THE STAGES OF CIGAR AGING – FROM FRESH TO VINTAGE

[Havanaaddict]

I think there is some really good info here:

The typical smoker of aged and vintage cigars is one who appreciates the value of time and the delicacy in the works of art that a manufacturer can create. These are educated passionados thanks in part to their experimentation over the years with the aging of different cigars. Not every cigar lover becomes a vintage cigar passionado, but for many this is a natural process of maturing in their cigar smoker career as described in Nino Inzerillo’s book Sigari? Si, grazie!.

This article compiles opinions and information published from some of the world’s leading experts on the topic of cigar aging. According to Luigi Ferri (as referenced by Nick Hammond in the article “It Just Takes Time”, Cigar Journal issue 3/2015), whose considerations are based on over 30 years of experience in the tasting of cigars of various ages, generally speaking we can divide the life of a cigar into three ages.

YOUTH (FRESH CIGAR) – FROM 0 TO 3-4 YEARS

The “sick period” is typically included in this stage and it is one that needs a lot of attention because cigars should not be smoked during this time. “Immediately after rolling” explains Min Ron Nee (famous author of the book An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars) “a cigar undergoes a sick period, during which the ammoniac [sic] smell is still detectable in a newly manufactured cigar.” This is due to the fact that tobacco leaves are moistened before rolling and this accelerates a further fermentation producing a lot of ammonia. How long it takes to get rid of the ammonia scent depends on the fermentation rate, the chemical constituents, the cigar size, the packaging and how we store cigars. Per Min Ron Nee, “For the majority of cigars handled in the usual way, the ammoniac smell will be over 90% gone in a few months, 95% to 99% gone by the end of the first year, and practically all gone by the end of the second year. Milder cigars .. take even less time.”

Fresh cigars are the majority of the cigars we find on the retailers shelves. Didier Hoevenaghel (agricultural engineer, technical expert, master blender as well as cigar manufacturer and author of the highly respected book The Cigar from Soil to Soul) defines the Market Standard Age (MSA) of cigars as being “1-3 years (from their rolling) depending on the distribution, retail shop and rotation of the brand.”

SENIORITY (AGED CIGAR) – FROM 5-6 YEARS TO 15-20 YEARS

This, according to Luigi Ferri, is the best period of maturation. Zino Davidoff (in his The Connoisseur’s Book of the Cigar) wrote “you have to have a particularly keen sense of smell and eyesight to notice aging effects. But that does not mean that the cigar no longer lives, it’s just that this process becomes more discreet, almost unnoticeable”.

Min Ron Nee defines two initial stages of maturation, and it gets more complicated. Also, bear in mind that stages may overlap: first maturation, when cigars continue to produce incrementally pleasant flavors as a consequence of continuous fermentation. Min Ron Nee writes “the slower the fermentation, the more time the chemical constituents have to mingle with each other, the more complex the flavors that are generated. As fermentation slows down, less pleasant flavors are lost through evaporation, chemical reactions, self-degradation, etc. This stage may span from 2-3 years for mild cigars stored in non airtight boxes to 10-15 for strong cigars in cabinets. The second maturation is the phase in which tannic acids further decompose and this interacts with the improved flavors originating from continuous fermentation. This maturation corresponds to the peak for pleasant flavors and might take more than 15 years, depending on the level of tannins and woodiness.

Min Ron Nee also refers to a “first vacuum period“, when “some cigars may lack adequate pleasant flavors … during first maturation … are unfairly judged … but when these cigars reach the second maturity … they have a kind of class and elegance which ordinary cigars can never match”. According to Min Ron Nee, Sancho Panza are the best example of this type of cigars.

Some cigars do not present sufficient wood and tannic substances to generate pleasant flavors even in the second maturation stage, they might need 20-25 years to develop finesse, what Min Ron Nee calls the “second vacuum period“. These cigars may be branded with poor aging potential because of this. El Rey del Mundo are, according to Min Ron Nee, the best example.

OLD AGE (VINTAGE CIGAR) – OVER 20 YEARS OF AGING

Zino Davidoff writes “Naturally, what is possible in Cuba, with a humid climate made for tobacco, is not always possible in Europe or North America. By the time cigars have reached these places, they may have suffered from the trip. You cannot keep a cigar there for 25 years, even if it’s a good vintage given the best of care.”

According to Luigi Ferri, at this stage, most cigars lose the best organoleptic characteristics. The typical life-span of a cigar has a course almost like a parabola with downward concavity, uphill to the top, until it reaches and maintains the maximum for a number of years and then decays, sometimes very quickly.

