The Death Valley Humidor Competition

[nicwing]

http://atoc.colorado.edu/~cassano/atoc4750/Daily_images/20080205/death_valley_rock.jpg
Gentlemen
A sighting in London last night has set me on to produce a new competition which I propose to run over the next 3 months.

A monthly prize will be awarded for the person who has spotted the dryest humidor in a shop/hotel or airport. I will award one further stick for the lowest figure over the 3 months.

What got me started was finding a beautiful black Habanos free standing unit in the Crowne Plaza on New Bridge Street last night.
Stocked with some of Cuba's very finest and the reading on the Hygrometer was....

51%

So here is the challenge, find a dryer unit, post it here and win a stick or two.

[Drewmidorn]

Couldn't tell you the figures, but just out of interest, I was discouraged from buying at the Barcelona airport humidor by the staff as they said the humidor was too dry!

[whisky77]

Great comp Nic. Much appreciated. I can see those sticks in my humi already mate. I have seen some terrible examples over the years , including the "no humidor required at all for these hand rolled cigars example".:41:

[misterbulgarin]

The dickens wine emporium told me to store my cigars no higher than 50% :x

[Boss Hog]

I think I may have a clear winner, theres a corner shop near me that has a glass cabinet with some montes, punch and upmanns and nothing else. It's been there for as long as I can remember. I'll try and sneak a secret camera phone picture of it.


Ps. nice "sailing stones" picture

[tippexx]

I don't think I can be beaten. Like Boss, there's a small, newsagent come tobacconist in Southend who keeps a few woebegone Cuban tubos in a humi-jar on his counter. The jar doesn't have a proper lid. So, on a day-to-day basis the humidity within the jar is whatever it is out in the street.

[nicwing]

Boss/Tippexx - Nice spots, photos please.
:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Boss Hog]

I think I may have a clear winner, theres a corner shop near me that has a glass cabinet with some montes, punch and upmanns and nothing else. It's been there for as long as I can remember. I'll try and sneak a secret camera phone picture of it.



Update:

I went over to the newsagent type shop in question yesterday and asked if I may take a photo of the said items as part of a project on where to buy cigars from I was working on. The cabinet is tucked behind the counter and would be a bit awkward to photo without getting near it.
The man behind the counter got a bit excited as he was probably thinking he might finally get some sales on them. which probably wasnt the best time to tell him it was part of the "driest humidor (if you can call it that) in the country competition".
At that point I was politely asked to leave the shop.
As he followed me out I did offer to share the winnings as long as he didnt store them in that monstrosity and his would have been preserved better if they were stored in Tutankharmun's tomb.
Needless to say I am not allowed back there, which is no great loss (apart from my Readers Wives subscription)

[subby]

lol

comedy gold there :D

[Deano]

lol brilliant work mate, hope it was all worth it!

And lo subby ;)

[Kdot]

boss hog, you're a funny man:smile:

[Boss Hog]

boss hog, you're a funny man:smile:


I'm not making it up. well apart from the "Readers Wives" bit. (I get it delivered):pound:

[RogMcDodge]

Not got any given reading, but last time I went in to a local stockist of 'Premium Habanos Cigars' (as the sign said) I asked if they had any Propylene Glycol.

They looked at me all funny and asked if it was for a bong.

I also commented that the sliding door on the cabinet probably shouldn't be left wide open as it is bad for the cigars. Again, they looked at me and said that the boss told them to leave it like that as they 'taste better dry'
:rolleyes:

[eggopp]

Theres one in Peterborough too called the chocolate box... They have a counter humidor for selling avariety of extortonate cubans... I asked to take a pic coz they have taken the glass door off to make it easier for the little indian lady to reach the stiks, glass front shp in overhead glass roofed shoping mall (queensgate)the meter was reading 48, couldnt take a pic tho wastold if iwasnt buyng i was holding up the queue.. must go back tho because in the window was a box of cigars getting nicely sunned!!

[jdawg]

Wow! I am astonished by the clueless retailers out there. :(

I have encountered a few myself over the years.

[Stevieboy]

Couldn't tell you the figures, but just out of interest, I was discouraged from buying at the Barcelona airport humidor by the staff as they said the humidor was too dry!

