CC aging questions...

[eswary]

Good morning, afternoon, or evening FOH,

I hope I'm not beating a dead horse with this question(s), but I'm looking for opinions and recommendations from everyone on preferred aging times on CC brands.

I typically stash CC's and try one here and there and note progress as years go by. My experience seems to be the "bolder" the smoke, the more time aging will only benefit the cigar. Any thoughts on this novice observation?

I know this is alittle vague, and largely depends on the violas or editions, but just shaking the tree looking for some "rule of thumb" knowledge. Most of my experience smoking CC's are with Partagas, Bolivar, and RYJ. I have recently acquired some Rass, HDM, San Crist, and Upmanns. Any thoughts or experiences are greatly appreciated and welcomed.

Thanks in advance for any insight,

Eric

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[tgould55]

Bolder cigars most typically, yes, in my limited experience. But you're also looking to air out some of the ammonia harshness in most fresher sticks. Some smoke beautifully ROTT, while others won't lose that edge for five years or more.

My suggestion is keep playing with it. You'll find boxes of the same stick that smoke differently over time (e.g. I smoked a HdM Epicure de Luxe AME DIC 12 and absolutely loved it, bought a box of AME NOV 12 that were barely smokeable until late 2014).

I'm sure others can offer much more than I can - I'm still working my way through all the major marcas - but my advice is keep tinkering.

[garbandz]

Ask again in a year............

"I typically stash CC's and try one here and there and note progress as years go by"

Your idea works because you know how you like your cigars.keep it going..........

[eswary]

Thank you guys. I Understand the process. Starting to venture into newer brands for me, appreciate any insight.

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[Lant63]

Hey Eric,

Of the brands you mentioned, Ramone Allones will need the most time to peak, unless you are talking about the superiores which I think smoke amazing rott. Upmann and San Christobal also need some time, however sir winston and el principe are extreamly enjoyable young. My upmann no 2 and la fuerza are still to rough to fully be enjoyed, but they do have immense potential. Sorry, I can't help you with hoyo, it's not my Marca.

Sent by telepathic super powers

-Stogie Boy

[TonyAccardo]

Bolder cigars most typically, yes, in my limited experience. But you're also looking to air out some of the ammonia harshness in most fresher sticks. Some smoke beautifully ROTT, while others won't lose that edge for five years or more.

My suggestion is keep playing with it. You'll find boxes of the same stick that smoke differently over time (e.g. I smoked a HdM Epicure de Luxe AME DIC 12 and absolutely loved it, bought a box of AME NOV 12 that were barely smokeable until late 2014).

I'm sure others can offer much more than I can - I'm still working my way through all the major marcas - but my advice is keep tinkering.

This is some very accurate and the best advice one can give I believe. I've got 2 boxes of HdM #2's MOB Nov 14 and 2 other boxes of the same cigar but different years, different codes and they taste completely different than the MOB boxes. You really can't go by the marque as to what or how much time it needs. You have to smoke one out of the box and determine from there really. And even then, all that does is give you an idea as to the way that particular cigar was and how it would have aged if you hadn't smoked it. Because you see, all the other cigars could and can be very different. I've experienced this but by and large it will usually give you a good idea as to what the rest of the cigars are like. You'll find that it's a very individual, box--by-box situation and in no way like the non cuban lines where you can pretty much know what a certain brand and vitola is going to smoke/taste like ROTT.

[ap67]

I don't have too much experience aging cigars, but I think we have to acknowledge the potential of light-medium cigars. For example, I can tell a very evident difference between a young Hoyo de Monterrey Des Dieux and one that's rested for 3-5 years, and I'm sure most others will agree. From what I gather from the accounts on this forum, I see aging as a matter specific not only to body, but to brand, vitola, year, and quality of box. As the posters before me noted, some fresher Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 are better than those which are slightly older. There really doesn't seem to be a "rule of thumb" for which you ask, as Quai d'Orsay, El Rey Del Mundo, H. Upmann, Por Larranaga and other mild-medium cigars are all revered for their development with age; some would go so far as to say that one should avoid smoking them young at all costs. To conclude, in my limited experience, there simply is no guideline which you seek. Just as some cigars are better one year than the year before, some cigars are better fresh one year than the year before.

