Questions!!!

i'll take a crack at this.
1. use distilled water, as far as i know you dont need to add the chemical each time (could be wrong here. someone else will weigh in im sure.)
2. a maduro wrapper starts with conneticut broadleaf tobacco, and is aged to the tune of 7 years. only a leaf as thick and tough as the broadleaf can endure such rigors, and this aging is what gives the dark color. a natural wrapper more or less indicates non-maduro and can be any number of different things. let me again add, i am by no means an authority.
3. im sure ive seen this discussed elsewhere, and as with so many other topics, it came down to preference. if the cigar has a rather delicate wrapper, or you tend to be "rough", leave the cello on. if not, take it off. if youre concerned about humidification, id say get two of the same sticks, leaving the cello on one. check em out in a few months. i tend to believe it doesnt matter, but as i said, its a preference thing
hope i helped out man
later

I think Mastershake just about covered it all there. All I'll add is that I back him up on using distilled water and not having to add the chemical each time.

As for the cellophane, I personally prefer taking the cellophane off my cigars. I think it looks better in your humidor and as yet have not experienced any problems with my cigars!

8)

1. agree with shake. adding too much chemical can clog the humidifier.

2. what shake said, plus they taste different. try a few cigars that you can get in either wrapper. that will help you decide if you like maduro or natural more.

3. preference.

Just to piggback with another question,

What is the best humidification system you all have used? The one my humidor came with was not very good, so I resorted to shot glasses filled with water...although my hydrometer indicates appropriate humidity levels, I don't think my cigars have kept their flavor over the long term. Ready to buy something appropriate....

im really happy with the boveda packets. cheap and easy, you just toss em in and they rock for 3 months. http://www.boveda-direct.com
am also very pleased with their staff, they have been very helpful.

and thank you bildo - how could i forget to mention taste? ive heard that most new folk are intimidated by maduros because the dark color makes them look strong. this is not always the case. in fact, a maduro wrapper can in some cases mellow a strong filler tobacco.

i use the tub humidifier (i will pm you a link to it) or i use drymestat tubes.

shake im going to check those out. the risk free trial is pretty hard to turn down.

good to hear man
im not sure if it says on that page, but they're endorsed by carlos feunte jr. thats pretty high praise id say

Thanks for the info bildo and mastershake. Another question for you guys. My friend gave me box of hoyos this past Christmas, that were very dry. I didn't tell him (maybe I should have), but I've been trying to resurrect them. Will time in the humidor with one of these humidification systems bring them back? I've had them in the humidor with my water in shot glass method, and they've come back as far as softness, but they don't tast very good after about 5 minutes of smoking.

What do you guys think?

its my understanding that after being totally dried out for an extended period, although it is possible to revive them, the cigars will only be a shadow of their former glory. i know its rough to hear, but i think thats pretty much how it goes.
sorry man :cry:

patience is the key. it could take a couple months before they are good again. my guess is the ends are soaking up moisture but the middle hasn't gotten there yet. you seem to be doing it right, just keep waiting and eventually they should be smokeable again.

give revival a try but everyone is right they wont be the same. The oils that bring the cigar lots of flavor will be dry. As for the maduro question, typically maduros are actually not as strong but are sweeter on your lips. This is not always the case but the extended aging tames out a lot of the flavor. A true maduro is dark but not black. Most companies will dye thier wrappers to some extent for asthetics and to give it the black appearance. They are true maduros again they just look nicer.