I'm sure it was Barcelona where I saw boxes of Monte4 and Monte2 just sitting on the shelves out in the open....mental!!! :eek:

[whisky77]

I have seen the same thing Steve, in a number of places throughout Europe; cigars sitting in a shlelf in a shop. As you say .....mental.:cool:

[RogMcDodge]

Especially as right now the humidity in Barcelona (on a rainy day according to the weather) is 62%!

[Robusto]

There used to be a tobacconist's in a row of beautiful Tudor cottages in Sandwich, Kent, which is six miles from my home. The owner used to display boxes of Montes and Punch in the bow window in full sunlight in Summer. No humidification or whatever.

I used to go in give them a sniff and a squeeze. One of them crumbled apart in my hand. I said nothing. Just put it back as the bloke in the shop dealt with an old man and his disgustingly foul pipe reek.

Over the years, this place lost that door-entry sex-whiff you get from tobacco / cigar shops. Eventually the old man snuffed it and the place became a sort of Laura Ashley piped-in-bagpipes Earl Grey catatonic pensioners' poser palace.

One more local tobacco whore-house down the toilet. Gone over to the less kick-starting leaf. :(

http://www.thomaspaineshouse.co.uk/visitor_attractions/sandwich3lrg.jpg

[eggopp]

I went to Peterborough today and took some pics, i even spoke to the little man at the store and asked him to move aside from the window as he was stood by the window when i arrived, when asked what i was doing, i said i was just surveying cigars and comparing content in different shops that the photos were to remind me where i 'might' come back to purchase... he stepped aside.. 'idiot...' :der:

So here is the Chocolate Box at Queensgate Peterborough, sorry to Name and shame lol.. (not) You can see cigars in the window of the shop.. (dont know whys its called The Chocolate Box though :rolleyes:

Now send me my prize lmao :smoke:

[tippexx]

Good sleuthing Eggy ..... MI5 might want to recruit you soon!

[Boss Hog]

I'm surprised you werent arrested under the prevention of terrorism act or child protection for taking photos

[eggopp]

Haha Boss... Well he was a little man! :biggrin1:

[nicwing]

Two days to go for the February prize and at 48% Humidity, yes 48% snr Eggyfart is way out in front.

I have a stogie ready to post is anyone going to beat that??

[moidoid]

I was in my local one yesterday and it was between 40 & 50% - I'll try & get a pic early next week. Don't send that stogie just yet!

[nicwing]

Competition ends on the 28th (for this month).

Later than that and you will be into March when things start getting really dry!:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

[eggopp]

Yeah Moidoid, hold back let me win a nice stogie hehe.. But ive seen another in Boston (thats boston UK not USA) which i reserve for March comp hehe:rock:

[nicwing]

Pressure EggyP, real pressure!

[eggopp]

Few more hours and that prize stogie is mine yaaayy... hope its not a blinkin hamlet!!!

[nicwing]

Not long now Pop!!:biggrin1: :biggrin1:

[eggopp]

Not long now Pop!!:biggrin1: :biggrin1:


Looks lime im up for a winner hehe :rock: moidoid youve not long to get your pics up hehe :biggrin1:

[nicwing]

OK, I am about to start packaging up a nice 'little' cigar for Eggopp as the winner of the February competition.

Nice spot Eggy old chap.

Now it's a new month and a new competition so lets see if we can better February's 48%. After all Spring has nearly sprung!!

[Lee Nub]

Grats Egg, good find lol

[saggel]

Well done buddy! Enjoy it ;)

[tippexx]

Well done Eggy .... but, you ain't gonna win two months runnin'!

[daverave999]

Score!

[eggopp]

Thanks everyone... Cheers the excellent comp Nic.. I take it im now excluded for March comp? to make it fair? Otherwise ive a second place on the cards, already mapped out lmao :849:

[nicwing]

You are not excluded from March Eggo, simple comp... driest humidor each months wins, that's it!

[eggopp]

Im about to smoke my prize and seeing as everyones forgotten about this 'rolling' competition i claim the next win by default..

[nicwing]

Not so far pops, Lads2000 has spotted a humidor in Oxford at 50% and once he heads over here and posts that he will be 'way out in front'.

Besides, if no one posts the cigar is mine!! (goolish laughter!!!):849: :849: :849::biggrin1:

[tippexx]

And I'm in Southend during the week .... an' the ambient humidity is dropping!

