What does an aged cigar bring to the table?

[El Presidente]

This is one question I get asked alot and would love to have a wider array of opinion outside of my own.

Aged Havana cigars are inherently different. Some adore them, some are not convinced, others prefer young cigars and most are just confused.

For the experienced heads of the forum, indulge me and take the time to illuminate on a box of cigars you have aged yourself and how the flavours have changed over the years.

Is there such a thing as the "qualities of an aged cigar?" If so what would they be.

For general comment....the best and worst aged cigars members have tried?

Are you a fan?

Are the long term benefits of aging worth it post say 5-7 years?

I appreciate the input from members to flush out the issues/opinions on this topic.

[anacostiakat]

This is one question I get asked alot and would love to have a wider array of opinion outside of my own.

Aged Havana cigars are inherently different. Some adore them, some are not convinced, others prefer young cigars and most are just confused.

For the experienced heads of the forum, indulge me and take the time to illuminate on a box of cigars you have aged yourself and how the flavours have changed over the years.

Is there such a thing as the "qualities of an aged cigar?" If so what would they be.

For general comment....the best and worst aged cigars members have tried?

Are you a fan?

Are the long term benefits of aging worth it post say 5-7 years?

I appreciate the input from members to flush out the issues/opinions on this topic.

I think this is a rather complex question frankly.

While I prefer cigars 3 - 5 years depending I am referring to the post '01 decade or part thereof. Although I do smoke fresh/current production in order to gauge and also because I do not have unlimited stock.

I find havanas with age to have a better melding of flavors to my taste. A prime example of this is a box of Mag 46's OWH JUL05 that I just recently tried one from and found them to be richer, smoother and more enjoyable than when I acquired them. Same for my '03 Sir Winnies. Magnificent cigars.

Most of my best experiences have been with '98 and before stock. Boli CE from 98 were delicious. I also had a box of Lusi's (NNSU) that were horrid and I believe were stored poorly. Try as I might I could not bring them around. It still breaks my heart.

I think there are benefits to ageing stock for 5 - 7 years but it is not necessary. Some of the lines seem to do much better with some time on them while others seem fine without. As stated before the optimum window for me seems to be 3 - 5.

I havent acquired stock in quantities that I can buy now for ageing while smoking aged cigars. So I will smoke some of both.

[Deemancpa]

Although almost a year on the site, I've been smoking cigars since the early 90's. While living abroad and in the states, I would smoke primarily Cohiba Esplendidos and Robustos( my two favorite cigars at the time). IMHO, the robustos had some really good years in the late 90's early 2000's in terms of quality. At that time, I would cab age all my cigars. What I found from aging 3-6 yrs, the cigar becomes some what muted, full bodied cigars become less full but more flavorful or both. Sometimes more complexity would come through for me, especially with the Esplendidos. The new production on the robustos seem not as good as my experience with them in prior years.

More recently, I had a 2 year old PD4 from my humidor, I picked up spice like cinnamon for the first time after two years.

It almost seems commonplace for everyone to say " lay them down for a number of years" It really depends on the production for a particular year and you won't know until you smoke a few.

Dee

[Cohiba007]

Excellent, excellent topic. I am very much looking forward to various opinions. I am in no way qualified to give input here, but am most interested in others views on this topic.

[adic88]

Dear Prez,

Let me throw you a curveball.

What about fresh cigars that taste like aged cigars!

I recently had a Monte Grand Edmundo (2010) that i swear had the same melancholy refinement as a HDM Double Corona (2000) i had the night before.

This leads me to believe there is something about the property of the tobacco that changes over time, and these changes can sometimes occur naturally thus we find them in "fresh" cigars (albeit the MGE EL is made from tobacco aged 2 years or more already).

A simple chart to explain it:

Quality A ---------- +10 years of proper aging --------------->>> Quality B = Taste Profile C

Fresh cigar with Quality D ---------------->>> = Taste Profile C

It's a bit bewildering how this all works out, but i think it explains why we sometimes associate the taste of certain aged cigars with other fresh cigars that we may have had recently.

It's all in the quality and choice of leaf used, and also the respective blending of those leaves (e.g. ratio of ligero, seco, wrapper).

[adic88]

My aged cigars taste somewhat softer, less tannic, more refined. But some have lost their kick -- their excitement. Is there anything more boring than an aged HDM DC? The answer is no, except maybe a soccer match.

I actually quality that dullness you refer to in the HDM DC (2000) as a "refinement" -- a very smooth, mellow flavour that never bites (spicy/pepper). So different compared to when i first smoked them from that cab 7-8 years ago after purchase.

