Your favourite aged cigars.

[El Presidente]

I was asked this question in relation to FOH Auctions. It is too subjective so I would love to get your input 

 

"Rob with FOH Auctions underway (congratulations) can you please assist me in narrowing some cigars down in the different categories.  I can't age cigars so I want to purchase some "ready now selections" . i also can't afford Behike prices so regular boxes are preferred. 

Can you help me in the 3-5 years, 5-8 years and 9 years +"

 

So gents. What cigars would you recommend to keep an eye out for in the 

3-5 years

5- 8 years

8 years +

 

Many thanks 

[LordAnubis]

I love aged Punch. My favourite Marc’s with more than 10 years on it. Every other brand I think benefits with 1-5 years and that’s it’s peak for my tastes.


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[JohnS]

For 3 to 5 years I'd go for the chocolate/cocoa-type marcas such as Montecristo (except Especial and Especiales No.2), Vegas Robaina, Rafael Gonzalez, San Cristobal et al.

For 5 to 8 years I'm more inclined to go for the savoury or 'woody' marcas such as Sancho Panza, Punch et al.

For 8 years onwards I'd go for marcas that develop dominant creamy texture with long-term rest such as Cohiba, H.Upmann, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey et al.

[Gamehawker]

I will smoke and enjoy aged cigars that I have from 5 -8 years but I love 8+ years on cigars, i.e., H.Upmann Connie 1 & tubed/untubed Monarchs.

[BrightonCorgi]

8+ LGC MdO 1&2, most Upmann's or Bolivar's.

[nKostyan]

 

My Universal rules: Bolivar (5-8), H.Upmann (3-5), HdM (5-8), Montecristo (3-5), Partagas (5-8), Por Larranaga (3-5), Punch (5-8), Ramon Allones (5-8), Saint Luis Ray (3-5), Sancho Panza (5-8), Trinidad (3-5), Vegas Robaina (3-5), all Limited Editions (any aged)

There are any additional specific cigars of markas (my personal additional preferences):

Cohiba Robustos, Lanceros (5-8)

EdM Choix supreme (3-5)

RyJ Cazadores, Churchills (3-5)

San Cristobal El Morro (8+)

Vegueros Especiales (8+)

Sancho Panza Molinos, Sanchos (8+)

Trinidad Robustos T, Robustos Extra (8+)

[PigFish]

Aging cigars is overrated. Properly made cigars will taste good now and into the future.

The adjustment of water content is the only thing I take responsibility for in the 'life force' of a cigar. If a cigar was poorly made, not containing the proper amounts of core tobacco elements, no amount of age will fix it.

On the other hand, I do enjoy cigars that are no longer made. This has nothing to do with the age itself. It could be a style of roll, a vitola, the tobacco put into it... but it really has little to do with how long you or anyone else has kept it...!

No offense to my mates. I see aging 'guidelines' as folly!

Cigars vary year to year, crop to crop, box to box, etc. There are no absolutes about Cuban cigars except as a rule, I find them more individually natured than according to brand group. While I don't prefer larger ring cigars, this does mean that the next one I smoke might be the best cigar I have ever smoked.

-tP

[nKostyan]

Cigar changes the taste during the aging process, this is one of the advantages of aging in the box rotation process. You can start Smoking the fresh SLB50 one cigar each month and observe the evolution. At some age you realize that the cigar has reached the peak of its taste. You can buy a box at that age and smoke every day.

 

[Puros Y Vino]

I have many aged cigars that I did not age myself.  I'm talking stuff as far back as 1926 to the 60's / 70's / 80's and 90's.  So, I have never tried these cigars when fresh, only aged. I have zero clue as to how they progressed over the years.  I can only say they are smooth and complex.

In regards to stock I have aged myself and have sampled since their release. I've found the following cigars to have evolved over time; for the better.

• HU Mag 50.  Had/have two boxes from 2009.  Been smoking them ever since and they have definitely evolved.  In some cases, they went from medium to full bodied.
• BBF.  Same as above.  2009 stock.  Finished the last one about a year ago.  Not as dramatic as a change as the Mag 50's but still interesting to experience.
• Partagas Lusitanias.  Had/have 2008 and 2009 boxes.  The 2009 vintage sticks smoke better than the handful of PGR's I have.  They were decent fresh too but have improved with age significantly.
• Punch DC.  Bought a 2005 box back in 2010. They were already aged and smoked great then.  Just keep getting better. 
• MGE EL 2010.  Great then, just getting better.
• Cohiba Esplendidos 2009.  Same.  With every year they get more complex and less "rough". I find these very strong when young.
• LESF.  2011.  Smoked a few boxes since their release.  They just keep evolving and delivering the goods.
• PSD4  Boxes from 2009/10/11/12  Rough beasts when fresh. Time makes them smoother and more complex.  
• Siglo VI.  2009 box keep getting better.  2004 boxes purchased in 2011 are doing well too.  
• RACF RE 2009.  Magnificent, monstrous powerhouses when fresh.  Age has softened them up a bit and allowed for more nuanced RA flavours to shine.  

