Question about aging

[Stick burner]

I will apologize in advance if this topic has been beaten to death, but I didn't find the info I'm looking for when I did a search for aging SO...

1) How do you decide what to age? 

2) Do you base you decision on your love of a certain cigar or if it comes from a certain factory or if it has a certain flavor profile?

3) Why do certain cigars age better than others?

I don't ever see myself having the funds or storage to allow all my cigars to rest/age for 3-5yrs before breaking into the box, however I would like to purchase something special and set them down for a 5yr nap.

[Texwrangler]

Everyone's preference is different when it comes to what to age/which to select/which ages better.  Since you said you doubt if you have the means or desire to lay down some boxes for that long, I'd be on the lookout for aged boxes for sale.  I know this site, from time to time, puts up aged cigars for sale.  It is a great way to enjoy aged cigars and not have to wait for aging them yourself.    If not, I'd look for what Rob says are 'good to smoke now' to buy.      And last...if I were going to purchase a special box for a long term nap...I'd pick up a cab of Partagas Lusitania.   These have great potential for aging and if you have to break into the box from time to time...in 5 years you should still have some left.    This is just my opinion, and I'm sure you'll hear different takes from others here.   good luck....

[Corylax18]

The only person that can correctly answer those questions for you is yourself. I think just about anything coming out of Cuba is better with a couple years of box age. But thats just me, I think this allows some time to "smooth out the rough edges", other people like that bite in a cigar and don't want to lose it, so they smoke whatever they get right away. Many guys sample from boxes every six months or so until the cigars hit their "sweet spot" Buying more than you can smoke is the first step.

[Guest Nekhyludov]

If you get 25 replies to this thread, you'll probably find 25 different perspectives on this.

My two cents is that, generally, I think there is some concensus around a few qualities that make a cigar a good candidate for aging:

1) as was mentioned, it has to be a stick that suits your tastes.

2) larger ring gauge (meaning >43) tend to be more popular choices.

3) cigars tend to mellow a bit with age, so starting with a mild smoke may not be ideal.

4) cabinets of 50 are generally thought to age better than dress boxes, since they allow for better airflow than dress boxes

5) some cab 50 packaging is being discontinued, so it may be worth grabbing what you decide on sooner rather than later.

Although all my cigars age just because I buy more than I can smoke, I recently down a cab 50 of Punch Punch specifically to age for 5 - 10 years. 

 

[dvickery]

3 hours ago, Nekhyludov said:

 

Although all my cigars age just because I buy more than I can smoke, 

 

Bingo !!!

derrek

[egoo33]

3 hours ago, Nekhyludov said:

3) cigars tend to mellow a bit with age, so starting with a mild smoke may not be ideal.

Disagree LGC & QDC are not powerhouse smokes but age incredibly well. 

 

Buy what you like and more than you can smoke and eventually you'll have aged cigars 

[Colt45]

I kind of think this is something that has perhaps morphed over time. There was a time when Cuban cigars needed down time due to overall production methods, and perhaps to a lesser degree, tobacco strains. As processing methods have changed / evolved, Cuban cigars seem to have become more approachable at a younger age. While they can be left alone, I'm not so sure they need to be - quite as much.

In a perfect scenario I guess I'd look for cigars which exhibit some type of structure - body, tannin, underlying flavor, combinations of these, etc. But the reality is that there really are no guarantees as to what a cigar may become.

[Philc2001]

You'll get all sorts of opinions on this, and here is mine. 

My strategy is to smoke my favorite cigars as often as possilbe and mix in a few new ones here and there so I am continually expanding and trying different cigars, whether through trades, splits or box purchases. But when I find a specific vitola that really lights up my taste buds I'll load up on that vitola and if possible I try to get the same factory code and month. This keeps me stocked up with the cigars I love most, while letting me build up and expand my palate to new vitolas. For the most part, I try to keep 3-5 different favored vitolas stocked up so I have enough of a rotation of different cigars. 

So with that backdrop, the process of stocking up is pretty straight forward. I smoke about 3-5 cigars per week, let's say an average of 4 cigars per week. That means a box (25) lasts 6 weeks. Therefore, in order to have enough cigars for a year I need eight and a half boxes. To go two years deep, I need 17 boxes, five years deep is 43 boxes or about 1075 sticks. Let's just say 1,000 sticks (40 boxes), and the rest will be cigars for sampling throughout the year to determine what to buy next.