Ferri writes “If cigars are poorly preserved, the decay is faster and makes the cigar anonymous, flat, with little strength and an aroma of dusty earth.” Also, very importantly, “no low quality cigar can become good with aging!” He adds that a lot of research is still required on the “old age” stage.

Min Ron Nee admits there is no knowledge relating to this stage, which corresponds approximately to his definition of third maturation. However, he states that cigars produced in the 1950’s seem to still require time before their bouquets would peak. “Finesse, akin to that of greatly aged Bordeaux or Burgundy wine, is what begins to appear after 20 years. The chemical reactions behind this kind of aging might be similar to the mysterious ‘wine in a bottle’ maturing process.” The aromas are extremely complicated. Ethereal is the nearest word Min Ron Nee applies for these cigars. “Smelling a 50 year old Don Candido against a 20 year old you would instantly realize that this great bouquet is about four times stronger and no words can describe how great these bouquets smell, because of the paucity of the primitive human vocabulary”.

This stage is the one that created most debate among experts, most of them believing, as Luigi Ferri illustrated, that cigars at this stage have already shown their best qualities. Some even believe that the power of suggestion may lead vintage cigars to be over-prized simply for their antiquity.

References:
Ferri, Luigi: Tasting of Cigars – Fresh, Aged and Vintage, 2015, also referred to by Nick Hammond in the article It Just Takes Time, Cigar Journal issue 3/2015
Houvenaghel, Didier: The Cigar from Soil to Soul, 2008, Editions du Myosotis
Nee, Min Ron: An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars, 2003, SZ Druck, honorary consultant Adriano MARTINEZ RIUS
Davidoff, Zino: The Connoisseur’s Book of the Cigar, 1967, Second English translation of 1984, McGraw-Hill Book Company

Original info "Cigar Journal" https://www.cigarjournal.com/stages-of-cigar-aging-fresh-vintage/

[ha_banos]

I've had cigars I've kept for over 20 years now. And some I've bought aged from a well known retailer here. From the same batches some can be quite rich still and others bland. Go figure.

[yuppie]

I hope the cabinet of 2006 PLPCs I have on the way live up to the mythology of "better with age".

[Cuban Cigar Smoker]

On 6/8/2025 at 12:33 AM, yuppie said:

I hope the cabinet of 2006 PLPCs I have on the way live up to the mythology of "better with age".

Did they live up to the hype of "better with age." ?

[JDoughty]

I am still (occasionally!) smoking some clear Havanas from 1919 that were kept in decent storage conditions for the entire period. While they are certainly a long ways past peak, they are legitimately good and retain real flavor. Most everything else from my collection from the 1930's to the 1980's has developed that signature 'old library book' mustiness and fragility of flavor that still has something in it, but is at best a whispering ghost of what once was and never will be again. I don't dip into those often, and when I do, it's not generally a peak flavor experience. Except for the very oldest ones in the collection, which are shockingly still tasting quite good. 

[Duder]

Once you acquire the taste for vintage Cuban cigars there is no going back. Took many years, but once I started smoking 10, 20, 30+ year old Havanas I was hooked. Ever since it’s been an obsession acquiring aged stock and aging my own. The nirvana spot for me begins around the 20 year mark and extends to at least 50 years. They are not all great just like fresher stuff but almost always deliver something amazing if you love vintage cigars. 

[JDoughty]

7 hours ago, Lucas Buck said:

Once you acquire the taste for vintage Cuban cigars there is no going back. Took many years, but once I started smoking 10, 20, 30+ year old Havanas I was hooked. Ever since it’s been an obsession acquiring aged stock and aging my own. The nirvana spot for me begins around the 20 year mark and extends to at least 50 years. They are not all great just like fresher stuff but almost always deliver something amazing if you love vintage cigars. 

They do have a unique and very nuanced flavor profile, when they actually survive. Not all of them do. I need to dip into the singles I have left from cabinetta boxes and see how they are doing. 

[BrightonCorgi]

I am curious to see how 10+ year old vacuum sealed boxes will smoke compared to one that hasn't been sealed. Any smoke from one at least that old?

[yuppie]

On 4/6/2026 at 12:16 AM, Cuban Cigar Smoker said:

Did they live up to the hype of "better with age." ?