[eggopp]

Plenty of time, im on leave next week and the one in Boston centre was low last i looked, not sure if it will beat 50% though.. darn :der:

[cohibaIV]

http://atoc.colorado.edu/~cassano/atoc4750/Daily_images/20080205/death_valley_rock.jpg
Gentlemen
A sighting in London last night has set me on to produce a new competition which I propose to run over the next 3 months.

A monthly prize will be awarded for the person who has spotted the dryest humidor in a shop/hotel or airport. I will award one further stick for the lowest figure over the 3 months.

What got me started was finding a beautiful black Habanos free standing unit in the Crowne Plaza on New Bridge Street last night.
Stocked with some of Cuba's very finest and the reading on the Hygrometer was....

51%

So here is the challenge, find a dryer unit, post it here and win a stick or two.



Still not seen anything close myself???

Darn it...

[Lads2000]

I have posted else where but went into my local dealer (Oxford) of the Perfect Leafs, for the first time in a couple of years this weekend. Only to find the humidity was reading at 55%. This is a well known reputable company and not a local news agency. Contacted the owners to see if the problems can be rectified.

[nicwing]

OK, with just 13 days of March to go Laddy is out in front with 55% which I consider beatable (based on my experiences) so get stuck in boys and girls, just under 2 weeks till the next stogie is awarded.

[eggopp]

Who won?? :der:

[nicwing]

Good point Eggy old chap. I will look back and declare a winner.

Still open for April boys!

[jibjob79]

Decided to resurrect this thread as I happened to see the great crime of Cohiba's being treated in such a vile way. 53% humidity from Stagnetto, please note this isn't Lewis Stagnetto but a knock off just down the street.

http://www.ukcigarforums.com/picture.php?pictureid=1969&albumid=181&dl=1275933220&thumb=1

http://www.ukcigarforums.com/picture.php?pictureid=1968&albumid=181&dl=1275933220&thumb=1

When will they ever learn no decent cigar smoker will buy from a shop that treats it's cigars in such a way. I was eyeing up a box of Don Thomas until i saw the reading and i walked away.

[Kdot]

Decided to resurrect this thread as I happened to see the great crime of Cohiba's being treated in such a vile way. 53% humidity from Stagnetto, please note this isn't Lewis Stagnetto but a knock off just down the street.

http://www.ukcigarforums.com/picture.php?pictureid=1969&albumid=181&dl=1275933220&thumb=1

http://www.ukcigarforums.com/picture.php?pictureid=1968&albumid=181&dl=1275933220&thumb=1

When will they ever learn no decent cigar smoker will buy from a shop that treats it's cigars in such a way. I was eyeing up a box of Don Thomas until i saw the reading and i walked away.

im pretty sure all the stagnettos are linked, its just that they have one dedicated cigar shop where the others have a smaller range.

[Habana-Habanos]

im pretty sure all the stagnettos are linked, its just that they have one dedicated cigar shop where the others have a smaller range.

:boxing:

[moidoid]

Seeing as this thread has been revived I decided to get my bee-hind in gear and get on with giving you all some evidence of a humidor that may prove hard to beat. With my trusty snapper and general dogsbody Mark in tow I ventured into a Kentish tobacco shop and took this incriminating snap which may be hard to better.

I would put the RH generously at 38% and although many of the contents were tubed, a fair number were not. BEAT THAT!!! :hail:

[r0lan6]

I think we may have a winner here. :first:

[daverave999]

Jesus Tim, name and shame!

[HabanoSy]

That's what I like to see...

A retailer keeping his cigar stock in tip-top condition...!!!

Cheers, HabanoSy

[moidoid]

I don't want to kick them when they are down!

It's a shop in central Kent. I feel sorry for them now :rolleyes:

[nicwing]

OK, as this thread is now active again and I did forget to award a prize for the second month, I will award a fine (and humidified) cigar if anyone can beat 38% by the end of June.

[Soft Top]

Presumably Moidoid won. 38% will take some beating. Even in the UK one would have to actively remove moisture to drop it any further!

[nicwing]

Moldyoldoid is indeed the winner.

PM me your address young man and I will forward you a fine cigar (or two)

[moidoid]

Thank you very much Nic but I would prefer it if my prize went to the stogie fund for the armed forces if that is still going?

The glory is all the reward I need!

[Soft Top]

Well done Moidoid and good call on the donation.

I need to hunt out some dry humi's.