It is one thing to blend and produce and premium cigar. It takes time to add the luxury and flavors that are able to sit on top of the list of the world's greatest cigars. It is a completely different thing to then create accessories that are equally as good. El Septimo has done just that. A luxury line of accessories made to pair one of the world's greatest premium cigars.
STATS:
Brand: El Septimo
Item: Travel Humidor
Size: Large
Capacity: 5/6
Hygrometer: Built-in lid
Seal: Rubber gaskets
Color: Purple
Accent Color: Copper
Humidification System: Yes
Color Options: Yes
Material: Metal
Price: $150.00
First Impression:
All I can say is wow. When my production version of this travel humidor arrived I was blown away. I was keeping in mind the quality of the cigars El Septimo produces and when this arrived I could immediately tell that they put the same time, effort, and care into their accessories as well.
Packaging:
I have said it before and I will say it again. A quality product with poor packaging downgrades how good the product actually is. To put so much time into any items just to package it poorly is just lazy. It will not do it any justice. El Septimo did not miss a beat even in this department. A matte black box with a gold embossed logo is what you will find. It is simple. sleek, and elegant. Inside you will find a drawstring velvet bag that also comes with the gold emblem on it. This is what houses your new travel humidor. You can not help but hear it scream luxury.
Lids and Hygrometer:
Beautiful coloring with a simple but elegant hygrometer built into it. It is surrounded by a copper color ring and a lighter purple ring inside of that. The outside is the darker purple that matches the rest of the body. I am not usually a fan of the built in humidity meter, but I wanted to give this one a try. Everything else has been perfect so why not. I did salt test the gauge. I then added Boveda packs to the humidor along with a Boveda Butler. I am happy to report that the numbers on the built in hygrometer were within one of what the Butler reads. That means I can use what is installed without any worry of my cigars being damaged.
Seal:
Nothing new here. I will say that the grooves cut out for the O-rings are precision. The O-rings fit perfectly to ensure there is no leakage. The lid fits snugly over top to keep your cigars safe and at the proper humidity. These are small details that have a huge impact on your cigars and your choice of travel humidors.
Humidification System:
While this does have a removable bottom with a place to add distilled water or humidor juice I did not use this. It is just my preference. I will always get a humidity pack and place it in the bottom. It is a sure fire way to get to the humidity that you want. It also puts less time in maintaining your travel case so you have more time to enjoy your cigars and your life.
Cigar Storage:
Precision cut spaces were put into this case to hold your cigars. The edges are not sharp and have a rounded feel to them so you have no fear of your cigars taking damage due to sharp edge in the metal. There are five even holes cut around the inside circle. There is also a sixth hole in the middle that is smaller than the rest. I assume you do not have to use that one. I chose to add an El Septimo New York cigar in there because it is a smaller gauge and fit so well.
Usage:
I put this case right to work. I filled it up and put it in my work bag. Everything in my work bag gets a rough ride due to the nature of my job. Everything stayed perfect. I did manage to put a small scratch on the bottom corner of the case, but this is expected when anything is put through extreme circumstances. Another notable thing was even after being moved around, put in a bag, tossed into a car while in the bag the lid never came off. The seal never broke. As a matter of fact it did not even slide up an inch. This is very important when you are on the go and not watching it every second.
Other Details:
The body to his travel humidor is very solid. Another detail that I enjoyed is the coloring. It matches throughout without any blemishes or discolored spots. There is also a felt pad on the bottom so it will not scratch or damage any surface that you may rest it on. These are small details that would usually go unnoticed. Once you are made aware of them you will question why everyone does not do the same.
Note about photos:
For this review I took a different approach. Normally I would set up the item, put it in a light box, get the perfect angle, and snap the photo. These photos are all point and shoot, No lighting adjustments and zero set-up. There is also no editing to any of them. I wanted you to see what the item actually looks like in a regular setting. It is not hard to take a poorly made item and edit it to look amazing. This is a true glimpse into this travel case.
Final Thoughts:
I was not shocked at all by the craftmanship and quality of this humidor. If you have been following El Septimo or the content and reviews we have put out for them you should not be shocked either. A company that truly puts out products for the people to enjoy. A product that is made to last a lifetime. You are in fact getting what you paid for with this one. A little slice of the luxury life is what you are purchasing here. I am aware that some may say it is just a humidor while others will genuinely appreciate each small aspect and details of this item. I can recommend this with the upmost confidence that you will not be disappointed in any way.