Is there an optimum size for ageing?

[Pilgrims]

I'm a wine merchant by trade, Cigars are a big and growing hobby, what I do got me thinking about whether there is an optimum size of cigar for ageing, a size where the blend of tobacco is more likely to facilitate great ageing.

I haven't got that across well, as an analogy, wine is generally accepted to age best (all other things been equal) in magnum because the ratio of wine to glass and to the air in the bottle is optimal and also because the size of cork used is the same as a bottle and these are (in general) higher in quality than those of larger sized bottles where they make many less corks.

Is there a cigar size akin to the magnum in wine that is the optimum for ageing...my gut feel is that something like a Corona Gorda up to DC would be ideal but I have nothing to back this up...just interested in any thoughts

[BehikeLover2]

The bigger the better is my advice.

[Vcool]

That's what I've heard as well, but it all depends on personal tastes as well. Some folks don't like aged smokes and prefer fresh ones, regardless of the complexity etc of a well aged smoke. Typically, regardless of size, a fuller flavoured cigar will age better than a milder one as flavours can become milder, and sometimes muted as cigars mellow over time.

[Smallclub]

The bigger the better is my advice.

Based on what, if I may ask?

What about the ERDM demi tasse, the Petit Punch, the LGC #2 and #3, etc, that make fantastic vintage cigars?

[mk05]

...and here we go! Why get a magnum when you can get the vat? You can actually buy those you know...if you can store it.

All jokes aside, the analogy you would want to make is to compare the size of the container of wine to the casing of cigars, IMO. Each cigar within the marca has its own identity. It's not like, "ok this is the Cohiba PC, Lonsdale, and DC. Same blend, just make it bigger." Every blend is different - even in the same line - to perform best for each size. Unlike wine, which obviously, you pour and cork.

I would say cajons and cabinets are deemed best over time - both by tradition and preference of most connoisseurs. Yes smallclub will nitpick and say there's sometimes more airflow in dress boxes (we had this convo before elsewhere), but cigars over 10yrs old taste better coming out of cabs.

If you want to stay with comparing size of cigars, I'd say that it's what you want out of a cigar. I can see where this thread will go, bigger rg could be deemed "better" due to the fact that there are more leaves than small rg, sometimes with more variety, so the marrying of essential oils over time would make bigger ring gauge cigars develop a more "complex" cigar. Well, at the end of the day, a cigar can be as "complex" as it wants. I might not prefer the taste of it, or it might taste like crap. I personally have no preference as to the size - each offers something different as an aged specimen given its marca.

[Colt45]

Purely for conversation, is a magnum really optimal, or more that magnums age more slowly due to less air in the bottle?

For me, cigar aging would be more about blend, or in the case of this particular wine analogy, how the cigars are stored -

air exposure, etc.

Very interesting.

[Nino]

Purely for conversation, is a magnum really optimal, or more that magnums age more slowly due to less air in the bottle?

For me, cigar aging would be more about blend, or in the case of this particular wine analogy, how the cigars are stored -

air exposure, etc.

Very interesting.

Regarding the wine, the latter ; the Magnum is optimal because of its size as it ages, as you correctly state, slower - this philosophy is difficult to translate into cigars.

[ramon_cojones]

While there are a few obvious parallets between the aging characteristics of wine and cigars I think the comparisons have gone too far over the years leading to inconclusive and inaccurate theories abound. I just don't find them that similar as comparisons indicate and this discussion is another example of that.

[Colt45]

Regarding the wine, the latter ; the Magnum is optimal because of its size as it ages, as you correctly state, slower - this philosophy is difficult to translate into cigars.

Nino, I guess I'm driving at the term optimal - does the magnum simply slow down the process, or does slowing down the process actually aid the process.

Does slowing aging allow for "proper" maturity, or does it simply prolong what could be more quickly achieved in a smaller bottle?

[Pilgrims]

Nino, I guess I'm driving at the term optimal - does the magnum simply slow down the process, or does slowing down the process actually aid the process.

Does slowing aging allow for "proper" maturity, or does it simply prolong what could be more quickly achieved in a smaller bottle?

that's a tricky one...but I genuinely think the ageing is better in magnum because it is slower, not just the same thing but slower, the temperature is another major determining factor without doubt. There may be more analogies (not that there have to be) between the ageing of cigars and wine and the effect that temperature has...cooler is slower and better for both?

[LGC]

I think it's difficult to make any type of blanket statements with cigars... as with wine as well.

Aging potential, IMO, depends mostly on the blend and fermented characteristics of the leaves. Over-fermented leaves will not have the substance to withstand years or decades of aging. Of course, one must also factor in the storage techniques that one uses. With so many "fresh" cigars being approachable at a young age, I'm afraid to see what these cigars will be like many years down the road. I can think of examples of cigars that have already gone "over the hill"... despite proper storage. More tobacco (or larger RG) doesn't always equate with better aging potential. I find that the much larger RG cigars (or longer cigars) often don't have any "balls" to begin with. Most big cigars simply aren't rolled with fuller blends (unless they are custom blends). If you find a "large" cigar to be very enjoyable while young, you could be disappointed if you plan on hanging on to them for a decade or two. Personally, I like coronas, petit coronas, and corona gordas for long term aging. It used to be easy to find these vitolas with fuller blends. Robustos are good if they have a fuller blend as well. I love panatelas, ninfas, Laguito no. 1 and no.2 as well. I have many skinny cigars that have aged very well also. These cigars are medium/light to medium bodied at best. So these are proof that a cigar doesn't have to be full bodied to age well (or have a big RG); but I believe that quality tobacco is a key ingredient in this case.

With all this being said.... one must also consider the lack of consistency with Cuban cigars, as well as an individual's personal tastes. Cigars are a very subjective matter. I don't worry about what I have, what might age well, what might not age well, etc., etc. I know I have stuff that needs to be smoked now, and stuff that need to be smoked later down the road. The problem is that I average 1-2 sticks per week. It's impossible for me to keep up with the progress of every box. If a box becomes too mild for my tastes, it simply becomes a morning smoke (or gift box). These days, I'm more worried about finding moments to enjoy a cigar..... rather than speculate and obsess about their aging.