Aged Samplers for CC Newbies

[rxavier1979]

Is there or are there any plans for an aged samplers to be offered for sale for those of us who've never had the pleasure?  Or even better, a sampler pack that includes a particular cigar along with it's aged counterpart to note the different effects of aging on that particular cigar?

I recently purchased the rob's right now rotation and the new to cubans samplers. I assume these are all good to smoke now or do the cigars in these packs also require aging to make sure they are out of their sick periods?  I ask because I don't want to get the wrong impressions on a cigar that may be smoked too young since I probably won't ever get the courage to buy a box of it in the future.

Sorry for being such a noob.

Thanks in advance all!

[PigFish]

There is a 'sect' amongst the Cuban cigar enthusiast world that has a strong belief that water content in cigars greatly affects their flavor. Therefore, obtaining cigars from another's environment, containing an amount of water that they themselves have not controlled, represents a risk to the smoking experience.

I am not saying that these cigars won't be to your liking. I am only saying that cigars shipped from any vendor must sit a considerable time before I will sample them. My decision is based on decades of receiving and smoking cigars. My opinion is not right for everyone, but there is a certain percentage of the population that will agree with me.

There are others that will smoke cigars 'right off the truck.' This is so common that there is an acronym for it... ROTT... so a discussion about a period of acclimatization, or a period of rest is commonplace in Cuban cigar forums.

Frankly, you won't know until you try both cigars ROTT, and ones that you have stored yourself for months or years. What you do is your choice and if you are newer, the temptation to 'smoke it now' is pretty strong. It won't be until a time that you have cigars at rest, and more in the pipeline that you will likely be able to resist the urge. Only you can decide when it is a good time to smoke a cigar and frankly no one can tell you when or if, one time is bette than another!!!

Welcome to the forum and best of luck in your new passion! -the Pig

[HoyoFan]

I can only answer for the second part of your question regarding Rob's samplers. And unfortunately the answer is that it depends. Since you don't have box code dates for the sampler origins it's pretty tough to say when the cigars were rolled. But I think you can safely assume they are '15/'16 boxes.

So I would say give it at least 30-60 days

[Jeremy Festa]

36 minutes ago, rxavier1979 said:

Is there or are there any plans for an aged samplers to be offered for sale for those of us who've never had the pleasure?  

Sometimes this does happen, albeit rarely. People usually pay a premium for aged cigars. And if you are on this forum, you are for lack of a better phrase, a total cigar geek. Not quite at the status of Piggy, but you are most certainly, very into cigars. 

Or even better, a sampler pack that includes a particular cigar along with it's aged counterpart to note the different effects of aging on that particular cigar?

Great idea. But there are a lot of variables that go along with such an exercise. Vertical (year) tastings and reviews occur. Something people usually put together themselves or along with friends. I like the idea though. 

I recently purchased the rob's right now rotation and the new to cubans samplers. I assume these are all good to smoke now or do the cigars in these packs also require aging to make sure they are out of their sick periods?  

Go hell for leather. They are ready to go now. My understanding of sick periods are limited. It usually happens a little later own the track though. Some people like to let the cigars rest and acclimatise after travelling internationally etc as they go through extreme temp changes on route. But I believe that cigars are way more robust than we give them credit for. Try them straight away. And let them rest and then try. Make your own mind up. 

I ask because I don't want to get the wrong impressions on a cigar that may be smoked too young since I probably won't ever get the courage to buy a box of it in the future.

No impression is wrong. What happens to you is accurate. A lot of guys might give a cigar (marca and/or vitola) at least few tries though before casting it into the shadows for all eternity. 

Sorry for being such a noob.

Never apologise. 

Thanks in advance all!

Anytime. 

 

[stogieluver]

We were all newbies, so don't apologize for that.  You've asked some very good questions.  You'll likely receive several different answers, but I believe most will be along the lines of the replies from Piggy and Jeremy.  Both are as knowledgeable as any on FOH.

