A Question About Production and Age

[BobKincaid]

In the course of watching yesterday's LFTH, a box of SLR Regios caught my eye. I was almost ready to jump when I saw the posted box date indicating they were three months old. I admit that slowed me down a tad.

What's the best course of action with so young a cigar? Are these Regios so young that one would be almost compelled to sock 'em away for awhile, or are they enjoyable as is? Patience, we might remember, is not my long suit.

Generally speaking, do the factories in Cuba put new cigars immediately into the stream of commerce without any age whatsoever on them?

[Colt45]

Generally speaking, do the factories in Cuba put new cigars immediately into the stream of commerce without any age whatsoever on them?

After rolling, but before banding and boxing, cigars are stored in a conditioning room. It's my understanding that this is done not for aging per se,

but to remove the excess moisture added to aid in the rolling process. I'm not sure how long they are kept for conditioning, and I don't think boxed

cigars are held for aging.

Keeping in mind that the box date is the date the cigars were boxed - not rolled, it's likely that the regios, while young, are probably slightly "older"

than the box date. If nothing else, acquiring them and trying one might give an idea of what a relatively fresh cigar tastes like.

[BobKincaid]

Thanks for the details. I wasn't aware of the post-roll conditioning process.

Although my experience w/ CCs is limited at this point, I had never seen a three month old box before. I've no doubt they'd likely be quite nice, but my 5-year-old-on-Christmas nature where these things are concern preclude me from jumping on something that will need to sit awhile to be really special. It's a character flaw.

[riazp]

I had pretty much the same thought process at colt, if I see a box of cigars that I want, I would purchase it, try one after letting them rest in my humi for a few weeks and see where they are at according to my taste buds. I did this recently with some scdlh el principes, I have no experience with this marca, had one, and quickly noticed it needed A LOT more time. I will revist them in a year.

In the LFTH last night, i was suprised to see a few '11 boxes, the SLR's and BPC's also were from '11

[Dbone]

I really can not help answer your question, Bob, but I would agree with Colt trying a couple would be the only way to know if they're good to smoke or not. As a rule of thumb, I try to keep my boxes closed if under a year from the box date before digging in.

On the flip-side, I look as young boxes and think the younger the box, the sooner I can control the aging and storing conditions resulting in a better product down the road.

[cigaraholic]

Don't be afraid to smoke young Cuban cigars!

For the first 30 years I smoked CC's I just bought them and smoked them as fast as I could afford to, never really heard much talk about aging them. And I sure enjoyed the hell out of it.

It's only been in the last 10 years that I've been able to buy more then I smoke and that's come with a lot of "more CIGARS".

All it takes is time and money to build up a nice collection of CC's, and most of us have time.

Most cigars smoke quite well when they're young, then go to sleep for..........then they wake up. If they're to strong or bland when young then let them rest and hope for the best.

Remember young cigars offer flavors you won't get in aged ones, some people prefer younger smokes.

What are you going to smoke while your waiting for the 5 year miracle....................younger cigars.

[PigFish]

While I smoke a lot of cigars 10 years or older, it is not due to the age that I smoke them. I smoke them because they are good and up average my overall smoking experience. I smoke them because I have them to smoke!

I don't really care how old a cigars is. What I care about is how it tastes. Some people exclusively equate age with quality. While I think that there may be a correlation from an aged tobacco taste 'profile,' it is anything but carved in stone. There is not guarantee that a cigar from a certain vintage is a good or bad cigar.

I equate a quality smoking experience to several factors. A lot of them I can control and some I cannot. One is moisture content of the cigar. Cigars are ruined (MHO) when smoked in a saturated state. I like them dry. I also like certain size cigars in that the mixture of tobacco in the thinner cigars is more to my liking. I think there are numbers of reasons for this but that would be moving the thread in a different direction.

This is why we have Rob! Ask him how the newer cigars are smoking. He may be a bit of a tosser but he is an honest business man and a superior tobacconist. The key is in understanding if your tastes align. If they don't then his good cigar may not be your best and visa versa. AND, lastly, he does not roll the bloody things, he can only comment on the recent ones that he has smoked.

...oh, one more! Post up a thread and ask. "I saw a box of XYZ MAR 11 Regios, anyone have a taste of those?"

-Piggy

[El Presidente]

This is why we have Rob! Ask him how the newer cigars are smoking. He may be a bit of a tosser but he is an honest business man and a superior tobacconist. The key is in understanding if your tastes align. If they don't then his good cigar may not be your best and visa versa. AND, lastly, he does not roll the bloody things, he can only comment on the recent ones that he has smoked.

...oh, one more! Post up a thread and ask. "I saw a box of XYZ MAR 11 Regios, anyone have a taste of those?"

-Piggy

.......I almost cried Piggy

Tasting young cigars across all Marques and Vitolas is my job.....and a bloody enjoyable one!

Don't get put off by young box codes. Buy on good construction, good wrapper, wonderful aroma at cold.

[BobKincaid]

Thanks, Pres, Piggy, Cigarholic, one and all.

With any luck, I'll soon be enjoying and/or reporting on some young 'uns.

[PigFish]

.......I almost cried Piggy

Tasting young cigars across all Marques and Vitolas is my job.....and a bloody enjoyable one!

Don't get put off by young box codes. Buy on good construction, good wrapper, wonderful aroma at cold.

What's wrong? Okay, I am sorry I called you a tosser!!!