Cigars age and taste

[Jed]

Hello there,

So I have been smoking for quite some time.  I have a small NewAIR that keeps at roughly 66/66.  I have had some cigars in the unit for years.  I have a few boxes that are open but also a good few years old.

In smoking them I find them....not the best.  To confirm I went to my local B&M and got the same one I had in my humidor (Tabernacle).  Smoked the aged one and then went to the recent one.  Recent one seemed so much better to me.  Is my environment wrong?  Age seems to be something desired in a cigar but I am not sure I agree based on my small testing (have done more than just 1).  I want to get more boxes but if they are going to turn out this way I might pass.  I want to get a larger cabinet humidor with a better system but they are so expensive.  If it is my storage, anyone have a good recommendation for a cabinet humidor?

Thanks for reading

[BrightonCorgi]

I've noticed with many non-cuban cigars that they fade away with a lot aging.  The tobacco tends to be older when the cigar is rolled vs cuban cigars.  I am not familiar with Tabernacle.  You may want to increase the humidity  and see how that effects your cigars.  Most likely the B&M stores their cigars with a higher humidity. 

You could also buy another Tabernacle, store in your humidor for a month and do a side-by-side comparison smoke.

[Islandboy]

In general, I’ve also had poor results with aging non-Cubans, taste seems to just fade away after 3 or 4 years. My experiences with Cubans is completely opposite, taste becomes refined and balanced with age. I have no idea why though.

[jakebarnes]

The only NC that I've really had any success in aging are Padron X000 series and some bolder Davidoffs (millenium, primarily). Other than that, not a lot of success.

[TheCigarslayer]

In my experience most new world cigars are blended to be smoked immediately, with few exceptions. Cigars like Padron Anniversaries start great and only get "worse" over time. They lose their "DNA" the older they get. 

[Çnote]

Broad strokes for me:

I've learned over time that I prefer cigars kept in the 65%-67% range.

Limited edition NC => can age, often do. Don't plan on more than 5 years. Test smoke every 6 months or a year. Be prepared to smoke one a week when they hit the point. Don't count on 'it getting even better' with more age. A lot of NC are blended to smoke now, and I only 'rest' them for humidity and to let the wrapper/binder/filler come together as a whole. It's rare that I smoke an NC and think 'this needs 10 years.' It's usually 6 months, unless the blend is super burly with a touch of nuance, then I'll go down the rabbit hole and revisit in a year or two.

Stock NC => hold for 3-6 months to stabilize humidity to where I want it, then smoke the box. No regrets. Never. Better too young than too old, just like wine. The only exception I'll make is an OG release from a great manufacturer. I bought a 50ct La Petite Nox on original release that aged fantastically, a box from 3 years later started to fade within a year or so.

CC => smoke one at 6 months and make calculated decisions based on moon phase and future availability as to whether to smoke them all or hold for long term. 

In general, my NC collection is limited release, cool kid stuff, and things l like that are HTF. My CC collection is what I know I like and am willing to invest in future pleasures. 

It's all about finding what you like and unfortunately overaging cigars is part of that process. Pass out what you don't like to friends and reassess what you like as opposed to what is being said about aging cigars.

[KCCubano]

1 hour ago, jakebarnes said:

The only NC that I've really had any success in aging are Padron X000 series and some bolder Davidoffs (millenium, primarily). Other than that, not a lot of success.

Yep. I have aged some of the Padron 1000 series 10+ years with incredible results...discovered by accident!

[djrey]

I have found much the same. I had/have a fairly large collection of NC cigars mostly from 2011-2015. Fuentes, Padrons, Tatuaje, Warped, My Father etc. I have been trying to smoke them more and more to make my Cuban stash last longer. I would say 9 out of 10 are just total duds. Taste like smoking cardboard. Sometimes I just throw them off the deck and other times I will actually finish them then question why i wasted that chunk of my time. This has occurred even with the big dogs such as Opus X. Mean while I have 10 year old Cubans that are just exceptional. 

[BrightonCorgi]

56 minutes ago, djrey said:

 Taste like smoking cardboard.

Bingo.  There's nothing left to them.  The ash is white as can be.

[TobaccoRoad]

I agree that most NC's don't age well but there are exceptions. Stumbled across a single of a cheap PDR cigar that I used for yard gars back in 2018 in the humidor just last week. It was actually a pretty decent smoke. Much better than they were originally. Possibly because they weren't originally rolled with aged tobacco? Certainly not worth the trouble to try to buy a box and sit on it hoping for the same result. It was a fluke. But it was a pleasant surprise.

I'm curious how recent vintage CC's that by consensus seem to be more ready to smoke young, will hold up with 10+ years on them. 

[MrBirdman]

8 hours ago, jakebarnes said:

The only NC that I've really had any success in aging are Padron X000 series and some bolder Davidoffs (millenium, primarily). Other than that, not a lot of success.

I agree and would add most Opus to that - in fact they’re the only NC I know of that actually needs 4-5 years of age to smoke at their best (at least in the original and Lost City lines - can’t speak to the more niche ones). 

[Jed]

Thanks for all the responses all.  I am not purposely aging them, I just have them for a long time since we have winter here and cannot smoke all the time.  Been in the hobby for awhile and believe it or not, never had a Cuban.  Will see if I can order some up to try as well as hopefully keep longer.  I love keeping a collection but kind of pointless if they are going to turn out crap.

