Romeo y Julieta Cazadores.......foil on or off

[El Presidente]

A member was asking how long is it necessary to age a cazadores. 

I have replied that whether you leave the foil on or take it off makes a difference. I like to leave it on but it pushes out the aging sweet spot for me. 

Can our Cazzie lovers chime in here with their experience?

 

[mprach024]

Once ready to smoke the foil is ripped to shreds and removed otherwise it’s a pain in butt.  Until I touch them though, foil stays on.  2 years is good, but 4 years is better.  I do not go much longer as I like mine powerful.  
 

Extra note:  I just cracked some 18s about 3 months ago, and they were not ready, so folded up the foil and put them back away, will try again in October.

Edited May 2, 2021 by mprach024

[Ginseng]

I generally preserve all original packaging until the box is exhausted, except for the crappy cardboard overboxes. 

The "foil" is actually not foil, but rather foil-laminated paper. FLP does not have the same properties as rolled metal foil. Here is a picture I took recently for another member who asked about this. The photo was taken in my dark basement. The only light is a bright torch behind a Cazadores FLP sheet. As you can see, it is anything but a perfect barrier. There are plentiful pinholes and other spots where the metal has just worn off or fallen off the paper substrate. Folding exacerbates this but the FLP itself should not be considered impermeable in the same way as a roll of kitchen foil. 

With respect to aging. Any reduction in the oxygen and moisture transpiration would presumably slow down aging reactions dependent on the concentration of either. I can't comment on whether this makes a detectable difference within about 10-12 years as I don't store any of my Caz out of their foil dressed boxes.

[Puros Y Vino]

I'm in the "foil on" camp.  Back in 2018 I opened up a 2012 Cazadores box. The aroma when I took it out was unreal.  I've got a box from 2010, 17, 19, 20 which will stay in foil. I've never heard anyone complain of mould on these cigars due to them being sealed, so I'll take my chances.

 

[noreaster]

Just opened an '08 purchased on BR...

[noreaster]

[ReturnFreeRisk]

I have a 2018 box aging and debated this question in my mind at the time as well. Suppose I split down the middle..My decision was to cut the foil off each end at the heads and feet. Left the rest of the bundle foil wrapped in the box. Sorry no pic, but it’s buried and zip locked in one of my tupperdore bins that I only open once per year for a health check. Will try to edit this thread in the future when I open the box to show...


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