How to determine how long to age?

[Preacher man]

Been taking the dive the last couple years and have about 200 sticks in my humidor (MC #2 2012/2015; Hupman Conn 1 2011/2015; mag 46 2008; mag 50 2015; #2; HDM ep 1 and 2 2010/2011; Dip #2 2014; Bol BBF 2014; Cohiba Pir extr 2012; and some randoms).  

I want to start putting some back for aging but I'm not sure how to determine which one's I should put back and for how long.  In other words, I want to smoke them when they are at there best as I've heard that some cigars are at there best only 2-3 years old and then diminish while others need 6+ years.

Any thoughts, experiences or techniques that you have found helpful in determining what to age and for how long?

[CaptainQuintero]

It's a difficult one to explain, there is no rule and all cigars are different, even within the same box!

Usually if all the flavours are there but muddled, there's a bit of anger and fight in the cigar you can guess it will settle down within 2 years.

Some say age won't turn a crap cigar into a good one. Construction wise this is true but I've had plenty of cigars that have been consistently crap one after another from a single box, dumped them for a few years then gone back to them and they have improved considerably. There is the wisdom saying would those first cigars always have been terrible and those second lot would always have been good, due to the way Cubans are made. The answer is we will never know, you can't smoke the same cigar twice.

It's about taste really I think. I prefer upmann, partagas and cohiba with loads of age, 8+ years. I think the sweet spot for Monte #3 is 6 years. I love fresh PLPC. So it's a case of just testing.

Upmann leather turns to cream for me after a few years, partagas gets a sweet creamy nature that combines with its spice. Monte gets a citrus note. But all these are to my tastes, others might feel the complete opposite.

Put a few sticks away from each box and try them once a year, keep notes. When you are really enjoying them then smoke the rest unless you really think they could improve.

It's just a case of experimenting, the main thing is to enjoy it and not stress over it

[Fugu]

What the Captain sais - you really have to find out for yourself. There is no general rule to be applied.

[Fuzz]

16 minutes ago, CaptainQuintero said:

It's a difficult one to explain, there is no rule and all cigars are different, even within the same box!

Usually if all the flavours are there but muddled, there's a bit of anger and fight in the cigar you can guess it will settle down within 2 years.

Some say age won't turn a crap cigar into a good one. Construction wise this is true but I've had plenty of cigars that have been consistently crap one after another from a single box, dumped them for a few years then gone back to them and they have improved considerably. There is the wisdom saying would those first cigars always have been terrible and those second lot would always have been good, due to the way Cubans are made. The answer is we will never know, you can't smoke the same cigar twice.

It's about taste really I think. I prefer upmann, partagas and cohiba with loads of age, 8+ years. I think the sweet spot for Monte #3 is 6 years. I love fresh PLPC. So it's a case of just testing.

Upmann leather turns to cream for me after a few years, partagas gets a sweet creamy nature that combines with its spice. Monte gets a citrus note. But all these are to my tastes, others might feel the complete opposite.

Put a few sticks away from each box and try them once a year, keep notes. When you are really enjoying them then smoke the rest unless you really think they could improve.

It's just a case of experimenting, the main thing is to enjoy it and not stress over it

Couldn't agree more. Experience is the only way for you to determine what cigars you should age. I love fresh PLPC too, but I can appreciate an aged one when that caramel hits.

[Preacher man]

28 minutes ago, CaptainQuintero said:

It's a difficult one to explain, there is no rule and all cigars are different, even within the same box!

Usually if all the flavours are there but muddled, there's a bit of anger and fight in the cigar you can guess it will settle down within 2 years.

Some say age won't turn a crap cigar into a good one. Construction wise this is true but I've had plenty of cigars that have been consistently crap one after another from a single box, dumped them for a few years then gone back to them and they have improved considerably. There is the wisdom saying would those first cigars always have been terrible and those second lot would always have been good, due to the way Cubans are made. The answer is we will never know, you can't smoke the same cigar twice.

It's about taste really I think. I prefer upmann, partagas and cohiba with loads of age, 8+ years. I think the sweet spot for Monte #3 is 6 years. I love fresh PLPC. So it's a case of just testing.

Upmann leather turns to cream for me after a few years, partagas gets a sweet creamy nature that combines with its spice. Monte gets a citrus note. But all these are to my tastes, others might feel the complete opposite.

Put a few sticks away from each box and try them once a year, keep notes. When you are really enjoying them then smoke the rest unless you really think they could improve.

It's just a case of experimenting, the main thing is to enjoy it and not stress over it

Thanks Capt!  Super helpful.

[Philc2001]

39 minutes ago, CaptainQuintero said:

It's just a case of experimenting, the main thing is to enjoy it and not stress over it

Captain hit it on the head. 

I've aged multiple boxes, some for 2, 5, 10 and even 15 years. Aging to about 5 years improves almost every CC I've ever tasted. Most will hold their flavor quite well for 10 years, and even if they fade a bit it's not that noticeable. Beyond 10 is really not necessary, not because they lose flavor, but few if any will continue to improve beyond 10 years. Most importantly is keeping the environmentals stable and near optimal as possible, time just does the rest. 

I like to check in on them every once in a while and when I find one smoking really well, I smoke the heck out of em. Seize the moment!