[Yigal]

I have found the sweet spot for NC’a are at about the 1 year mark.  My NC go to’s are the Padron 1926 and Family Reserve line. 

[Edicion]

Seems this is related to NC cigars. But if this was about CC there's a possibility that if it was a new or fresh cigar from late 2020-22 it could simply have been that these years have brought out an incredible run compared to 2014-2017 cigars, at least to my taste preference. So there would not have been any issue with how they'd been stored. It's just a great time now for CCs.

[Digi]

In my experience, the more potent end of the new world spectrum holds up better over time.  Sticks with a good lashing of ligero like the Illusione MK Ultra, various lines from Litto Gomez, OpusX (but not across the board, Super Belicoso in particular ages quite gracefully) seem to stand up well with a decade on them.  Will say, they all tend to merge into the same sort of super rich caramel with sweetness type profile - maybe that's a consequence of the shared ligero thread.  I really enjoy the flavor but find that aged new world sticks (that hold up) tend to share very similar notes.  With CC I find that, even 20 years on (original PSP2 release, I'm looking at you), there are distinct and specific notes that point to the original cigar.

Will say I sincerely appreciate more NW manufactures adding box dates.  Even though the individual tobaccos are of various ages, having a box dates gives us a benchmark to go off of when evaluating.

[HoyoFan]

There's two points I'd make here:

1. Check your baseline assumption. In other words, your statement about the humidity. Have you checked your hygrometers? Have you calibrated them to make sure that the information you're getting about your environment is in fact accurate?

2. I've found that with NCs, extended time (years) really helps mellow out strength and pepper (both of which I'm not a fan of) of strong sticks. So if you take say, something from AJ Fernandez or My Father, and give it a year or three, you can often find that a lot of the edges of strength and pepper have receded and what was once a cigar that I didn't enjoy, is suddenly much more approachable. With regard to point on X000 series from Padron, I've also happily discovered this as well!

[Carbonbrew]

It is my understanding that the majority of New World cigars undergo the fermentation process through the turning of leaves on the pilon stacks and then aged in bales, whereas Cuban cigars are rolled amidst the fermentation period, leaving the responsibility of maturation to the end consumer.  Therefore, with New World cigars, there is less chance of further development but rather the final dissipation and decomposition of oils over time.

My experience is few but personally, I find freshly released NC's can be a bit sharp and could use 1-3yrs to balance the edges.

[Lfhard]

Instead of starting a new thread I’ll just post here since it has to do with cigar and age. I just had a Boli tubo #1 this evening from ULA ABR 15. I have about 15 left from that box.  I’ve been smoking them every now and then to make the box last and the first half were very good but this one I had tonight was awful. I got about half way through and tossed it. Anyone know if it’s just past it’s prime or just a one off? Anyone know what the legs are on these? 

[El Presidente]

54 minutes ago, Lfhard said:

Instead of staring a new thread I’ll just post here since it has to do with cigar and age. I just had a Boli tubo #1 this evening from ULA ABR 15. I have about 15 left from that box.  I’ve been smoking them every now and then to make the box last and the first half were very good but this one I had tonight was awful. I got about half way through and tossed it. Anyone know if it’s just past it’s prime or just a one off? Anyone know what the legs are on these? 

I have a Boli Tubo 1 from the same period last week and it was dead set sublime. 

I have found they have great legs. However you can always get a dudder.....or simply you were just off on the night/afternoon. Persevere!  

[Lfhard]

6 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

I have a Boli Tubo 1 from the same period last week and it was dead set sublime. 

I have found they have great legs. However you can always get a dudder.....or simply you were just off on the night/afternoon. Persevere!  

I’m assuming it was just a dud then or I was just off tonight. Just really made me not want to grab another from the box if that’s how they were going to taste. Really good to hear yours are doing good from the same period. Now I won’t be hesitant to reach for another. 

[JohnS]

3 hours ago, El Presidente said:

I have a Boli Tubo 1 from the same period last week and it was dead set sublime. 

I have found they have great legs. However you can always get a dudder.....or simply you were just off on the night/afternoon. Persevere!  

Indeed, same here!

[Capn_Jackson]

There are many factors to this conversation, and no real “answer,” I think. For instance, I find that Padron anniversary series, both 1926 and 1964, are best to me after 2-3 years down. I know most disagree with me, but that’s how I like ‘em. I’ve also got some A Fuente with varying years of age. Don Carlos #3 from a couple years back that smoke great. Some Personal Reserve “The Man’s 80th” from 2017 that are incredible to me right now…. Better even than they were last year. Then I have some Fuente Añejo 46’s from 2015. They are sublime. What all of these have possibly lost a little is strength, to my perception. Flavor-wise, though, I think they all shine. My Padrons that are a few years old have all the usual flavor, but a little added sourdough. The Don Carlos 3’s have got a boosted nutmeg and white tea that I didn’t notice when fresh. The “Man’s 80th,” seriously, has a sparkle of something like a Connie 1 the older they get. The Añejos are what I find most unique. They taste like someone slathered warm, salted butter on a dark chocolate candy bar. 
I also have a bunch of Tatuaje Havana VI’s, one to years on them. If they make it three more years, I’m hoping they’ll still shine, but if I’m wrong, lesson learned.

It’s all subjective. I think the problem might not be your storage, but rather your own tastes and the particular cigars. You might only like these fresh, and not rested. Part of the hobby, as you well know, is learning these “lessons” as time goes on. All part of the fun!