In my opinion, the cigars in the samplers you received from Rob should be ready to smoke after you've acclimatized them in your humi, assuming you're running that humi at between 60% to 65% rH at around 70 dF.  I would let them rest for at least 30 days, better at 60 days.  CC's, I don't think, have "sick periods" like they used to.  Most current CC stock from the last 4-5 years is good to smoke after you've let them rest for 60 days after receipt from overseas.  A factor to consider, beside age, will be the smoking conditions (rH and temp) in which you will be smoking these cigars.  You won't get the best taste & burn from a Cuban cigar in high humidity and high temp smoking conditions.  That is a matter, though, of personal taste and opinion.  You live in Houston, right down the coast from me.  At our latitude, on the gulf coast, we both have high humidity conditions almost year round.  This time of year is best for smoking outside.  Just don't pass final judgment on CC's unless they are stored and smoked in lower rH conditions, i.e. no more than 65%.  60% is better, in my opinion.

Your best shot at experiencing aged CC's is to buy boxes as they become available.  That is a gamble, at best, if you don't know what you're buying in terms of a stick fitting your taste preference.  You might be able to buy or trade some singles from FOH members, but  only after you've passed the time and postings rules for the trading room forum.  Most of us who have stock piled aged CC's have done so over a long period of time and/or at great expense, and aren't likely to part with their aged stock.

It's a journey, my friend.  Welcome to the Dark Side.  And expand your credit lines and your storage capacity.  It's a slippery slope you're on.   

[rxavier1979]

30 minutes ago, stogieluver said:

It's a journey, my friend.  Welcome to the Dark Side.  And expand your credit lines and your storage capacity.  It's a slippery slope you're on.   

Ha! Thanks guys!  I realized this pretty quick once I got started on the 24:24s...  In fact, just ordered a new humidor and finished up seasoning this morning just in time for my first shipments of FOH orders later this week.

Big one on the left will be dedicated to my CCs. I have my rotation humidor that I smoke out of set to 63-65 but my long term aging humidors set to 67-69. Is this about right for CCs? I realize that I don't want to smoke them at that high of an RH level, but I do want to help preserve the oils on the cigars that are aging for longer than 3-6 months. Am I off on this? 

 

[BarryNY]

My friend...I'm somewhat in the same boat as you...but as Roy Schieder says in Jaws "I think you're gonna need a bigger boat".............

[BarryNY]

2 hours ago, rxavier1979 said:

I recently purchased the rob's right now rotation and the new to cubans samplers. I assume these are all good to smoke now or do the cigars in these packs also require aging to make sure they are out of their sick periods?  I ask because I don't want to get the wrong impressions on a cigar that may be smoked too young since I probably won't ever get the courage to buy a box of it in the future.

I asked Rob's team the same question and they gave exactly the same answer as the other guys did above:

Hi Barry,

Thanks for confirmation on both of those parcels mate.

All the cigars in the sampler are from 15/16 and are ready to smoke right away. Just let them rest in your humidor for 30 days to stabilise after the transit period.

Best,

Greg

Me...I'm waiting about 60 days before I fire up my samplers...and they're sitting at 65/65 in my winedor.  So it looks like I'll be having some very nice smokies for the Christmas season....However, all my full boxes are going to age for a few years.  I'll pull a stick out of each box every 6 months or so until they get to where I like them...then I'll increase the smoking frequency.  I believe you're gonna need a better set up for your boxes storage than the 2 desktop humis you have.

[JohnS]

Like @Jeremy Festa said, you're likely to pay a premium for aged cigars. Personally, I've used samplers as a gauge for what is suitable for my palate. After awhile you may find that you're inclined to certain marcas and vitolas, samplers are good therefore to remind you of the possibilities of trying something else. This has been my recent experience. I went through a corona gorda pack a month or two ago and fell in love with the Punch Punch again. Sure, there were cigars in that sampler pack I knew I would enjoy (Montecristo No.3, Ramon Allones Superiores, H.Upmann Magnum 46) but it was nice to be pleasantly surprised by the Juan Lopez Seleccion No.1 again. My humble advice is that once you work out what you like from the samplers, use that knowledge to order boxes and rest them long-term yourself.

