Magazine Article About Cigar Humidification      
     

Mr. J's Havana Shop set out to bring sanity to its complex routine of monitoring humidity levels and, at the same time, reduce the number of cigars damaged by fluctuating conditions. Precise humidity control from Cigar Oasis not only exceeded expectations, but impressed customers with the freshest cigars around. -By Dale Scott

      
      Paul Joyal sleeps soundly these days, knowing his expensive inventory of premium cigars are doing likewise. But that peace of mind didn't exist until just a year ago ...      
      Seven cases, filled with 2,500 cigars apiece, is a lot of perishable merchandise, Joyal notes. "Every week, I discarded perhaps four or five damaged cigars. They were usually expensive, delicate Connecticut-wrapped ones, like Avo, Paul Garmirian, Griffin's, or Pleiades. The damage was not from handling by customers, because we're the only ones who open those cases. In addition to deterring theft, people don't handle or sniff cigars that others subsequently smoke. Our customers really appreciate that," he comments.      
      Joyal noticed the cigars seemed all right coming out of the store's 16 x 22, environmentally-controlled bulk storage room, but deteriorated in the cases, each of which depended on a venerable humidification system widely used by tobacconists. Moreover, the cigars were usually swollen at their feet, with cracks in the wrappers that extended up their bodies; the region near their heads was often harder than the feet. Although the cases averaged 70% relative humidity (RH), the humidity swung between 58% and 83%, as the cases were opened and the humidification units cycled. He deduced that these variations were the problem ...      
      Cigars seemed all right coming out of the store's 16 x 22, environmentally-controlled bulk storage room, but deteriorated in the cases.      
     
The wild swing in relative humidity in the display cases was killing Paul," explains Ingber. "We sealed the joints in the cabinetry, spring-loaded the doors for positive closure, and laid 1/8"-thick weather-strips for them to close against.  
We replaced all interior wood with Formica to prevent moisture loss, leaving only cedar shelving." Although Joyal had removed the cases' lights, Ingber determined the fan on the existing humidification units was still generating excessive heat. Wayne Crum, design engineer for Cigar Oasis, developed a larger humidification unit, which has become Cigar Oasis II. It handled up to 60 cubic-foot volumes and held six quarts of water.
Depending upon the humidity sensor's call for moisture (it's sensitive to 0.1% RH), a fan cycles on and off, opening and closing the valves to the water chamber. Another continuously-running fan distributes moisture evenly throughout the case. Both are long-life cooling fans designed for computer chips, and add very little heat to the case.
     
      Ingber emphasizes their humidity sensor doesn't look right at the pool of water like the competition's, and thus measures the relative humidity in the display case, not in the chamber's interior. Upon opening doors, it runs for 20 seconds, and cycles for five seconds every 10 minutes or so under steady-state. An absorbent element holds the water, preventing spillage.      
      The $2,500 we invested on Cigar Oasis II for our cases is cheap insurance for 17,500 cigars at an average of $5 each. - Joyal      
      Joyal was nervous, though, based on his history of problems. He was accustomed to shutting off the previous units at night, but still coming in and seeing the cases at 80% rh in the morning. But the first morning he checked out his cases controlled by the Cigar Oasis II units, they were at 70% rh, and have remained at 68-70% ever since.      
      "I haven't thrown out a cigar since," says Joyal, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "The problem with hard, swollen, or split cigars disappeared. Customers say they're fresher and in better condition than the ones they get elsewhere," a fact that has helped Mr. J's Havana Shop quickly establish itself as a serious player. Joyal can't over-emphasis the importance of investing in consumer satisfaction. "When a customer comes back with a dry or plugged cigar, you give him another. With the second, he's hesitant about bothering himself or you. The third time, you just don't see him any more," he notes. "That doesn't happen here."      
      The Cigar Oasis II's water capacity has since been lowered to two quarts to reduce its size, which now clocks in at 12" long by 8" wide by 10 1/2" high. Even though he's opening and closing the cases several dozen times daily, Joyal only adds water every two months; when he sees a 2% rh change, it's his signal to refill.      
      He doesn't worry about running dry on holidays or weekends. He's added them to every case, and plans to replace the existing sensor/controller in his bulk-storage room with one from the Cigar Oasis II, for tighter control.      
      "Cigar Oasis eliminated my biggest problem," says Joyal, summing up his happy ending. "We tried every other approach to humidification - they all said theirs worked, but Howard proved his does. The units are trouble Ñ and attention Ñ free. I just plug 'em in and forgot 'em. I've sold not only dozens of Cigar Oasis units ($149 retail), but guys with cigar storage in armoires, end tables, and closets are buying Cigar Oasis II." Discounts are available to tobacconists who buy Cigar Oasis I and II in quantity for resale.      
      "At $295 each, the $2,500 we invested on Cigar Oasis II for our cases is cheap insurance for 17,500 cigars at an average of $5 each," says Joyal. "Plus, we aren't throwing away $40-50 a week's worth of cigars, and customers never complain.      
      "An article said a tobacconist could call business 'good' last year if it was only off by 15-20%. Well, our '98 tobacco sales were up 54% over '97, and so far this year, it's even better than early '98,Ó says Joyal. "I attribute our success to our good selection of cigars, and the fact that they're in perfect condition.      
     

*Smoke Shop - April, 1999. Extracts only. Contact Cigar Oasis to get the full article.