Labour of Love

If you love cigars, you may or may not also love the myriad of accessories that go with them.

From cutters to lighters, travel pouches to carrying tubes, humidors, ashtrays, stands – you name it, you can buy it.

You might be a techie sort of guy (or gal) who likes nothing more than fiddling with circuitry and monitoring the humidity of your humidor from your cell phone. Or maybe, perhaps like the majority of cigar lovers, you couldn’t give too hoots about the technical, geekery side of things and are simply interested in the smoke.

If you’re in the latter camp – a word of warning. Don’t ignore the fact that you simply have to look after your sticks if you want to get the best from them. And why throw good money at something and then not keep it in pristine condition?

These days, particularly with the advent of Boveda pouches, which regulate humidity without you having to lift a finger, it’s easy to forgot about your humidor for week after week, month after month.

Soon, you can’t remember the last time you changed pouches or topped up the fluid. And your smokes will be suffering. They are more robust than many claim, and a couple of weeks outside a humidor isn’t the end of the world – but they will be changing, day by day, nonetheless.

That’s why we can’t sing the praises of the humitrunk enough. In every style you could possibly desire, from alligator to cowhide, these masterpieces are the brainchild of El Jeffe, Laurence Davis. Realising just how much people love their antique trunks, travel cases and boxes, he set about creating yet another reason to buy one.

For not only do they remain exquisite pieces of travelling furniture – complete with the scuffs, creases and patina of a life well-lived – they have now been given a new lease of life as a cigar lover’s accoutrement par excellence. Painstakingly stripped and re-lined with Spanish cedar, these trunks can now hold your beloved cigar collection. Anything from a few sticks to dozens of boxes can be stored, dependent on the style you choose. If you’re feeling really fancy, there are even versions that include travelling flask, glasses and storage for your favourite tipple.

These purpose-made humitrunks will keep your smokes in perfect condition – providing you do your bit. That can be as simple as popping in a new Boveda sachet each month. Then you’re free to forget about things until the next month or so rolls round. Why not set a reminder in your calendar so that you don’t forget?

Then, as long as you keep your trunk in a relatively cool place – ideally, 65 degrees celsius or so – you’ll be good to go.

And you can reach in every now and then as you pass to grab a stick or two to see you through the day. As well as being perfectly functional, humitrunks are gorgeous bits of furniture built to last.

Put yours to good use.