[zeedubbya]

You're going to find you will accumulate some aged cigars here and there once you get into this some more.  Overall, however you will find certain things you like and don't like.  This is all extremely subjective.  You may like cigars ROTT, or you may hate them.  You may like aged cigars or you may hate them.  The most exciting part of the journey is going to be finding out for yourself what you like and don't like.  And take the others advice as well--go buy a larger storage solution now.  Even if just a cooler and some beads.  You're going to find yourself with many many boxes in less than 6 months time--I guarantee it.  Most of all have fun, learn, ask questions, and share the hobby with someone else as well.  Welcome!  

[Hurltim]

1 hour ago, rxavier1979 said:

Ha! Thanks guys!  I realized this pretty quick once I got started on the 24:24s...  In fact, just ordered a new humidor and finished up seasoning this morning just in time for my first shipments of FOH orders later this week.

Big one on the left will be dedicated to my CCs. I have my rotation humidor that I smoke out of set to 63-65 but my long term aging humidors set to 67-69. Is this about right for CCs? I realize that I don't want to smoke them at that high of an RH level, but I do want to help preserve the oils on the cigars that are aging for longer than 3-6 months. Am I off on this? 

 

uh, no offense meant but you are gonna need a bigger boat!!!

[Hurltim]

Based on advice gleaned here, this is what i did. I ordered as many singles as I could afford. I focused mainly on the "smoke now" recommendations by El Prez and others. As i tried them, I bought boxes of the ones I liked. Then I ordered more samples, lathered, rinsed and repeated. Ones I didn't like I put on the hold list to try again later. As Stogieluver mentioned, you may actually enjoy cigars better outside of your current rh/temp settings. In other words, you may not be enjoying those singles at their optimum water content for your tastes. Keep this in mind before kicking a cigar to the curb totally. 

I still try to focus my purchases on primarily "right now" cigars but I am moving into cigars that typically taste a little better aged. That doesn't mean they suck now--personal taste trumps "typical age" recommendations. I tried the Mag 46 last night and I didn't get my skirt blown up by it, but I see the potential. Conversely, I had an HUPC last Sunday that was pretty fresh and I loved it! Go figure.

I think someone mentioned a great aging set up: Buy one box a year, sample every 6 months until it hits the sweet spot then go to town on them. In 4 years you will have a box for each of the last four years for your smoking pleasure. If you really like a cigar, try and pick up an aged box if you can find it. Go back a year or three and try to get one from each year. Then you are all set. I have a '15 and a '16 box of Coro's so I would love to pick up a '14 box but I try to stay focused on picking up "right now" cigars and smoking through the ever growing singles pile. 

YMMV Enjoy the ride. 

 

 

[El Presidente]

6 hours ago, rxavier1979 said:

Is there or are there any plans for an aged samplers to be offered for sale for those of us who've never had the pleasure?  Or even better, a sampler pack that includes a particular cigar along with it's aged counterpart to note the different effects of aging on that particular cigar?

I recently purchased the rob's right now rotation and the new to cubans samplers. I assume these are all good to smoke now or do the cigars in these packs also require aging to make sure they are out of their sick periods?  I ask because I don't want to get the wrong impressions on a cigar that may be smoked too young since I probably won't ever get the courage to buy a box of it in the future.

Sorry for being such a noob.

Thanks in advance all!

 

We put together an aged sampler once or twice a year dependent on stock quantities. Nothing on the horizon unfortunately. 

As for smoking new stock samplers....let them acclimatise and hoe in. 45 days to 60 days down and you are good to go. Some may not be at their best, gut you will get a genuine gist. 

[Cigars4me]

I second what everyone else has said.  My 2 cents, this is a fun, expensive hobby - a journey of discovery!

[rxavier1979]

Thanks to everyone for great advice and insight on the topic of age.  So I guess this is pretty much the same as NCs right? what I mean is that a good age where the cigar may always taste better with a bit of age on it.  But then again some that are very good while young tend to lose some of their flavor when aged.  

