Originally posted by Cos
So I could use some advice. Just ordered a humidor and all the kit from the Hillhurst guy. I want to set up and condition the thing before we go to Cuba in 3 weeks.
I've smoked a few but to be honest I never know what Unknown gives me. He hasnt steered me wrong though. They are pretty nice. How do you start getting into this? What are the 'common' good cigars. Even getting the sizes right is hard for me for some reason. I'd also like to get a couple just to get a feeling and I plan to bring back a shit load when we return.
Hey Cos,
Depending on your humidor it should come with seasoning instructions. Depending on how long it has been in storage the wood could be very dry and you might not have a tight seal. Using distilled water only, damp a cloth and lightly wipe down the wood inside the humidor. Wait for it to dry, and repeat this about three times. You dont want to soak the wood or it could warp. You want to wipe it with water so it absorbs the moisture. Then take a shallow open dish and fill with distilled water and leave it in their for a few days. That or an 80%+ Boveda pack which are used for seasoning humidors. Boveda packs are usually easiest.
Once its seasoned you should notice that the lid feels firmer to open then when you first got it. If the lid still opens easily without much effort then it is not properly seasoned. Using a $5 bill slip it in between the lid and the box. If you can pull the bill out then it doesnt have a good seal.
As for cigars look into the Montecristo #4, the Romeo Y Julieta No 2 and Robusto's, and H. Upmann Half Corona's. All three are good smokes for your money. I prefer Robusto's or Half Corona's because they arent huge intimidating smokes that take longer then an hour to finish. Most resort area's have a La Casa Del Habanos which is the official store for cigars in Cuba which are government run. I recommend doing a quick google search on prices before you go down. Its not uncommon for the girls that work at these stores to add "tourist taxes" to your purchase. This is more common with credit card purchases. Some girls will overcharge you by up to $20 per box or more. If you go in and ask for specific cigars like I mentioned above and show you know what your looking for they are usually less likely to rip you off. I prefer to not buy at the Duty Free shop at the airport unless you can check the humidor where the cigars are stored first. Ask to see their hygrometer to verify the humidity is correct. Some people have reported that the duty free cigars have been dried out.
Your allowed to bring back 50 per person duty free. Cigarello's count towards your 50 total just an FYI. I love the Montecristo ones (their $70 a box here so I never buy em) but the tin of 25 eats half your allotment. You can bring back 200 cigarettes on top of your cigars, and at less then $5 a carton its totally worth it for your smoking friends. I bought four cartons of cigarettes and got change for my $20!
Koenigsegg, what started as a dream just blew your doors off.