It's certainly different, but a huge change of pace that i think i can enjoy every so often (i prefer spicier, more exciting cigars -- of recent memory, the H Upmann 48s EL 2009 are perhaps one of the best examples of this profile i've found).

[Wing]

The bite, zing, zest, hold, body or savoriness of a fresh cigar (especially Cuban) is in my opinion unbeatable and what makes Cuban Cigars taste so so so good. I find when a cigar is extensively aged, and is described as refined, smooth, or soft tannics, they have also lost much of it's flavour.

With a little age however, I find a cigars flavor more unified. I also find less burn and draw problems. Therefore, with 99% of cigars, I’m with Anacostiakat, in that they are enjoyable in that 3-5 year period. There is however the other 1% of cigars (like dried/preserved fruits or seafood) intensify with extended aging (5-10 years) to a point that is extremely strong and sometimes even unbearable- Partagas P2, Montecristo Robusto, Saint Luie Rey Double Coronas and I’m sure a few more I’ve yet to discover but would love for you to list if this too is what you find in some cigars.

[Tom Bolivar]

Aged cigars are less rough, less harsh and they get more complex (the precise word is finesse). After decades and decades of resting some really might loose taste but some despite of that really bring out lots of surprises and are a pleasure to smoke.

Apart from the taste discussion aged cigars for me certainly bring an additional dimension to the table. A whole universe of changing tastes, old forgotten vitolas and the everlasting quest for the perfect smoking experience and training the palate. I personally like to smoke diffrent cigars and not always the same two or three. So smoking the same cigar with different age can be smoking two diffent cigars. It just makes my hobby more interessting.

Plus it gives me the perfect excuse to pile up sh**loads of

boxes in my cellar telling my wife they all increase in value one day.

[Colt45]

Given all the possible variables with Cuban cigars, trying to answer this kind of question - putting thoughts to words - makes my head spin

I've an '05 box of Upmann Magnum 46. They were nondescript for quite some time - it took a solid three years for them to blossom. They are still

showing strong traits and I don't expect them to lose much in the coming few years. But I'm not intentionally aging them - when I get around to them,

I'll smoke them.

Very generally speaking, I feel a cigar that shows something in it's youth will probably benefit from some time in the humidor - how much?

I also feel that a poor young cigar will most likely end up a poor old cigar, and that sometimes an old cigar is simply that - old.

I believe in aging cigars until they reach, what for my tastes are, their peak of integration and flavor.

[thschrminm]

If there is one word that can surmise what an aged cigar can bring is satisfaction...

For the grower who farmed well, the producer that made it well, the vendor that it was kept well for the customers and finally the consumer that it was stored well to be finally smoked and enjoyed on a given day...

Anwhere down the line the chain can be broken but it is indeed very satisfying when you can experience an Habano that has been done right every step of this process...

For me the qualities of an aged cigar are smoothness and complexity that can only come together when aged....

I wish some of the aged cigars I have smoked I could have experienced since conception but I wasn't even smoking when I was in grade school so those experiences are lost and I am only experiencing the results of those who took care of them before me...

I am surely a fan of aging cigars and how long is all relative and dependent on the sample and your tastes...

[thechenman]

I am far from an expert on this topic, and have not smoke all that many aged Cuban cigars. However, due to the generosity of my fellow BOTLs, I have managed to smoke a few here and there from time to time. I have found that I rather enjoy aged cigars, actually I would go so far as to say that I prefer them.

While it is true that they do lose some of their strength over time becoming lighter, at the same time they pick up complexity. Flavor nuances that I did not notice, or were not able to taste in their younger counterparts. I'm sure this has to do with the oils in the cigar blending together throughout the cigar over time, but also with the cigar becoming lighter, these more subtle flavors are not overwhelmed by the strength or harshness of the cigar in its youth.

Don't get me wrong...I do enjoy younger Cuban cigars as well; however, I don't smoke them for their strength. If I'm looking for strength I usually lean towards Nicaraguan or even Dominican cigars like an Opus X, Tatuaje or Padron. Still...nothing beat an aged Cuban cigar...when its not plugged that is.

[habanohal]

For me I half too say nothing for the price of admission. after the thousands of habanos that I have smoked, I cant see these days paying the premium the are getting. Then again I smoke on average 4 cigars a day, sometimes more. For me they lose the freshness kick.

The only exception would be hbm Epic #2. With 5 + yrs on them they have an extra sweet zing too them that I like.

[CanuckSARTech]

I like steak!!!! Mmmmmm!!!!

[Bartolomeo]

Only smoking cigars for about 15 months I don't have much input but have noticed certain brands that I enjoy aged over freshies such as ERDM, SLR and Cohiba. I find those brands are better after time from the limited samples I have tried

Just my .02 off the top of my head

Bart