Differences in blending cigars

[TM-US]

I was watching on of Rob's reviews and he mentioned that the Quai D'Orsay cigars are blended with a lot of second and that makes them age wonderfully. He also mentioned that ligero does not age well.

I noticed that cigars with a lot of ligero like the LA Flor Dominicana and the Perdomo Patriarch line do not age well. They have a big ligero component in them and so ROTT, they have a powerful nicotine kick. When they age, the flavor mellows out a lot and they end up rather mild.

I take this as a sign that these cigars are not blended very well unless they are intended solely to be smoked fresh.

What cigars do you find smoke really well with age and not so much fresh?

I am really enjoying this Ashton VSG with about a year of age on it. I've found Partagas D4 to be much better with age, as well as most Bolivars.

[Smallclub]

He also mentioned that ligero does not age well.

I doubt Rob said this

[Troels]

My guess would be that both partagas and bolivar has a fair share of ligero. Could it be so that the ligero ages nicely for the first 3-15 years or whatever, then to fade and that the seco really shines after very long aging? Rey del mundo is supposed to age very beautyfully longterm

Would love to learn more

[El Presidente]

All parts of a cigar play their part in ageing, but to me the secret is in great Seco.

If you make a puro out of brilliant Seco you can develop a beautiful rich cigar. Seco is what great cigars are built around.

It is one of the reasons that big NC "ligero" sticks leave me cold. They lack the magic, balance, complexity, nuance that excellent Seco brings.

[TM-US]

All parts of a cigar play their part in ageing, but to me the secret is in great Seco.

If you make a puro out of brilliant Seco you can develop a beautiful rich cigar. Seco is what great cigars are built around.

It is one of the reasons that big NC "ligero" sticks leave me cold. They lack the magic, balance, complexity, nuance that excellent Seco brings.

So Rob, what specific sticks have a lot of seco in them?

[El Presidente]

So Rob, what specific sticks have a lot of seco in them?

A few that come immediately to mind are the LGC Medaille D'Or no 2, HDM Des Dieux, ERDM Tainos, Upman Sir Winston, ERDM Anniversario, Quai D'Orsay Corona.

[Rye]

Apparently, I have a love for the seco leaf! Cool thread.

[TM-US]

Thanks, Rob! I have the Quai D'Orsay Corona on my list of stuff to buy in the near future. The others, I will have to take a good look at- I know the Des Dieux are good, can't find LGC almost ever. I never explored ERDM, I'll have to try one- maybe order some singles next time I place an order.

[polarbear]

I've found the thing with NC's is that they are blended to be smoked ROTT

6 Months is the limit I actively age NC's as I find if you lay them down for a decent stretch (anything longer than 3 years) get noticeably blander.

There are exceptions (Opus X, some Tatuajes) but for the most part 3-5 years is the limit.

I have a few OR Liga Privadas that are about 4 years old and they are a shadow of their former selves.

[alloy]

I've got two boxes of Royal Robustos (I've got a third box that I'm smoking out of). One is UPE Oct 12 and the second is UPE Nov 12. They are resting in my wineador at 65/65. How long would you lay them down?

And the NC's I buy at my local B&M I stash in my desktop humi. When I keep them in for a couple month's (cause I'm always choosing cc's to smoke instead), and I do take them out to smoke, I do notice a better flavor throughout the smoke. I have five Opus X of various vitolas that have been in it for three months to a year and I have a AF Royal Salute that has been in there for two years. I wonder how it will taste? I will find out one of these days.

[mash]

I've found the thing with NC's is that they are blended to be smoked ROTT

6 Months is the limit I actively age NC's as I find if you lay them down for a decent stretch (anything longer than 3 years) get noticeably blander.

There are exceptions (Opus X, some Tatuajes) but for the most part 3-5 years is the limit.

I have a few OR Liga Privadas that are about 4 years old and they are a shadow of their former selves.

I find exactly the same thing with older NC's. I have lots of Padrons, Olivas and Illusiones and they get less flavourful with age. Smoke em if you got em.

[fokker4me]

Apparently, I have a love for the seco leaf! Cool thread.

I guess I like the Seco leaf as well as most of what I enjoy fit this category.

[TM-US]

Does Cohiba like to blend a lot of seco into their cigars? With the recent thread about Cohibas, one of the things mentioned is that they lose the grassy character after a couple years and become a very nice creamy flavor. I've found the same thing.

I haven't really found any Cohibas yet that I would call very full bodied or heavy, besides the 1966. I wonder if that is because they don't use a lot of ligero and blend in a lot of seco?