How long does a stick needs to bloom?

[hakamo0o]

Hello dear members,

As I mentioned before (in the introduction forum) that I am still a new to the world of habanos . I recently have bought some singles to try before I start buying boxes.

Some of the singles I've bought were tubes and I wasn't able to know their dates, after sitting in my humidor for a week now at optimum temp. and humidity; they stared to be covered in bloom. I know it's bloom because it covers the whole length and it looks like thin white peach-fuzz and acts like glitter in white light (crystalline).

So I was thinking that if I could know how long does it take (average) to start blooming, I could roughly estimate their age.

Thank you for your help.

AlKemawy

[El Presidente]

Hello dear members,

As I mentioned before (in the introduction forum) that I am still a new to the world of habanos . I recently have bought some singles to try before I start buying boxes.

Some of the singles I've bought were tubes and I wasn't able to know their dates, after sitting in my humidor for a week now at optimum temp. and humidity; they stared to be covered in bloom. I know it's bloom because it covers the whole length and it looks like thin white peach-fuzz and acts like glitter in white light (crystalline).

So I was thinking that if I could know how long does it take (average) to start blooming, I could roughly estimate their age.

Thank you for your help.

AlKemawy

Al

The creation of "bloom" can be done with dramatic changes in temp and relative humidity. I have seen it over the years from time to time. One day no bloom....next day "kabloom"

Bottom line...no indication of age or at least a very poor one.

[Van55]

As the pres says, there is no direct correlation between the age of a cigar and the appearance of plume on the wrapper. Your premise is simply not correct. There's a far closer correlation between the cigar's age and the date stamped on the bottom of the box, but even that is not exact.

[Fuzz]

There's only one sure fire way to check the age and authenticity of a cigar.

All truly authentic, hand rolled cuban cigars have the production date stamped under the cap.

[Guest rob]

Ive seen 20 year old cigars with no plume.... and also seen one year old cigars with lots.

[maalouly]

There's only one sure fire way to check the age and authenticity of a cigar.

All truly authentic, hand rolled cuban cigars have the production date stamped under the cap.

I knew the one you gave me was suss!

[hakamo0o]

Thank you all for the clarification.

Now I have a new one,

I am trying to age some and I got them in Tubes (R&J Churchill, Monte. Edmundo, Siglo I and VI) so the question is:

Do I keep them in their tubes through out the aging process or not?

Thanks in advance.

[Van55]

You'll get different opinions on this.

My personal preference is to store my cigars in their original packaging.

Others believe that exposure to oxygen "speeds up" the effects of aging, such that your cigars will be "ready" earlier if you take them out of the tubes, exposing them to greater oxygen circulation.

I probably have the palate of a billy goat, but I doubt very much that I could reliably tell the difference (tasting blind) between a 3 year old cigar that has been stored in a tube and a three year old cigar from the same box that has been removed from the tube. That said, one of he tastiest cigar I have ever enjoyed was a 1998 RyJ Churchill that had been stored in its tube.

[smk819]

My experience agrees with Van. The absolutly best cigar that I had came in a tube. It was a Bolivar Tubos #1, I can still taste it. That being said, I store all of my tubed cigars in the tubes they come in.

[LeafLover]

There's only one sure fire way to check the age and authenticity of a cigar.

All truly authentic, hand rolled cuban cigars have the production date stamped under the cap.

****! I have all fakes!!! I don't have one cap with a stamp under it!

[hakamo0o]

Well thank you for sharing your experience and opinion, that was really helpful. I think I will go with the tube method

For a test, I've been aging half a box of Punch Coronations in one of my humi's in their tubes, and the other half box out of the tubes, still with the cedar around them to see if there's any difference in a year, two years etc.

Please write a review when you start smoking these babies , BTW what kind are they?