I feel like the B&Ms here in Houston will go out of their way to emphasize that NCs don't need age because the tobaccos are usually already aged.  But isn't that the case with all tobacco and cigars for the most part?  What we are talking about is the aging that occurs after the cigars are rolled as opposed to the aging of the tobacco used before rolling the cigar, right?  From what I understand that's when the oil's from the different leaves marry together and become one per se.

[rxavier1979]

I feel like I'm getting the idea now. Smoke singles/samplers to decide on box purchases. Then have your finger on the trigger during the 24:24s for your favorites. Set aside a few from the box for smoking fresh, then put the rest away and come back to them periodically for a tasting. To be honest, I love the PSD4s so much now that I can't imagine them being any better!  However I recently had the RyJ Churchill and I was blown away at how delicious it tasted compared to other RyJs I've had in the past.  I usually get the RyJs for my wife (No. 3 because she thinks they look cute...) but hadn't had one that blew me away like this one. However the flavor completely dropped off in the final third, which on a churchill, is a considerable amount.  I chocked it up to perhaps just needing a bit more age especially being a longer cigar and being in a tubo.

We recently went to Greece for a buddies wedding so I visited a B&M in Athens called Miamis suggested to me on this forum and stockpiled different CC singles for my entire trip. I'd had CCs here and there before but this is where I absolutely fell in love with them! I'd already fell in love with the PSD4 before but this trip introduced me to the Lusitania, LGC, Ramon Allones, Trinidad and my new second favorite BOLIVAR!!! Since then I've been converted that there is definitely something there that as much as I love a great NC (Current Fav Warped La Colemna), there is a certain flavor and body that just can't be replicated by NCs.  I don't even know how to describe it but they have this distinct beautiful flavor note or character and what I've read so much on this forum is true.  You definitely do NOT get palate fatigue after smoking most CCs. Now that being said, I've had some damn good NCs so don't get me wrong. But as a whole, I'm loving the flavor profile that you get from most habanos(not all) and omg I love that sour smell you get in your humidor after you've stored some for a few months... I can easily see me going from a 90%NC / 10%CC ratio to a 75%CC / 25%NC after all is said and done. And I've been surprised with the pricing as some NCs are being way overpriced for the quality they deliver (Thanks FDA...).

Also, on the topic of bigger boats, I've been seasoning the black humi for 2 weeks and just now have it stabilized. Problem is I haven't received any shipments yet as they are all en route currently but now I'm at 140 cigars give or take. This thing advertised as 200 capacity but I'm seriously doubting it...  Maybe 200 petit lanceros... Luckily I have a buddy that is willing to split any box I decide won't fit in my humi.

I've been thinking of setting up a wineador since here in Houston, I can't keep my humidors any cooler than 73-74F. Then again I've heard so much about just getting a big cooler, cleaning it out to get the plastic smell out, and loading up with 65% beads. Do you guys get Spanish Cedar trays to go in there to help retain moisture or just throw the boxes in there?  I'm sure there are plenty of threads out there on this topic already.  I'll do some searching. Need to get back to work so that I can justify my salary and keep ordering CCs like a madman...

Anyways, seriously, thank you all for your advice.

[Saxman]

Great thread and yup on the bigger boat comment. I've only been here since August. Started with zero CC and current count is 397. I'm having a blast and learning so much. Welcome and have a good time. What you smoke and when you smoke it, after reading more here, is only something you will decide.


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Saxman

[Hurltim]

Don't forget that unless you smoke a ton of cigars, they will age a bit naturally as you smoke them. If you smoke one PSD#4 a month that box will last you two years. If you buy another box at the end of the first year then you can smoke 2 a month. Etc.

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[Hurltim]

Winador Aug 12th.


Wineador yesterday.







I have 6 more boxes on their way.

Yeah, you are gonna need a bigger boat

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[rxavier1979]

Good point. I'm averaging 5 per week but if I can get my stockpile where I have enough to have 2 Party and Boli a month, I'll be a happy man.

[rxavier1979]

6 minutes ago, Hurltim said:

Wineador yesterday.

I have 6 more boxes on their way.

