast since I have to season it for a while.

What do you guys think about this humidor? It says that its an "imperfect" but lots of people have reported buying from these guys and getting only minor cosmetic blemishes (still gives a tight seal).

It goes for $200 normally on their site and it looks to be really nice quality
http://www.premiumhumidors.com/shop...brano-exotica-humidor-imperfet-humidor-2.html

$120 I can live with and it is really good looking, BUT it is an imperfect and thats a chance I have to take.

I also found this Savoy humidor (by Ashton) for $150 on ebay. Also seems like a good deal to me but it is a little too big for my dresser. I could stash it in my storage unit, but it doesn't come with any trays it looks like, and I don't know if any will fit?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-Off-Alm...ultDomain_0&hash=item1c1fa6d00b#ht_500wt_1361

What do you guys think? Any recommendations for something that will hold a solid 100-150 sticks, and under $150??

 

[dustin]

Banging deal right now: http://www.cigarsinternational.com/prodDisp.asp?item=M-VG05&cat=10

If I knew what the "imperfet" meant, I would be more apt to comment on it.

About the used ebay humidor... I wonder why its being sold. My main concern would be whether the guy had a mold issue or something and is trying to make a buck off a bad humi/with mold spores....

 

[investinwaffles]

Banging deal right now: http://www.cigarsinternational.com/prodDisp.asp?item=M-VG05&cat=10

If I knew what the "imperfet" meant, I would be more apt to comment on it.

About the used ebay humidor... I wonder why its being sold. My main concern would be whether the guy had a mold issue or something and is trying to make a buck off a bad humi/with mold spores....

aahh Ive heard only bad things about "drawer" humidors, mostly that the cheaper ones are really badly constructed and there are gaps in the drawer seals, etc. and they end up not holding humidity properly.

I called premium humidors and left a message (kind of sucks that no one picked up my call??) I thin they will be closed on the east coast by the time I am off work so I'll just email them and wait.
BUT there is almost no point. Did some reading and they have the same guarentee on their "imperfect" humidors (basically just means the outside finish has a scratch or nick, functionality is perfect). Read a bunch of posts on puff and cigar-afficionado that says they have a great return policy, free shipping, and the imperfect is most likely going to seal perfectly which is all I care about.

I too am wary of buying a used humidor as well - too many factors that could screw me over.

I also just won a 24 box of C. Turano's Exodus 50yr Maduro - which I tried and loved locally. Got it for just about $90 too (I paid $8 for my sick if I recall correctly), and a 5-pack Cain Nub F's which I am really excited to try (I love spicy smokes ). Unfortunately I was impatient so they will have to go into a tupperdor until my humi is properly cured.

Thanks a lot for the help guys. looks like I got my humi situation figured out - now I just have to prevent myself from buying any more because I only have a small tupperdor!!