The Cigador: A Single Cigar Travel Humidor
Traveling with a cigar in the short-term is generally reduced to two common approaches. Some apply the better-safe-than-sorry method, using sizeable travel humidors built to carry inventory. Others turn to practicality and aesthetics, opting for traditional leather or fabric cigar cases that are easy to store. But what if you only want to store a single cigar, and want to ensure it stays humidified? Cigador, a new, heavy duty and compact single cigar travel humidor from Signature 70/70, is trying to establish a niche position somewhere in the middle of these two traditional cigar transportation methods.
The Cigador has a tactical, impenetrable look and feel, more or less a tubo case on steroids. It measures eight inches long and can accommodate up to 60 ring gauge cigars, so you shouldn’t have problems fitting most cigar sizes. Safeguarding your cigar is not going to be an issue here. Off appearance alone, it seems better suited as some kind of military or law enforcement accessory than it does a travel humidor. While the Cigador isn’t heavy, it certainly packs more weight than your traditional tubo case.
One of the more appealing features of the Cigador is its ability to regulate humidity level inside. A hygrometer positioned on the outside, directly in the middle of the Cigador, allows you to easily gauge the current humidity level. And inside, at the bottom, there’s a screw-off cap where you can add droplets of distilled water. The Cigador can be easily twisted open and closed at four locations. The top and bottom have aluminum caps you can remove, and in the middle, you can twist off the top or bottom half if desired.
The inside of the Cigador is made of aluminum, but the exterior material varies based on which of three models you purchase. Each is available in an array of finishes, but are virtually the same—barring the exterior material, customization options and shipping time.
The Tactical line ($89.99) is the most straightforward, core representation of the Cigador. It comes in six finishes (white, blue, military green, black ops, black ops silver and storm trooper). As the name suggests, the focus is less on elegance and more on practicality and toughness. The composite exterior makes this one look equipped to survive a firefight. Signature 70/70 says it ships in two-five business days.
The Essential line, priced at $119.99 a pop, adds customization to the equation. The model has a light wood finish ideal for engravings. There are four different ways you can customize your Cigador for this model: text on the top or bottom and artwork on the top or the bottom—the latter you yourself (a logo, for example). You could do all four methods if you want, but you’ll want to keep things simple on the artwork side, as they cannot accommodate overly complex logos or designs. Regardless, the Signature 70/70 team will be in touch after you place your order to make an assessment and discuss your customization requests before committing to the order. You’ll also be asked to complete an engraving form where you’ll the artwork and text, and choose from 18 different fonts. These models generally ship in about 10 to 14 business days.
The priciest model is the line at $175. This line is available in two exotic wood exteriors, Cocobolo and African Black Wood, each with a black- or silver-accentuated finish, for a total of four available models to choose from. Cocobolo, native to Central America, is a fine wood with a reddish-brown color and an irregular grain pattern. African Black Wood, native to Eastern Africa, is, as its name suggests, a dark, nearly black, color with a purple hue. Signature 70/70 says these models require four to six weeks of lead time before shipping.
Setting your Cigador up is pretty straightforward. Each comes with a small dropper, which you’ll need along with some distilled water. First, see what humidity level your hygrometer is at and decide on your target level (they recommend around 70 percent). Then unscrew the bottom cap (the bottom is the side that’s completely flat), and you’ll notice a small opening in the cap where your distilled water will go.
Signature 70/70 says that one drop of distilled water will equate to roughly a 10 percent increase in humidity, so be judicious with your drops. Depending on what your starting humidity point is, start with just one, maybe two drops of distilled water, screw the cap back on and let it sit for a few minutes. Upon your return, if the humidity level is where you want it, you should be good to go for an extended period. If it’s lower than desired, repeat the same process. If it’s too high, simply unscrew the cap and allow it to sit for a few minutes in the open air so some of the water evaporates, then screw it back on and wait a few minutes. You might have to do some trial and error here, but the apparatus is pretty good at self-correcting if you follow these steps. Signature 70/70 also has a set-up video on the Cigador website you can reference.
Like any humidor, there is no exact, one-size-fits-all science here. A plethora of factors and conditions come into play, so you’ll have to adjust based on your environment and observations. Our testing revealed the Cigador, and a test cigar placed inside, stayed property humidified for just over a week untouched. It should be noted, Signature 70/70 does not aim to position the Cigador as a long-term humidor alternative, but rather an effective travel and on-the-go cigar accessory.
Signature 70/70 also offers gift bundles and a humidor collection, both of which, along with the various models, you can see by visiting the Cigador website: https://thecigador.com.