But in my personal opinion it's all just personal preferences. There is no magic or science, just what  you like and what you can afford. Enjoy the journey.

[Ethernut]

Well done @CaptainQuintero! 

[CaptainQuintero]

and I did it all while eating breakfast and pretending to pay attention to the missus about what needs doing today 

[LandCruiser]

I was just about to ask this same question. Bought a 5 pack of Hoyo Des Dieux from 98-99 and smoked one tonight, the thing was about like smoking some dried grass wrapped in a leaf.... 

Needless to say, I think it goes without saying sometimes longer is not better... 

My personal favorites have all been within 10 years of production. Probably wont test the waters with anything much older than that from now on I guess. 

[Preacher man]

23 minutes ago, LandCruiser said:

I was just about to ask this same question. Bought a 5 pack of Hoyo Des Dieux from 98-99 and smoked one tonight, the thing was about like smoking some dried grass wrapped in a leaf.... 

Needless to say, I think it goes without saying sometimes longer is not better... 

My personal favorites have all been within 10 years of production. Probably wont test the waters with anything much older than that from now on I guess. 

I wondered about that too....especially are there some that can do 15+ years before hitting their sweet spot.  Not that I could wait that long but just curious.

[Colt45]

50 minutes ago, LandCruiser said:

Bought a 5 pack of Hoyo Des Dieux from 98-99 and smoked one tonight, the thing was about like smoking some dried grass wrapped in a leaf....

Part of the conundrum - there's no real way of knowing what that cigar would have been like earlier on. But I do agree that sometimes an old cigar is simply an old cigar.....

[earthson]

Firstly, a lot of the opinions on this forum carry a lot of weight (for me), so check to see which cigars are reported to require aging and which are good ROTT.

Second, sample! Depending on the cigar, its age and how moist it appears to be, I will set them aside for 7-365 days (or more!) before trying one. Sometimes, I'll drybox for 1-6 weeks before smoking, again it depends on the cigar and its age.

When you find them to be where you like them, burn 'em up! I do try to save a five pack from particularly good boxes to age further, but they don't often make it past another year or 2!

[CaptainQuintero]

6 hours ago, LandCruiser said:

I was just about to ask this same question. Bought a 5 pack of Hoyo Des Dieux from 98-99 and smoked one tonight, the thing was about like smoking some dried grass wrapped in a leaf.... 

Needless to say, I think it goes without saying sometimes longer is not better... 

My personal favorites have all been within 10 years of production. Probably wont test the waters with anything much older than that from now on I guess. 

There is a few points I'd pick up on. The cardboard packs generally are assumed to suck out flavours over the years. 17 years in such packaging could possibly result in a very muted cigar. I'd be hesitant over cardboard packaged cigars that are 3+ years old

Buying aged cigars is always something to be careful with also. You don't know how the cigars have been stored; they could have been kept immaculately or they could have spent the years lid open in the sunlight being passed over again and again.

It's not always possible but the best way I've found is to age yourself where you can sure of the condition or buy from somewhere that you know has looked after them.

I'd certainly not discount vintage cigars on the one bad experience, just chalk it up to bad luck

[Smallclub]

6 hours ago, LandCruiser said:

Bought a 5 pack of Hoyo Des Dieux from 98-99 and smoked one tonight, the thing was about like smoking some dried grass wrapped in a leaf....

99 was one of the worst year for the Hoyo des Dieux and and the Hoyo du XX series, so basically you've bought a mediocre cigar in the worst packaging. Cigars in carboard don't age, they just slowly die.

[vinnyvega]

The days of buying cigars to age for 15+ years is long gone.

[joeypots]

On August 19, 2016 at 7:47 AM, Preacher man said:

I want to start putting some back for aging but I'm not sure how to determine which one's I should put back and for how long

If you are going to age some  cigars to savor in the future you can't go wrong with Cohiba. Young ones pale in comparison to old ones.  It is very important to get cigars acclimated to a relative humidity that you like. i.e., wet cigars tend to be bitter. That said, few Cuban cigars suffer from a few years down. I like RASS,  PLPCs, QDCs, MC #2, HU#2, all Cohibas, and all of the(whats left of them) Bolivars,  to mention a few. My.02$

 

 

   

[Preacher man]

53 minutes ago, joeypots said:

If you are going to age some  cigars to savor in the future you can't go wrong with Cohiba. Young ones pale in comparison to old ones.  It is very important to get cigars acclimated to a relative humidity that you like. i.e., wet cigars tend to be bitter. That said, few Cuban cigars suffer from a few years down. I like RASS,  PLPCs, QDCs, MC #2, HU#2, all Cohibas, and all of the(whats left of them) Bolivars,  to mention a few. My.02$

 

 

   

Thanks so much!!  Very helpful!

[stogieluver]

23 hours ago, LandCruiser said:

I was just about to ask this same question. Bought a 5 pack of Hoyo Des Dieux from 98-99 and smoked one tonight, the thing was about like smoking some dried grass wrapped in a leaf.... 

Needless to say, I think it goes without saying sometimes longer is not better... 

My personal favorites have all been within 10 years of production. Probably wont test the waters with anything much older than that from now on I guess. 

Confident in provenance and storage conditions all those years?