Dis-honorable mention.

RAE EL 2011. No amount of time is going to turn around this well dressed, but disappointing release.   

Aged stuff to look for on FOH auctions? with at least 5 years on them..

ERDM Choix Supremes & Tainos / Sir Winston / Monte Espy No 1 / Siglo II / Trinidad Coloniales, Fundadores, Robusto T, Robusto T Extra / Partagas 898 

 

 

[joeypots]

 I think the Ray has a point. Cuban cigars smooth out as they dry out and they are often way too moist when I get them from the vendor. Is it time or diminished moisture that is knocking off the rough edges? When I put a fresh box in a cabinet humidor it could take quite a while for it to dry out enough to make noticeable changes. So when I read about cigars aged less than  3 years I tend to think that change in the cigar is attributable to RH, not age,

 I don't smoke too many fresh cigars and I think smaller cigars come around faster than large cigars. 

3 to 5? Partagas Series D#4. 

5 to 8? Almost everything.

8+? Bolivar, Cohiba and some specific cigars like Sir Winstons.

[IanMcLean68]

I definitely agree with @JohnS that the cigars that develop a predominantly creamy or buttery character age the best in the longer term. With the exception of Bolivar, I also find that anything with chocolate or cocoa flavours being predominant tend to lose some depth after 5 or so years. With that in mind I find that most Montecristo peak for me between 3-5 years. For the same reasons I am also in agreement that San Cristobal, Rafael Gonzalez, and Vegas Robaina smoke best between 3-5 years. Bolivar in this instance is different because I find they develop more cocoa/chocolate flavours as they age past 5 years and the earthiness/gravel is pushed back slightly. There are some exceptions too. Montecristo No.2, which seems to have a deeper fuller more complex blend than others in the numbered line up ages well and smokes well between 5-8 and more years, same with the especiales. I wouldn't call Partagas or Ramon Allones predominantly creamy, but they age well for me because I love the evolution they undertake and the complexity they develop, and I look for the nutty and creamy nougat notes in Partagas as they age, and the dry unsweetened cocoa and fruit cake in RA.

So with this in mind, I smoke most Montecristo and San Cristobal (smoked often), and Vegas Robaina and Rafael Gonzalez (smoked less often)  at 3-5 years, anything else is fair game after 5 years. 

My favourite long term ageing cigars (5+ years) are:

Por Larranaga PC

Partagas 898V

Partagas Lusitanias

Anything H Upmann, most esp. the Magnum 46 and Sir Winston

Anything HDM, esp. the Le Hoyo series, and most esp. Des Dieux
Anything Cohiba or Bolivar

I have a Magnum 46 SLB from 2013 which have a skull and cross bones on them. I reckon they have legs for 15+ years. Still powerhouses at 6 years of age.

[nKostyan]

Partagas Lusitanias.  Had/have 2008 and 2009 boxes. 

Many smokers note that the Lusi blend has changed since 2008-2009 in the direction of reducing the strenght and the cigar has become less outstanding and less powerful. So personally I would like to try Lusi before 2008

[SigmundChurchill]

I feel like aging cigars is less important than it was in the past.  20-25 years ago I would get some boxes that tasted like pure ammonia to me and I was basically forced to age them.  Then there were boxes that tasted good at first, but then went into what some people called a “sick period”, and they would have to be laid down for a while.  There were some boxes that never recovered, and others tasted great after 3-5 years.

These days, it doesn't seem to be an issue.  I get a box, try 1, put the rest in the humidor for a few months, and they are ready to go.  Occasionally, I’ll try one after a few months and feel it needs more time, but I am talking about months, not years.

[SigmundChurchill]

6 hours ago, nKostyan said:

Many smokers note that the Lusi blend has changed since 2008-2009 in the direction of reducing the strenght and the cigar has become less outstanding and less powerful. So personally I would like to try Lusi before 2008

There are 2 cigars that used to be in my go-to list back then.  The Lusi was one, and the RyJ Churchill was the other.  I don't enjoy the current ones nearly as much as I used to.  I wasn’t sure if it was the blend, or if my taste for cigars changed.

