Cigar aficionados know what’s important when it comes to storing their ‘precious little treasures’ – the right humidity and exemplary hygiene. But that’s not all… let me introduce you to the Liebherr humidor, with many special features that will contribute to the quality of your cigars .
“It’s not the price of a cigar that makes it a luxury, it’s the time you spend with it.” (Author unknown)
The people who love and collect high-quality cigars are known as ‘aficionados’ and, as is often the case with passionate collectors, these aficionados want only the best storage conditions for their treasured cigars. The Liebherr ZKes 453 humidor offers cigar lovers the perfect microclimate for storing their beloved cigars, with innovative technology and fully customisable humidity settings.
For premium cigars (hand-made natural products), proper storage is particularly important and a balanced mix of temperature and humidity is the key to achieving optimum flavour. Premium cigars are both delicate and sensitive, so storing them incorrectly is likely to spoil them!
A climate that mirrors the country of origin
Cigars that have been stored correctly have a soft, elastic outer wrap, they are pleasantly heavy to hold, and they have a luscious rich aroma that is typical of their region of origin. To optimally keep cigars over a period of time they need storage conditions that are similar to the climates found in the tropical homes of tobacco, e.g. the Caribbean, South America or South-East Asia. In the Liebherr humidor cigars can be stored or matured in the perfect long-term environment.
How does the humidor create an optimum environment?
The best way to answer this question is by looking at the technology: a uniform interior environment is created by a complex refrigeration, heating and air guidance system equipped with a variety of sensors, together with four fans and other specialised components. The humidor has a twin-walled inner container in which two fans evenly circulate the cooled air around the entire refrigeration compartment to guarantee uniform refrigeration of the storage area. The physical nature of a conventional refrigerator leads to temperature stratification and so, to prevent this in the humidor, a circulation fan keeps the air moving at all times. The result: an even temperature and even humidity throughout the interior.
Humidity: the most important factor when storing cigars
Water reservoir in the humidor
The appropriate humidity inside the appliance is achieved via a 1-litre reservoir of distilled water and a special fan that guides the airflow across the surface of the water in the reservoir as required. The humidity absorbed in this manner is then distributed around the appliance and, as a result, cigars can be stored for up to 3 months without maintenance. Since stored items might contribute to higher humidity levels than desired, the humidor also has a dehumidification valve. The appliance detects excess humidity and responds by expelling humid air from the storage area via the dehumidification valve to an external evaporator, where it condenses.
68% humidity is ideal
The humidor protects the high product quality of premium cigars thanks to a combination of modern touch electronics and a highly reliable humidity sensor. If cigars are stored at too low humidity level, then they dry out and lose their refined aroma. On the other hand, if humidity is too high, the valuable tobacco can start to go mouldy. The ideal humidity level for cigar storage lies between 68% and 75%. The sooner the cigars are to be smoked, the closer the humidity should be to 68%. Of course, these values are only guidelines: individual preference also plays a big role.
The ideal storage temperature is between +16°C and +20°C. In the humidor, two separately adjustable control circuits create the optimum environment according to requirements. Yet, that’s not all because the humidor also has a lot to offer in terms of design – the stainless steel housing and glass door deliver an eye-catching elegance. Dimmable LED lighting is integrated into the door allowing customers to adjust the level of illumination, as they require. LED lighting is extremely energy efficient and emits less heat than conventional neon lighting so it does not influence the interior temperature.
Cedar wood supports the release of moisture
The humidor has two presentation shelves and two storage boxes made from cedar wood.
The interior has two storage shelves and two presentation boxes made from Spanish cedar wood – the same wood from which cigar boxes are traditionally made. This wood absorbs and releases humidity evenly. Cigar collectors can use the humidor to store both individual cigars and boxes of cigars. The two fully removable cedar wood boxes present the cigars beautifully and, with a net capacity of 39 litres, the humidor offers plenty of space for both short and long term storage.
Hygienic interior and activated charcoal filter that traps odours
As a natural product, cigars need a hygienically spotless storage environment. The materials used in the humidor’s interior offer optimum security. All wooden parts can be removed and cleaned individually. The plastic in both the interior and the water reservoir is easy to wipe clean; the water bowl is dishwasher safe. An activated charcoal filter ensures that the interior air is, and remains, free from contaminating odours. Furthermore, the temperature and humidity indicators can be read from the outside, so the door doesn’t have to be opened to monitor conditions, thereby reducing the risk of spores and parasites entering the appliance and damaging the quality of the cigars. Obviously, no one wants that – especially not an aficionado!
Watch the Humidor video:
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