Aging Cigars??..how long?

[03king]

Being new to the joys of Habanos and just learning about "sick" periods and aging, how long do I let something age? I had some gifted from a friend that actually tasted terrible and were really dissapointing. He then said let them sit for "awhile" and see how they get. Being impatient and foolheardy I went and bought some more (someplace else)...same problem, then someone said to let them "rest" for a year?!

So...I am small time, drop some big dime for me, and then have to wait a year for my expensive cigar to be ready? Am I missing something? Or do I just need to buy a bigger humidor and then slowly stockpile and then know that in about 1 to 1-1/2years I will have a rotation of premium cigars?

Also, is there a good way to know when they are "ready" rather than burning one and being disappointed?

Thanks for the help

[Well Armed]

My rec would be to buy some singles to smoke while they rest. And you have to smoke them to know if they aren't sleepy anymore! Face it though. Some cigars go through maturation periods - like wine. Some are great after one year, some after 5-10, and some are great right out of the roller's hands!

[broozer]

just go buy a box or two of already aged smokes (at least 4-5 years old). plenty of venders have aged stock.

bruce

[Tampa1257]

Since you are now here, why not ask the advice of Rob and Lisa as to what is currently smoking well? They know what is smoking best right now, so use the resources you have IMHO.

Some people enjoy well aged cigars, but if you are new to Cubans, I would wager that your palate would not quite appreciate the differences in a 3-5-7 year old Bolivar PC.

There is a difference in a resting period and aging. Letting cigars rest is probably around a year from when you get them, not from the box code. Aging is generally considered a much longer period of time, such as 3-5-7-20 years or more.

There have been many discussions about allowing all new arrivals to sit for a minimum of 30 days to adjust to your stable environment in your humidor from the travel from wince them came. Due to dumb periods or sick periods, which are variations in the time of fermentation of the cigars, they may need additional time to stabilize and become enjoyable to you. There is no absolutes in this process, therefore, no one can give you a strict "Time line" for you.

I strongly suggest that you seek the advice from your Trusted Vendor on what is currently smoking well right now, and those cigars that you have that are not smoking well, let them sit in the humidor another 6 months and try another one and see how the progress is going.

[Mel]

then someone said to let them "rest" for a year?!

» So...I am small time, drop some big dime for me, and then have to wait a

» year for my expensive cigar to be ready? Am I missing something? Or do I

» just need to buy a bigger humidor and then slowly stockpile and then know

» that in about 1 to 1-1/2years I will have a rotation of premium cigars?

»

I thought I was reading one of my old post. LOL. I got very depressed about all this waiting for cigars and told Rob one day that patience is for oak trees. What do they care about 20 fricken years? Do not read Min Ron NEE or you will have to shoot yourself, he says most cigars need 20-30 years to mature.

Tampa is right however. Tell Rob you need some thing to smoke now and age some other stuff. Let them sit for two or three weeks after they arrive then smoke the **** out of them. I hate overly delayed gratification and like to smoke my cigars. Some may think me a neanderthal but to each his own.

Most cigars with more than a year and a half of box age will not be to sick to enjoy. Some may need five years to reach peak but may taste good enough for you in one or two.

Good luck with this question as there could be many opinions

[pizzabob]

I did just that, I bought the larger humidor for aging, then another for smoking, then another for asthetics (very nice, may I add) then I stuffed them with some nice aged stock from the Prezz... may I just take a moment here to say JEEZUS KRYST those '01 8-9-8s were / ARE friggin tasty as I have ever had!!... & the '00 Robainas too! :-D ok, I'm back now, oh yeah, get a few boxes of aged goodies, maybe have a sampler made up? then fill the slim areas of your humees to include a variety to age for yourself. then start pickin away at your inventory (I suggest at least 200-500 to start) ...am I workin the room Prez, or what? Oh, WHEN you get the nice aged boxes from your favorite supplier ;-) dont forget to let them sit for a few weeks. You will not be dissapointed, my friend. After a few years, all along you have filled the larders with fine stock, you can go pick up a few new sticks & compare them to your aged stock. Sound good? Well, its that easy.

[Mel]

How's this to stir up controversy?

I have some 04 VR Unicos that are better than some 00 year.

I have some 03 Sig III that have more alive flavors than some 01

In truth not all of my older cigars are the best.

Old don't mean good. Good means good.;-)

[Taino]

Pretty much has been said here but I would add also that you need to find your preferred Rh.

A cigar at 70% Rh is something completely different to one at 60% Rh, some may love or hate one or another, so you have to find your preferred Rh and the only way to do this is experimentation.

[El Presidente]

pizzabob is on commission

We will be releasing some 2000 aged stock next week. If you can pick up a box for immediate enjoyment.

Mel is right on the money. Great boxes of 03/04 stock can be better than OK boxes of 00/01. If you are looking for immediate enjoyment, try and source some 03/04 stock (2 + years).

For personal aging, just get the best box of whatever 05 stock you can find. I mean a real cracker of a box. Lisa and I are always happy to help.

[03king]

» pizzabob is on commission

»

» We will be releasing some 2000 aged stock next week. If you can pick up a

» box for immediate enjoyment.

»

» Mel is right on the money. Great boxes of 03/04 stock can be better than

» OK boxes of 00/01. If you are looking for immediate enjoyment, try and

» source some 03/04 stock (2 + years).

»

» For personal aging, just get the best box of whatever 05 stock you can

» find. I mean a real cracker of a box. Lisa and I are always happy to help.

Thanks for all the help. Greatly Appreciated!

[Ken Gargett]

» pizzabob is on commission

»

» We will be releasing some 2000 aged stock next week. If you can pick up a

» box for immediate enjoyment.

»

» Mel is right on the money. Great boxes of 03/04 stock can be better than

» OK boxes of 00/01. If you are looking for immediate enjoyment, try and

» source some 03/04 stock (2 + years).

»

» For personal aging, just get the best box of whatever 05 stock you can

» find. I mean a real cracker of a box. Lisa and I are always happy to help.

are you saying that the 2005 'vintage' in cuba was better than other recent years?

[Ken Gargett]

i think that there is some really good stuff on this thread and agree that a good young cigar will always crap on an older dud. that said, i am finding more and more that the extra complexities and subtle flavours (and, if you like, the smoother/mellower impression that they give) of cigars with some age are such a lift that they are worth it.

lots to be said for young sticks and i am not of the view that a young smoke cannot be complex, as i have heard suggested - it obviously can't incorporate the complexity afforded by age but can offer other attributes.

two-three years makes a difference but i am of the view that, depending on particular cigar, 6 to 10 is optimum (beyond that can do things as well but i not buying these things for my estate). i find that if you give a cigar the best part of a decade, wonderful things start happening. that said, i think that some also lose flavour and character and that you'll get much more variation from a box of older cigars than you will from a box of young smokes.

for a few years, i have been trying to put buy more than current requirements so i can put rob's kids through school - actually, so i can build up a supply with some age, it just happens that the two are not mutually exclusive. i wish i started a few years earlier but i am getting there.