The PLPCs did and still do, yes. But recently I've been through a run of vintage sticks and I think I'll start leaning away from them. Very old Diplo No.3s, 1999/2000 SLR Coronas, etc. They're just so incredibly mild and if not stored perfectly it seems like they fade insanely fast. I did have a 1999 Hoyo du Dauphin recently (which I even made a video for), but even then I'd rather have something between 5yrs and 10yrs old unless it was stored at the utmost level of stability.

[yuppie]

19 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

I am curious to see how 10+ year old vacuum sealed boxes will smoke compared to one that hasn't been sealed. Any smoke from one at least that old?

There's a guy here that loves showing off all his vacuum sealed boxes. I think the most important aspect of aging is consistency with temp and humidity. The less they get moved around, the less fluctuation in conditions, the better it'll age.

[joeypots]

The word I hear is that the new strains of leaf are better young than old strains and long term ageing is still unknown. Someone with more expertise than I have can chime in here. I remember 2006 and maybe 2016 being years where the was talk about uncertain ageing potential. Fresh is up to 1 year box age for me, young is next and aged starts at something like 5 years. When I first got my hands on Habanos they were definitely rougher for longer than they are now. Maybe it's my neanderthal taste buds, but I'm noticing cigars at ten years in my stash may be losing something. MRN talks about maturation and dead zones but until someone can define "congeners", or whatever that word was that he used to describe the magic ingredient cigars need to mature for decades, for me I'll probably smoke most of what I have at 4 to 8 years and put strays in tubes or shrink wrap. If I have 20 years left, and I hope I do, I'll be acquiring cigars for a while to hit that special spot (4-8) I love so much.

[Travis79]

This was a good article, lots of stuff this newbie had no idea about.  

[Havanaaddict]

6 hours ago, yuppie said:

The PLPCs did and still do, yes. But recently I've been through a run of vintage sticks and I think I'll start leaning away from them. Very old Diplo No.3s, 1999/2000 SLR Coronas, etc. They're just so incredibly mild and if not stored perfectly it seems like they fade insanely fast. I did have a 1999 Hoyo du Dauphin recently (which I even made a video for), but even then I'd rather have something between 5yrs and 10yrs old unless it was stored at the utmost level of stability.

I really have never had to much luck with anything from 1999/2000. Whether it is them being way too tight or  just poor tobacco years! 

[BrightonCorgi]

4 hours ago, joeypots said:

The word I hear is that the new strains of leaf are better young that old strains and long term ageing is still unknown. Someone with more expertise than I have can chime in here. I remember 2006 and maybe 2016 being years where the was talk about uncertain ageing potential. 

I've read the same, but it was many years ago this was talked about. Updated curing techniques along with a new strains of tobacco. For sure cigars from the 90's and early 2000's had more punch to them. I believe it's around 2003 that newer strained versions start appearing.

I was also told back then that the Regionals (perhaps just the early Regionals) were blends that still used the legacy strains. Not sure if this is true or not.

[Duder]

6 hours ago, yuppie said:

The PLPCs did and still do, yes. But recently I've been through a run of vintage sticks and I think I'll start leaning away from them. Very old Diplo No.3s, 1999/2000 SLR Coronas, etc. They're just so incredibly mild and if not stored perfectly it seems like they fade insanely fast. I did have a 1999 Hoyo du Dauphin recently (which I even made a video for), but even then I'd rather have something between 5yrs and 10yrs old unless it was stored at the utmost level of stability.

99-00 are hit and miss. Could be storage but could also be the dodgy construction and leaf available then or a combination of all those variables. I was picky and likely very lucky with the 99-00 boxes I bought. Been smoking a lot of them the past few years and I’d say 8 out of 10 have been great. Definitely get a flat one here and there but they have improved greatly for the most part. Even the skinnies such as Le Hoyo, Monte Especial, Punch Coronas, Cohiba Lanceros, Siglo V and every damn Lonsdales I could get my hands on have been among the best draws I’ve ever experienced. For the obscene discounts these were sold at it was a no-brainer to me at the time and has paid off big time. All that being said, I don’t buy them anymore unless from a trusted friend. 

[Fugu]

2 hours ago, Lucas Buck said:

99-00 are hit and miss. Could be storage but could also be the dodgy construction and leaf available then or a combination of all those variables. I was picky and likely very lucky with the 99-00 boxes I bought. Been smoking a lot of them the past few years and I’d say 8 out of 10 have been great. Definitely get a flat one here and there but they have improved greatly for the most part. Even the skinnies such as Le Hoyo, Monte Especial, Punch Coronas, Cohiba Lanceros, Siglo V and every damn Lonsdales I could get my hands on have been among the best draws I’ve ever experienced. For the obscene discounts these were sold at it was a no-brainer to me at the time and has paid off big time. All that being said, I don’t buy them anymore unless from a trusted friend. 