[Vortigan]

I've got 2 boxes of HdM #2's MOB Nov 14 and 2 other boxes of the same cigar but different years, different codes and they taste completely different than the MOB boxes.

MOB - is that a reserved code set aside for wiseguys?

[groundhog]

MOB - is that a reserved code set aside for wiseguys?

[Sophistic]

for me its lighter cigars need more time. boli, monte best with 1-2y; hoyo, pl, upmann 4-7

[groundhog]

no way like the non cuban lines where you can pretty much know what a certain brand and vitola is going to smoke/taste like ROTT.

Afaik, one pretty much never gets to smoke NCs ROTT - as they are always aged before they get to retailers - that's why there's no sick period for NCs

[dvickery]

All you need is experience to find the ages at which you like your cigars ... And experience only comes with time .

No amount of q & a on here is going to tell you what you want for years of age on specific cigars .

I will add ... With proper aging ( mostly this just means leaving them alone ) most cigars gain in strength for a decade or so .

Hope this vagueness helps a bit

Derrek

[CaptainQuintero]

I do age, I like the taste of older tobacco. I do however like fresh tastes, I like fresh PLPC which goes against my usual habits. Its something to experiment with as no one can tell you what you will enjoy, only give advice at what you might like if you happen to like similar cigars etc

Also you have the issue of cigars being rolled by different people. You could have a box where all 25 cigars were rolled by 25 different people.

For example you could smoke one cigar from a box, even 4 or 5 and they are harsh so you put the box away for five years. You come back in five years time and the remaining 20 cigars taste lovely; you say the age has made the remaining cigars better.

But those remaining 20 cigars could have tasted lovely if you smoked them straight after the first 5, those initial cigars were rolled with bad tobacco or by a naff roller and the remaining were rolled with better tobacco or by a better roller. So all you've done is wait 5 years for no reason.

See what I'm saying?

Age does change tobacco but purely because of how cigars are packaged in Cuba, you never really know if the good cigar you've smoked is good because of age, humidity, tobacco quality or any other variables or just pot luck.

I've found if you like aged tobacco in general then age everything, if you like fresh tasting tobacco then smoke everything fresh. You're going to get great and naff cigars both ways.

[zrotfus]

Afaik, one pretty much never gets to smoke NCs ROTT - as they are always aged before they get to retailers - that's why there's no sick period for NCs

Interesting, I always thought it was a select few brands more than the whole lot, as I know for example that Padron takes great care to age everything before shipping out.

[TonyAccardo]

MOB - is that a reserved code set aside for wiseguys?

Lol that's what I was thinking too when the vendor sent me pictures of the box and code before he sent it! I told him, "That is the specific code I want!" as I thought it was kinda neat that it would have such a code. But no, it was just coincidence that that is the codes of both boxes. Great code too by the way, if you're into following the whole box code thing.

[shlomo]

Afaik, one pretty much never gets to smoke NCs ROTT - as they are always aged before they get to retailers - that's why there's no sick period for NCs

Not every maker does this. Certainly not for every line either. I know the Optus line by Fuentes was designed to be aged for at least 3 more years after boxing.

[groundhog]

Not every maker does this. Certainly not for every line either. I know the Optus line by Fuentes was designed to be aged for at least 3 more years after boxing.

Like you said though - aged for three MORE years - so they've already been aged. The point I was making was that NCs aren't ROTT.

[shlomo]

Like you said though - aged for three MORE years - so they've already been aged. The point I was making was that NCs aren't ROTT.

Your two sentences are at odds with each other.

Not every NC is pre aged....unless your definition of age is 3 months at the factory/warehouse/retail shop....same thing with CCs then...

[groundhog]

Your two sentences are at odds with each other.

Not every NC is pre aged....unless your definition of age is 3 months at the factory/warehouse/retail shop....same thing with CCs then...

How are they at odds with each other?

[TonyAccardo]

Like you said though - aged for three MORE years - so they've already been aged. The point I was making was that NCs aren't ROTT.

