Do You Always Smoke the Oldest First?

[DWC]

Just curious as the what others are doing and why.

If you have a box with, say 3+ years on it and get a second box of the same with only about a year and a half, what do you do? Smoke the fresh and store the older box to reach the mystical 5 year mark or smoke the older box and store the fresh.

At some point in the future I won't have to concern myself with such things but being fairly new to this game, it's a consideration. I suppose other new guys face the same dilemma.

-Dan

[tjohn7]

Typically I smoke one of each and go from there. If the young box tastes great, I'll smoke more out of that one. If the older box is great, then I smoke that one. If they taste the same, then you're in a pickle!

[garbandz]

Buy a box with six months on it and age the other two.............

[Habanos2000]

If I have different production dates of the same cigar I'll typically smoke the older first. I think that while many young production cigars really don't "need" aging to smoke well, it doesn't hurt to lay them down either.

[Shecky]

I smoke one of each and then compare the tastings. Sometimes I notice differences that are great and stick to the aged cigars and put the newbies down to rest. For those that i do not notice much difference in terms of the age versus the new, then I just smoke the younger ones first and lay the aged ones down for longer rest hoping they will improve.

[TiminBC]

If something is not enjoyable I wait. If it tastes great I smoke them.

[Lotusguy]

I usually smoke the opened box first. That most of the time works out to be the oldest box.

[dvickery]

Dan

All things being equal ... I open my oldest boxes first .

Derrek

[Tino]

If something is not enjoyable I wait. If it tastes great I smoke them.

Smoke what works for you, the cigar that you enjoy is the right cigar to smoke, regardless of age/box code

[LeafLover]

Generally the older box first as I like the taste of older cigars over newer.

[Colt45]

While I might give a cigar or two from the younger box a try, my norm is older box first.

[Bclass1]

I generally smoke from my older boxes as well. I do pick up a few sticks from the younger ones to see how they're progressing though..

[rodrigodeanda]

If something is not enjoyable I wait. If it tastes great I smoke them.

^^^^ this

[madandana]

I don't have a lot of aged boxes so I'll put a couple boxes away for ageing and smoke the younger ones so I can build aged stock.

I'll dip into an ageing box every year or so to check on the progress.

[ramon_cojones]

Some boxes I get for the purpose of aging, some I buy to smoke right away. Best of both worlds.

[Sophistic]

neither. then i buy cigars that are great young (monte, bolivar) or an even older box and smoke these.

[DWC]

After reading others thoughts on aging/smoking order I came up with an idea that might work for me.

The 3 box system. Store the oldest box for aging, smoke out of the second oldest, and keep the freshest 'on deck' until the second box is gone. When the youngest moves into the smoking position, replace it with a fresh one.

It's all just theory at this point, but it looks good on paper. I figure I'll give it a try.

-Dan

[PapaDisco]

I also believe that a few years helps most sticks. 5 is a target, but if they're tasting great at 3 then I'd lay down the newbies and smoke the 3 year olds. There's plenty of exceptions of course. PSD4's and Epi 2's have consistently been good for me ROTT, and the batch of 2014 Sir Winston's I got from Rob were awesome straight away.

[DWC]

Some of the ones I have in mind for aging are PLPC and QQdO Corona and maybe RASCC.

[LGC]

Not always. Older is not always better. There are no definites when it comes to cigars. Inconsistencies with production, blending, and tobacco quality come into play... in addition to personal tastes and preferences. It takes time and experimentation to figure out what's best for you. Keep in mind that cigars within the same box will not perform or age the same. I tend to agree with the phrase "you can't make chicken salad out of chicken crap."

[Dbone]

As of late I've been picking a box by random, whatever catches my eye for whatever the reason and I'll just smoke that box empty. Anything to simplify my life and cut down my decisions.

[Firebender]

Older box first. I have many cigars that's turning 3 years these days, and most of them are smoking great. I am already busy smoking older boxes so young boxes don't get much attention