I agree. To my experience it hadn’t all been affected across the board. Mostly the volume sellers that appear having been rushed. Those can be hit and miss, indeed. But, for instance, the - at that time new marcas, haven’t been or have rarely been affected (e.g. ‘99, ‘00, ‘01 Vegas Robaina, even the Lonsdale (Clásicos), as an example). Other skinnies, such as LGC production has never been affected as to my experience. ‘00 MdO1s are among the best, going strong to this day, and counting. Limited production such as Le Hoyo du Gourmet or ERDM GdE - didn’t find issues beyond the “standard” variability. Punch SS1, never had a bad one from said period. HU Lonsdales, can be quite snug at times, but tobacco/blend top notch. Just to mention a few. Above all that being said, as always it holds: proper storage is king!

[Bagman]

I plan to do a video review in the next week or so on a box of Punch DC from 2014 that has been vacuum sealed for 10 years. I expect great things from it. Full of flavor and aged to perfection. I plan to do a lot of these types of reviews over the coming years as I have a heck of a lot of vacuum sealed boxes. Can't wait to do a review of a 30 year vacuum sealed box.

[yuppie]

5 hours ago, Bagman said:

I plan to do a video review in the next week or so on a box of Punch DC from 2014 that has been vacuum sealed for 10 years. I expect great things from it. Full of flavor and aged to perfection. I plan to do a lot of these types of reviews over the coming years as I have a heck of a lot of vacuum sealed boxes. Can't wait to do a review of a 30 year vacuum sealed box.

Bagman!

[Bagman]

11 hours ago, Fugu said:

I agree. To my experience it hadn’t all been affected across the board. Mostly the volume sellers that appear having been rushed. Those can be hit and miss, indeed. But, for instance, the - at that time new marcas, haven’t been or have rarely been affected (e.g. ‘99, ‘00, ‘01 Vegas Robaina, even the Lonsdale (Clásicos), as an example). Other skinnies, such as LGC production has never been affected as to my experience. ‘00 MdO1s are among the best, going strong to this day, and counting. Limited production such as Le Hoyo du Gourmet or ERDM GdE - didn’t find issues beyond the “standard” variability. Punch SS1, never had a bad one from said period. HU Lonsdales, can be quite snug at times, but tobacco/blend top notch. Just to mention a few. Above all that being said, as always it holds: proper storage is king!

Worst box of cigars I ever had, 1999 box of Don Alejandros. Every single one plugged. Then it had the H2000 wrapper. Wouldn't even stay lit. Such a shame.

[Havanaaddict]

On 4/7/2026 at 12:00 PM, Bagman said:

I plan to do a video review in the next week or so on a box of Punch DC from 2014 that has been vacuum sealed for 10 years. I expect great things from it. Full of flavor and aged to perfection. I plan to do a lot of these types of reviews over the coming years as I have a heck of a lot of vacuum sealed boxes. Can't wait to do a review of a 30 year vacuum sealed box.

If you need any help reviewing, let me know! 😂

[Fugu]

18 hours ago, Bagman said:

Worst box of cigars I ever had, 1999 box of Don Alejandros. Every single one plugged. Then it had the H2000 wrapper. Wouldn't even stay lit. Such a shame.

Sorry to hear that!

[JDoughty]

Chiming in on the bad 1999 boxes, I bought a box of Monte #2's that were 100% unsmokable. No draw at all. Stems down the middle. Taste wasn't bad once I turned them into pipe tobacco,which was the only way to salvage anything out of them. They were the real deal, but garbage construction. Turned me off of buying Cubans for many years.  

[Bagman]

On 4/8/2026 at 3:25 AM, Havanaaddict said:

If you need any help reviewing, let me know! 😂

I know you were joking, but I'm sending two to @yuppie this week for his channel. I may include you next time, you just have to do a full honest review. My goal is to spread the word and more honest reviews of sealed up boxes the better.

[BrightonCorgi]

My vacuuming boxes was due to necessity. I was out of room in the Aristocrat. The wine cellar can get too humid and is not very steady in RH.

I am curious to hear reviews on older vacuum sealed boxes. I don't have it in me to open one yet.

[joeypots]

Boxes from '99, '00, '01 have been picked over to death and considering that it was well know early on that those years were full of poorly constructed cigars buying anything from the cigar boom period is very risky.