Once you're stocked up, then it is a matter of replenishing your stock as you smoke. In this scenario, I would need to add one box every six weeks or so. It sounds simple when you do the math, but keeping with the routine is not always practical depending on finances or competing priorities. But as a guideline this gives you some idea of how you can pace yourself to get to the 5-year stash you desire. YMMV. 

[Philc2001]

1 hour ago, Colt45 said:

I kind of think this is something that has perhaps morphed over time. There was a time when Cuban cigars needed down time due to overall production methods, and perhaps to a lesser degree, tobacco strains. As processing methods have changed / evolved, Cuban cigars seem to have become more approachable at a younger age. While they can be left alone, I'm not so sure they need to be - quite as much.

True. Cigars released these past 3-4 years seem to be quite approachable with minimal box age. However, I'm finding recent crop improves notably with 2 or 3 years age... so 2014 and some 2015 are smoking very well right now, and to me they are noticeably more flavorful than 2016 stock. I hope they continue to improve further.  

[shlomo]

An aged cigar is not better than a young cigar. Just different, and again, different does not mean "better".

No need to age entire boxes. singles age fine too. Buy more than you smoke, and you'll figure it out yourself. 

[1LegLance]

Here are my thoughts based on serious cigar smoking since the 90's....

Back in the day you almost HAD to age sticks as the tobacco plants were much stronger, RyJ Cazadores were crazy strong for the first 3 yrs.

These days that is NOT the case....

So it is more a matter of taste, sticks get smoother with time so it is a matter of how smooth you want till they are too bland.

Here is my current method:

Smoke one Right Out of the Box on day of arrival....makes some notes on a 3x5 index card taped to the bottom of the box.

Smoke one after a couple of weeks to see if they have settled from shipping, add note...

Based on my notes I might put them in regular rotation or check on them in a couple months, 6 months or a year...all depends on my notes.

I run 2 wine coolers and 2 very large desktops for reference and smoke 1 a day on average.

[Smallclub]

56 minutes ago, shlomo said:

An aged cigar is not better than a young cigar. Just different, and again, different does not mean "better".

Well, I agree “theorically”. But when a young PL Montecarlo or pc tastes like battery acid, I know that age will make it a better cigar…

[Smallclub]

1 hour ago, Philc2001 said:

True. Cigars released these past 3-4 years seem to be quite approachable with minimal box age.

Agreed. I can't even remember the last time I thought "Ouch, this box needs a looooong rest”…

[polarbear]

I age by accident

If a box gets buried at the bottom of my humidor and I can no longer see it at a quick glance, its "aging" until I rearrange the humidor and find it again

[rhcolbert]

5 minutes ago, polarbear said:

I age by accident

If a box gets buried at the bottom of my humidor and I can no longer see it at a quick glance, its "aging" until I rearrange the humidor and find it again

Me too.  I go into spells of less smoking and it just happens. No intent to age just happens. 

[shlomo]

39 minutes ago, Smallclub said:

Well, I agree “theorically”. But when a young PL Montecarlo or pc tastes like battery acid, I know that age will make it a better cigar…

Never tasted battery acid...but ok...lol

I prefer young Mag 46 as opposed to well aged ones as an example of the opposite.

I also find young Upmann 2 "better" than aged ones with 10+ years.

ymmv

 

[scap99]

28 minutes ago, shlomo said:

Never tasted battery acid...but ok...lol

I prefer young Mag 46 as opposed to well aged ones as an example of the opposite.

I also find young Upmann 2 "better" than aged ones with 10+ years.

ymmv

 

You never put batteries in your mouth as a kid????

 

I did.   Once.

 

Never again.

 

[shlomo]

21 minutes ago, scap99 said:

You never put batteries in your mouth as a kid????

 

I did.   Once.

 

Never again.

 

HAHAHA, yes, I have licked a battery before, not the same as cracking it open like an egg and slurping the gooey insides!