Yeah, you are gonna need a bigger boat
 

Did you plug the drain hole?  Any issues with condensation buildup inside? I'm in Houston and the humidity can be pretty high and if the house is at 75F and I keep my wineador at 65, I'm worried I'll create a dew/condensation issue.  I might need to keep them at maybe 68-70F to play it safe?

[Hurltim]

Did you plug the drain hole?  Any issues with condensation buildup inside? I'm in Houston and the humidity can be pretty high and if the house is at 75F and I keep my wineador at 65, I'm worried I'll create a dew/condensation issue.  I might need to keep them at maybe 68-70F to play it safe?

Drain plug isn't plugged. It's dryer than a popcorn fart out here right now. The humidity in CO doesn't get much over 60% in the spring/summer. So far, it holds between 60-62% with the drain plug open. When I have to play wineador tetris and the door is open for awhile, i just stick a dish of distilled water in it until it levels back off at 62 and then take it out.

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[SloppyJ]

Im in AR and I did plug the drain hole. Have it set on the highest temp and have 2lbs of 65% beads in it. It's been pretty good to me for 2 years now. It maintains high 60's for temp and I can manipulate the water content of the beads to keep it around 60RH depending on the season.

Another tip I can give you is to make friends on here and trade with them. Or better yet, get a local friend(s) and split some boxes. That's what I did. I split about 8 boxes with a friend of mine when I first started out. That let me get a little stock in my humidor to test and see what I liked. Keep an open mind about this though. There were cigars that I really didn't like (RASS for example) that I really tried to like. I smoked all but 3 and wrote them off saying maybe I'm crazy, all this hype about them and I don't get it. I eventually gave up on them and wrote them off. I would have kept that mindset but I just recently picked one up after about a year and it was AMAZING. I immediately ordered a cab of them. What I found is that, for my tastes, RASS around 2yr hit what I like. I imagine that it gets even better with more age on them so that's why I got the cab. I might smoke 5-10 of them before that 2yr mark just to see what this batch is like but I will save the majority of them for that 2+ year term. 

 

What I learned from this entire experience is patience.  Patience I didn't ever have with NCs because of the idea that NCs don't require age or are sold aged. I now have much more experience with CCs than I do with NCs but I still feel that NCs seem more consistent than CCs. Meaning that if I don't like a NC, it probably doesn't matter if I age it and try it later. But admittedly, that's something I've never done. 

 

In the mean time, find a couple of cigars that you really enjoy (I wound up with BPCs and Monte 4s). These two smoked great fresh and got better with time. Get a box of each. Smoke them and notice how they change. During that time, pick up some other sticks to try and keep the sampling going along and broaden your horizions.....but never write off a cigar on just 1 or even a handful or samples. 

 

I'm quickly approaching full capacity in my wineador, it's a vicious cycle.  

[stogieluver]

 

On the subject of getting a bigger boat, after reading your posts, I'm guessing you've really got the CC bug and will be spending some serious coin on the hobby.  Instead of wasting hard earned money on desk top humi's, you might give some thought and consideration to going ahead and investing in a cabinet humidor.  You live only a few hours away from Bob Staebell and his Aristocrat Humidor factory.  He has all sizes, and some are temperature controlled.  His product is hand made and heirloom quality.  I, and several other members here, have his humidors and I think we all agree that it is some of the best money we've spent on the hobby.  If you go to the photo forum and the humidor tutorial forum, you'll see photos of some of our humi's from Bob.  If you don't want to spend the money on Bob's product, there are other cheaper alternative storage options.  Point is, by the time you buy two or three desk tops, and then advance to a winedor, or tupperdores, or coolidors, whatever, you could have just as well spent the same amount of money on a large humi.  When you get ready to do this upgrade, and I think you are well on your way, take the advice given here by numerous members, and that is to buy a larger unit than you think you would ever fill up.  Because you will eventually fill it up, along with your credit cards.   

[godpheonix]

yeah better invest in a good cabinet. a very smart way to go. go straight to the item that you will eventually go and you'll save time and money. of course saying that you'll be spending all that money on cigars to fill it up...so its not gonna be cheap anyway LOL