[Puros Y Vino]

7 hours ago, nKostyan said:

Many smokers note that the Lusi blend has changed since 2008-2009 in the direction of reducing the strenght and the cigar has become less outstanding and less powerful. So personally I would like to try Lusi before 2008

Interesting.  I didn't know that.  Now that I think of it, I've never seen any pre 2008 Lusi's out in the wild.  I would love to have a box of when they were 109's.  Maybe the pre-2008's have been hoarded by those "in the know"  ? 

 

[nKostyan]

Maybe the pre-2008's have been hoarded by those "in the know"  ? 

Maybe it was the cigars for a narrow circle of fans. Now they have reduced strenght obviously the number of fans has increased, which allowed increase a sales and production - hence the availability of boxes of later years. This is just an assumption «a shot in the dark» ‍

[Puros Y Vino]

3 minutes ago, nKostyan said:

Maybe it was the cigars for a narrow circle of fans. Now they have reduced strenght obviously the number of fans has increased, which allowed increase a sales and production - hence the availability of boxes of later years. This is just an assumption «a shot in the dark» ‍

A very possible premise.  It also hints that Habanos listens to their customers.   Or, just did this on a whim?  You never know with Habanos.  I enjoy Lusi's as is.  A stronger blend would probably age well too.  

[MPS]

10 hours ago, nKostyan said:

Many smokers note that the Lusi blend has changed since 2008-2009 in the direction of reducing the strenght and the cigar has become less outstanding and less powerful. So personally I would like to try Lusi before 2008

My boxes of 2018 Lusitania are the strongest Lusitania’s I have ever smoked. I didn’t smoke any fresh in the 90’s but someone who did told me they were very similar. 

[Philc2001]

Well, this is in no way a slight to any members or against any specific opinion, but I personally find the focus on aging among many CC enthusiasts is a bit of a cultish and misleading belief. While I subscribe to the generally accepted norm of resting cigars after shipping, and about six to twelve months of box aging to let cigars settle and gas off after rolling, I personally believe the virtues of aging are often overemphasised and even misrepresented. 

Indeed, some cigars age better than others, and some do develop a different (not necessarily better) character after aging. But I've never experienced age turning a bad cigar into a good cigar, it simply turns into an aged bad cigar. A cigar has to have all the right ingredients to start with, inclusive of good quality tobacco selection, good maturing process, expert blending, consistent quality rolling, and most importantly; a flavor profile you like, for which there are no substitutes. I cannot emphasise enough how important personal preference and taste is in the overall equation. Where I believe aging is beneficial is when a cigar tastes good young but may be a bit rough around the edges, then aging will often help smooth those edges and slightly tame the cigar so it becomes more refined.

When I started smoking CCs I would buy boxes blindly, based on forum feedback and personal exuberance, resulting in hit or miss experiences. I ended up with many cigars in my humidor I didn't appreciate. I justified this behavior thinking my taste was not mature or refined enough to enjoy those cigars, and over time I will either learn to enjoy them, or the cigars will get better with age. In retrospective I was misguided.

Over several years with that mindset, I either endured many unpleasant cigars, or I gave them away, traded them, or sold them to others who appreciated them more than I do. The lesson learned was to sample cigars until I find what I liked, then stock up on those. Age is a very minimal factor only after taste and preferences have been satisfied. If I like it, young or old, I will still like it a few years down the road. But if I don't enjoy it now, it won't magically turn into a gem in 10 years.

Fortunately, this forum has a trading room and a forum for box splits, plus our host also frequently offers partial boxes so we can sample easily without breaking the bank. If you happen to find a decent deal on an aged cigar you know you like, and you don't mind paying the premium, then go for it. Otherwise, save your money and buy a box or two or three that you know you already enjoy. Through the natural course of supply versus your pace of consumption, you'll find the right balance to keep a supply of aged stock that you truly enjoy smoking.  

[Piligrim]

what I smoked aged last couple of weeks: Partagas Lusi 2009, Partagas d4, 2006, Partagas 898 2008, Bolivar Coronas Gigantes 2001, Cohiba Siglo V 2002, RASS 2008, Upmann Magnum 50 2008, Montecristo Edmundo 2006, Monte 5 2005 and some short fillers like los status de luxe. can tell those are mostly amazing and changed with time very much.

[nKostyan]

Now I got Lusitania 2005. Waiting for acclimatization and try