Smoking Order - New vs. Aged

[bnasse9900]

First post here, so feel free to let me know if it should go somewhere else, is inappropriate, or is just a stupid question.

I'm trying to better understand the nuances of cigars, and what time does to a stick.  I have an HDM Epicure No. 2 from 2005, and one from 2015.  A few questions for the group...

- If I wanted to smoke them in the same day, which would you smoke first?

- Does it make sense to smoke them on different days for a better comparison (I don't often smoke multiple cigars a day.  Is palate fatigue a thing?)?

Thanks, all, and happy smoking.

Brody

[Puros Y Vino]

Welcome to FOH Brody. Not a stupid question.  It's probably been asked in some form or another, but IMO, the answers to this type of question isn't as standard as most as you'd see in a FAQ. 

In general, you smoke to what your palate desires and can handle.  In the example you provided, I'd go for the 2005 HDM first.  If your palate is up for it, then go for the 2015.  There are many differing views here.  Some are strictly one cigar/day and others are many cigars/day. I personally can handle about 2-3 a day when I'm at home and 3-5 per day when I'm away on vacation somewhere tropical. Drinking something that helps cleanse your palate can help. Taking a break between does too. 

If you just want to compare those two cigars to see what difference 10 years has made. I'd smoke them on separate days, maybe with a day in between.  Try to smoke under the same conditions.  Same place, time, etc.  Don't pair it with anything besides water so you can concentrate solely on the flavours of tobacco.

[PigFish]

Welcome to the forum...

I like @bundwallah 's answer. All I can add is this. There will not be a thing that you can do with two cigars that is going to give you the experience of the seasoned smoker, and that is what 'learning' cigar nuance is all about. Tasting cigar nuance is totally different as most people can do that... I think he covered it, a clean palate and a clear head will help.

Two cigars, in the grand scheme will not teach you much of anything, lets say in 10-20 or more years smoking cigars, BUT (and an important BUT) it will start you on the path of learning cigars that you will never get without smoking them.

Your 2 cigars represent only 2 cigars, and not a generation of learning about cigars. It won't give you a bedrock of nuance, not even for the one vitola of cigar.

My suggestion is this. Sit down and enjoy the cigar for the reasons that the cigar was made for in the first place. There will be plenty of time and cigars to analyze, and the analysis will just appear to you as you experience your journey. Forget about the quest for a moment, and take the time to enjoy the cigars as individual cigars.

Cheers! -Piggy

[Dave001]

those 2 answers above are all you need, definitely wait a day or so and smoke vintage and then try the young and see what you happen to enjoy the most its all up to you and welcome aboard you will definitely enjoy your time here among wonderful people

[DWC]

Two excellent answers for you already, but I definitely agree with  " Don't pair it with anything besides water so you can concentrate solely on the flavours of tobacco. "

 I rarely pair anything with my smokes but I especially make a point of doing this any time I'm trying a new cigar.

            -Dan

 

[bnasse9900]

Great feedback, thanks all.  I'm going to smoke both on separate days this weekend (thanks @bundwallah), pair with some high-quality H20 (thanks @DWC), and not take it too seriously (thanks @Dave001).

Rome wasn't built in a day, but it started on Day One.

Best,

Brody

[mi000ke]

Great advice so far.  I've raised the issue of smoking multiple cigars in a day with a lot of my buddies (we always smoke 2-3 in a row at the local cigar bar), and generally speaking everyone seems to have a different take on it.  

When I know I will be smoking more than one cigar in a day, I try to go from weaker to stronger flavor profile.  I also find that I lose the ability to pick up nuance in taste the more I smoke in a day, so I will not only go for stronger cigars as I progress, but ones that have less nuance in the flavor profile.  And all other things being even, I always try to smoke the "best" cigar first while my pallet is fresh.

Now I may be overthinking this, and it may not be that important to you regarding the two cigars you have, but If you have the chance and a couple of other cigars to use up on an experiment, why not try smoking a couple in a day going from weaker to stronger on one day, and stronger to weaker on another, just to see how your pallet reacts.  

And as a minor curiosity, I also find that when smoking a CC and a non CC in the same day, it always takes away from the taste of the second cigar.  

[joeypots]

If I am going to smoke two or more cigars in one day I always smoke the best one first, Always. My Palete is keenest when fresh. Palete fatigue is an issue for me. Your Since the 10+ year old cigar is apt to be more nuanced it's a foregone conclusion that I would smoke it first. If Cuban cigars were dear to me I'd smoke something less valuable to me second. Give it some time before you smoke the younger cigar. That's just what I'd do. And have fun with the cigars, that's the important thing.

[oside]

I've lit up two cigars and alternated puffs.  I could really taste the differences in both.

[garbandz]

"Rome wasn't built in a day"

 

they had a night shift,though...