When I said ROTT I meant smoking them as soon as you get them, regardless of how many years they've been "aged". As we all know, the level of bullshit the non cuban manufacturers feed us in the advertising of their product and how much it's been "aged" is very high. When I buy say a box of My Father toros and smoke one off of the truck, meaning as soon as I recieve them, I can order another box of the same several months later and be pretty sure that Iit's going to taste very similar if not close to the same. Not the case with CC's. Yes, there are exceptions to the rule but I think you understand my point.

[earthson]

If you're looking for a rule of thumb for all brands, I've seen 3-5 years listed before.

Tastes, of course, differ. There are some I'll smoke after giving them a month or 3 to settle to my humi conditions (HdM, Punch, San Cristobal), and there are ones that I buy and try to ignore for several years (RASS, Cohiba, Partagas).

Even across Upmann - one of my favorite brands - there is a scatter of how long before I usually find them good. For me, Sir Winstons are typically good 6 months to a year from boxcode, Mag 46 & 50 are good after a few months, Connie #1 need a couple of years minimum, and the PCs seem to need the longest - around 3-5 years.

You're already on the right track - try one after 30 days in the humi and decide whether it's ready or needs time. Then, check back in every 6 months or so. You'll get a feel.

[eswary]

Not every maker does this. Certainly not for every line either. I know the Optus line by Fuentes was designed to be aged for at least 3 more years after boxing.

I agree. Opus is my main thing. And like most CC's they truely blossom with many yrs of age.

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[PigFish]

I do age, I like the taste of older tobacco. I do however like fresh tastes, I like fresh PLPC which goes against my usual habits. Its something to experiment with as no one can tell you what you will enjoy, only give advice at what you might like if you happen to like similar cigars etc

Also you have the issue of cigars being rolled by different people. You could have a box where all 25 cigars were rolled by 25 different people.

For example you could smoke one cigar from a box, even 4 or 5 and they are harsh so you put the box away for five years. You come back in five years time and the remaining 20 cigars taste lovely; you say the age has made the remaining cigars better.

But those remaining 20 cigars could have tasted lovely if you smoked them straight after the first 5, those initial cigars were rolled with bad tobacco or by a naff roller and the remaining were rolled with better tobacco or by a better roller. So all you've done is wait 5 years for no reason.

See what I'm saying?

Age does change tobacco but purely because of how cigars are packaged in Cuba, you never really know if the good cigar you've smoked is good because of age, humidity, tobacco quality or any other variables or just pot luck.

I've found if you like aged tobacco in general then age everything, if you like fresh tasting tobacco then smoke everything fresh. You're going to get great and naff cigars both ways.

This is a very good answer!

Well made cigars require no aging, nothing that is brand specific, certainly! We are talking about tastes and preferences, certainly generalizations.

Read through some of the blind tastings on this forum. While it has little to do with age, you will certainly take in some data about brand characteristics and Cuban cigar consistency. You will be forced to conclude at least one of two things by reading these blind tastings. Either no one here knows what a cigar tastes like, or Cuban cigar tastes are all over the board.

What matters is what you like. Smoke what YOU like and store some for the future because the leadership a Tabacuba may wake up one fine morning and decide not to make it anymore. If the cigar was good in the first place it will likely stay that way for sometime, if not indefinitely (if kept properly). If it was lousy, you can blame yourself if you wish for letting it get 'over the hill,' or take responsibility for smoking it at the wrong vacuum period, or shoulder the blame based on other ridiculous reasons, OR you can simple blame the maker for selling you a bad cigar.

I prefer the later!

Cheers! -Piggy

[shlomo]

How are they at odds with each other?

Well, in your first statement you argue that I said that NCs are previously aged (I never said, or hinted to that) thereby agreeing with you (I do not), then you say that NCs are not aged rott.

So are they, or aren't they?

[mash]

Not every maker does this. Certainly not for every line either. I know the Optus line by Fuentes was designed to be aged for at least 3 more years after boxing.

So how long do NC manufacturers age their cigars before they sell them? Where can I find this information?