Ideal for stashing Habanos in optimal conditions for a mighty long time, away from dryness-caused slits and cuts, each and every cigar container is a utility piece and magnificent artwork

Only a handful of things are as perfect and well-finished as a good humidor, that harmonious combination of natural wood aromas, the peculiar smell of good cigars and human talent blended together to come up with a utility object and a masterpiece at the same time.

Maybe that’s the key to success in the creations of Grupo DeCuba, a group of craftspeople from Pinar del Rio, “the land of the world’s best tobacco,” which is deservedly basking in the limelight for its flawless and bright humidors.

Some of their secrets can be unraveled to a naked eye, or nose. The wood they use is natural cedar, felled in the Cuban fields and dried properly to guarantee its use for sometimes three long years.

Each and every exclusive design is mulled over for days, even months by the designers, carpenters, cabinetmakers, woodcarvers and painters that make up Grupo DeCuba. Together with artisans from the Aroma and Sabor groups –also hailing from Pinar del Rio- they make all kinds of tailor-made humidors with close attention to the slightest details. They mount their humidors by hand, something that gives each and every piece a touch of distinctiveness.

No wonder these artisans receive orders from every nook and cranny of the world, and their pieces are distributed in such near or faraway places as Hong Kong, France, Italy, Guatemala, El Salvador or China, as well as in all Habano Houses scattered across the planet. The group has provided top-notch humidors, cigar boxes and cases for Habanos S.A. and its franchised Habano Houses since 1995.

Even though the building process is the same for all products, the installation of gadgets like thermo hydrometers –used to regulate temperature and humidity levels- and humidifiers is what really singles out humidors from the other cigar-keeping items.

According to Milan Dominguez, coordinator of Grupo DeCuba, ideal conditions for preserving Habanos include relative humidity between 65 and 70 percent, and temperature ranging from 16 and 18 degrees Celsius.

These levels are achieved by installing a humidifier or distilled water releaser inside the cigar box and, if possible, an instrument to gauge both humidity and temperature.

Cuba, and especially Pinar del Rio, with weather conditions marked by high relative humidity, sometimes acts like a huge natural humidor, a situation that explains why the drying and curing processes of tobacco leaves are done in that way.

However, it’s a totally different ballgame when it comes to European or Asian countries, with extremely low levels of relative humidity. Under those conditions, cigars usually get dried up, or start showing slits and cuts on the wrapper. In those places, though, a humidor is the perfect cure.

Building humidors is no cakewalk. The first step, Milan Dominguez explains, is the selection of the design, the size, the kind of container, the colors and ironworks to be used, as well as the objective of the humidor, either to meet a special order, to accompany a specific brand in the market or just for the launch of a new product.

Then, the natural wood is chosen, taking account of color shades and the quality of the cedar –it must be healthy, uniform, compact and dry, otherwise the wood starts bending or twisting out of shape and the humidor is rendered worthless. Its lids or doors must be airtight, leaving no room for light, air or humidity to sneak in.

That process is followed by the carpentry phase. The parts are sawed, gauged, sanded and dovetailed –using pegs or glue, never nails or screws, unless there are larges parts that need to be pieced together that way for safety reasons. If that were the case, all nails and screws are disguised.

The finishing process is equally important. The right varnish to be applied, to guarantee more or less brightness, is paramount. This chemical is only used for the exteriors, never the interior walls of the humidor where the smell of sanded wood would certainly give Habanos a much better taste in every draw.

Then comes the decoration process, either using woodcarvings, tinted serigraphs or special techniques. In some cases, artisans use marquetry, gluing together small pieces of natural wood of different colors to obtain fantastic drawings, shapes, forms or the emblems of the different Habano brands.

Finally, the humidifier and the thermo hydrometer are installed and the quality of the finished humidor is tested exhaustively. Even the slightest detail, no matter how small it might be, could ruin the entire piece of work. That thoroughness is one of the reasons why Grupo DeCuba has been successfully in the business for over half a dozen years now.

In addition to holding licenses for building humidors for the Montecristo and Vegas Robaina brands, this group of craftspeople cater to a number of orders and customized requests, always keeping in mind that their pieces ought to be both utility items and refined artworks every step of the way.

A Deluxe Gift: The Tenth Festival Humidor

This special gem will eventually become not only an undying keepsake introduced by the Tenth Habano Festival, but also a wrap-up of the history of the previous events since it’ll carry the very best Habano brands that have been presented through all these past years. It’s about six and a half feet high, completely plated in natural black ebony, no frills and carrying some 700 Premium cigars assorted by Habanos S.A.

Totally handmade by craftsmen from the DeCuba Group –genuine experts in the art of humidor making- it’s unique in terms of format, style and content, was not a walk in the sun. More that thirty different designs were juggled. The plates –all thoroughly mounted by hand- its gilt iron fittings and the cedar interior guarantee the aroma those cigars need. This much makes this piece of art the perfect gift for any lover of the ultimate smoke.