[Fugu]

Buy and smoke randomly, fresh (testing/sampling only), young, matured, vintage - just as I fancy it. While I tend to approach many things systematically - not here: no order, no system, no science in my smoking.

That said, I prefer most cigars with a minimum age on them and won't start with most boxes, irrespective of marca, much before they hit the 3-5 year mark. Early accessible or not - most, if not all Cubans still do benefit from a certain period of grace.

[scap99]

31 minutes ago, shlomo said:

HAHAHA, yes, I have licked a battery before, not the same as cracking it open like an egg and slurping the gooey insides!

Very true.

[YOM'$]

Here is a question from a newbie.  If I want to experience a line such as the CoSiglo series or a CoRo and I have some samples, am I really doing myself justice by burning thru them early or will waiting pay dividends. Since I have to wait then will it take me x many years to sample the damn line.  If y'all suggest I burn up on the timeline method than a sample(s) simply won't work. I'm roped into boxes.  This is my fear and the reason I just say the hell with it and buy boxes.  

[stinkhead]

19 minutes ago, YOM'$ said:

Here is a question from a newbie.  If I want to experience a line such as the CoSiglo series or a CoRo and I have some samples, am I really doing myself justice by burning thru them early or will waiting pay dividends. Since I have to wait then will it take me x many years to sample the damn line.  If y'all suggest I burn up on the timeline method than a sample(s) simply won't work. I'm roped into boxes.  This is my fear and the reason I just say the hell with it and buy boxes.  

I never take aging singles into account. The way I look it it there is not much return on investment. For example if I only have one CoRo does it really make sense to take the time and effort to store it for let's say 5 years in order to get less then 2 hours of enjoyment? At least with a whole box you potentially have a way bigger payoff. 

 

If I had samplers I would just enjoy them as is. 

[David88]

I personally don't age cigars by choice. I buy boxes of cigars that I like or want. Over a year I will smoke maybe 60 - 70 cigars. So I buy more than I smoke and over time they gather age. I don't pay much attention to box codes as they all are capable of doling out rubbish along with great cigars. While some cigars may age better than others, I would say they were good cigars to begin with. You can't polish a turd! If a cigar is poorly constructed and poorly blended when you get it, I can't imagine it will age well. I don't believe there is any link at all with RG and good aging. Small RG cigars age just as well as larger!

[planetary]

I'm far from expert, but I've made some aging bets.  (Quite a few, actually!)  BTW, I think viewing your aging stock as an investment portfolio is a good idea.  Some of your bets will pay off,  others won't -- and that's ok... or, at least, that's how the world works.  If you can't accept that, you shouldn't be buying boxes and spending many thousands of dollars on this part of the hobby.  If you can make your peace with this, and you judge it worthwhile, you're off to the races.

There are a bunch of factors involved.  Off the top of my head:

• I age what I like.  #1 factor, easy.  Corallary:  I don't age cigars I know I don't like.  Yes, sometimes tastes change, but those are fickle, long odds bets to make.  I learned my lesson on this score in the pipe tobacco world.
• I listen to experienced people ("financial advisors") I trust about aging potential and upside.
• If I've been fortunate enough to sample aged examples of a certain cigar and I know I like it, I'll listen to my own experience and buy similar cigars, or not.
• I am more likely to age HQ+/PSP graded boxes, and smoke the PE and handpicked.  More generally: I'm more likely to age stock that was hand-checked by a professional.
• I'm more likely to age cabinets than boxes.  It might be an aesthetic thing, but I love having these large 50 cabs in the humidor.  Resolute monoliths.
• I am more likely to age more expensive cigars than less expensive cigars.  I've definitely got some lesser expensive boxes in there -- quite a few -- but I do tend to feel more protective of the expensive cigars and more likely to dip into the cheaper boxes as my "open smokers".  Not a rational thing, just something I've noticed about myself.
• Box codes are a very minor factor in most cases.
• I like having 2+ boxes of something I know I like.  This is not always possible, but it's a little rule of thumb I like to follow when I can.

Hope this is useful, @Stick burner!

[RijkdeGooier]

It is all a matter of personal preference. 

I like to give the sugar and spices a chance to develop so I age my cigars.  For me, it adds to the depth of the palate in my experience. 

Suum cuique ?