 

"I've lit up two cigars and alternated puffs.  I could really taste the differences in both. "

 

works well..........

[fabes]

2 hours ago, oside said:

I've lit up two cigars and alternated puffs.  I could really taste the differences in both.

I do this also. Sometimes two similar cigars, sometimes two wildly different cigars. It's something I picked up while learning about coffees and flavors in general... it's easier to note flavors and characters when compared to another. 

 

[BrightonCorgi]

They're not so long of a cigar, so why not smoke them both at the same time?

[BrightonCorgi]

If you can't smoke both at the same time I see two schools of thought,

1.  Smoke the least tannic cigar first which should be oldest.  Similar method is done when laying out wine

2.  Smoke the newest one first to see how the cigar will taste in the future...

For cigars, my heart says the older one first as the older cigars the flavors become more delicate and refined.  You don't want your palette destroyed with a freshie...

[foursite12]

Take notes.  Not so much because you need to be reminded...but I find if I have to describe something in writing, I am forced to give it some more in-depth analysis.

[MyWillYourFate]

Well said Pigfish and Bundwallah. 

[Fugu]

Indeed, well said! Main aspects perfectly covered. Have nothing more to add.

[stogieluver]

The only thing I disagree with out of all the good advice given is the pairing with water.  I find that CC's pair exceptionally well with sweet drinks.  My drink of choice is a Cuba Libre (rum with coke, although I only mix with diet coke).  The sweetness of this drink, to me, is a perfect palette cleanser that lets the true flavors of a CC come through.  Give it a try sometime.

[SCgarman]

54 minutes ago, stogieluver said:

The only thing I disagree with out of all the good advice given is the pairing with water.  I find that CC's pair exceptionally well with sweet drinks.  My drink of choice is a Cuba Libre (rum with coke, although I only mix with diet coke).  The sweetness of this drink, to me, is a perfect palette cleanser that lets the true flavors of a CC come through.  Give it a try sometime.

What is your Rum of preference? Cheers!

[dominattorney]

1 hour ago, stogieluver said:

The only thing I disagree with out of all the good advice given is the pairing with water.  I find that CC's pair exceptionally well with sweet drinks.  My drink of choice is a Cuba Libre (rum with coke, although I only mix with diet coke).  The sweetness of this drink, to me, is a perfect palette cleanser that lets the true flavors of a CC come through.  Give it a try sometime.

I will have to try this. I've only ever paired a cc with a boulevardier as far as cocktails go. My preferred pairing is a room temp barrel aged belgian quadruple, or imperial stout. 

[stogieluver]

17 minutes ago, NYgarman said:

What is your Rum of preference? Cheers!

For mixing with diet coke

  For sipping

[SCgarman]

If you can find this, it is fantastic neat with a cigar! I order it online. 

[bnasse9900]

3 hours ago, stogieluver said:

The only thing I disagree with out of all the good advice given is the pairing with water.  I find that CC's pair exceptionally well with sweet drinks.  My drink of choice is a Cuba Libre (rum with coke, although I only mix with diet coke).  The sweetness of this drink, to me, is a perfect palette cleanser that lets the true flavors of a CC come through.  Give it a try sometime.

I also love a good rum drink with a cigar.  I think the prevailing thought here was to limit as many variables as possible, and that a flavored drink may interfere with concentrating on the cigars (I guess it's something like "complete enjoyment" vs. "smoking for science").

I chose to start with the aged cigar tonight.  Will be smoking the 2015 tomorrow.

Appreciate the discussion. 

[bnasse9900]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback.  I won't post a complete review here, but just some general feedback on my experience:

- I smoked the 2005, and then the 2015 two days later.  Drank water only with both.

- The 2015 started really harsh (tannic? astringent? I'll learn cigar lingo eventually...)

- The 2015 seemed to have more variation (from beginning to end) than the 2005.  Maybe the aged cigars have had more time for all of the lovely oils to co-mingle and create a more uniform flavor profile throughout?

- I liked the aged cigar much more.  

- Looks like I have to by more boxes and continue these experiments.  For the sake of science, of course

[Colt45]

2 hours ago, bnasse9900 said:

The 2015 seemed to have more variation (from beginning to end) than the 2005.  Maybe the aged cigars have had more time for all of the lovely oils to co-mingle and create a more uniform flavor profile throughout?

Cheers for the comparison. Purely for conversation, this is my personal take on evolution and complexity. I consider evolution to be when a cigar changes in character / flavor over the course of smoking. I think of complexity as the range / depth of flavor(s) in each draw. They are, of course, not necessarily mutually exclusive, and there is often overlap.

 

[Dave001]

Brody, that's basically how I started as well all those years ago smoked a new 2006 and a vintage 1996 and fell in love with the 1996 and since that time I basically bought as many boxes as possible and now 11 years later im at like 90% boxes that are over 11 years +

although I do love BBF's and Party shorts ROTT