Cigars maturing into their full potential

Free Fall
Auctions

Specials
Auctions

QuickBuy
Auctions

Newly Added
Auctions

Ending Soon
Auctions

Welcome Guest

Forum Terms & Conditions | My Topics

CamoRoon
Connoisseur Topic Starter

8 years ago

Many moons ago the proprietor of a large cigar distributor advised myself and a group of friends that the cheaper cigars of the day would end up being very nice smokes if we were patient enough to put some hibernation time on them. Some believe this and others are skeptical. I for one believe it is so. Now I am not saying it will turn a dog turd into a Fuente Hemingway but I have found that stronger cigars mellow and lose most or all of their bite with enough time. I bring this up now because I still have a few cigars in my humidor that have more than 15 years on them. Back during the boom a certain company came out with a low cost stick called RIATA. I had one of those that was tissue wrapped in my humidor until this evening. I have to tell you that cigar smoked wonderfully, tasted fine and was smooth as could be. I still have a Montecristo Cigar de arts that is the last of a box of ten I won at a herf in the late 90s/early 2000s era that will bite the dust when we in PA finally get some sit outside and soak up the sun weather. I really believe that stronger cigars need 1-3 months or more on them to mature into their greatest potential. I just sat up about forty different Alec Bradley cigars to see what they grow up to be once summer nears. Based on input from other cigar smokers I have also started to experiment with dry boxing cigars at least a day before smoking. Time will tell if I see an improvement in taste and burn characteristics.

Wanna join the discussion?! Login to your CigarBid Forums forum account or Register a new forum account

Mrs. dpnewell
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

I agree that many cigars improve with age. Lower priced cigars do not spend as much time in the aging rooms as their higher priced cousins. I have friends that swear if you age a Pardon 2000 for 3 or 4 years, it will approach the PAM64. With that said, there are other cigars that will eventually go down hill with too much aging, and become bland and uninteresting. Many that I know won't smoke a cigar until it sits in their storage for a month or more. Some want 6 months to a year.

I don't dry box, but I keep my humidors/coolers in the low 60s. That's just how I personally like my cigars. If you keep your storage in the high 60's - 70 range, then dry boxing could be very beneficial.

David

Ewok126
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

I would love to age some good smokes but I dont keep enough to do such also, I tend to smoke em when the mood hits. I do keep my humidor in the low 60s with the exception of my KFC's. I just tend to like them a little on the more moist side of 69 to 72. Just a personal preference there as with that smoked flavor I like the moist smoke, texture or whatever it's called.

stinger88
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

Mrs. dpnewell wrote:

I must say, I had a Padron 5000 or whatever the number was, in my humidor for a couple of years. When I finally smoked it, it was wonderful. I agree that it definitely aged well and could have competed against any of the PAM64s.

If possible, I like to rest my cigars for a decent amount of time before smoking them. However, there are those that you just have to smoke right away. Usually if I get a chunck of CCs in, I will take one off the top and smoke it.

Hank_The_Tank
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

I can def say that this is not true for all cheap cigars, lol. I got some cheap La Vieja and Por Larranaga about 10 years ago and had them recently. Blech...they were horrid.

Buckwheat
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

Mrs. dpnewell wrote:

+1

Low temp & RH is the way to go on aging. IMO 1-5 Years just light aging. I think anything +10 years is aged. There is such a thing as too much aging and some cigars will start to "fade."
YMMV 🌫

Phil222
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

Some good info in this thread from some of the pros...

Edited by user 7 years ago | Reason: Not specified

CamoRoon
Connoisseur Topic Starter

8 years ago

Don't get me wrong, I have also had some well aged cigars that gained nothing other than their taste edge faded, which is good if you did not like it and bad if you did. I certainly don't think it can add taste if the components are not already in the stick, but, it may very well bring out qualities that are like spring flowers waiting to spring forth. Years ago I had some El Rico Habano sticks. Those babies made my head spin and were in my opinion very strong (which was not what I was into at the time.) Needless to say they sat in my humidor much longer than most cigars do. After a few years I tried one again and found it to be excellent. It was not to my taste when new but hit the sweet spot with some aging. I am not saying it takes years. They may have been better in a few months but I never tried them I doubt that aging can add a lot to a really light cigar which has minimal flavor and bite to start with.

SteveS
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

70/70 is the ideal for aging ... lower rh/temp for short term storage prior to smoking ...

Phil222
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

#10

70/70 is the ideal for aging ... lower rh/temp for short term storage prior to smoking ...

SteveS wrote:

Is this correct? I have seen multiple people saying low to mid sixties around the net for aging, but have never really looked for any concrete science on the subject. Guess I will stop being lazy and go look for myself...

Mrs. dpnewell
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

#11

Phil222 wrote:

Phi, there are those who swear by both means (70% or low 60s). I'm a fan of the low 60s, but others will argue that I am wrong. You just have to decide what you prefer and go with that.

David

Phil222
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

#12

Phi, there are those who swear by both means (70% or low 60s). I'm a fan of the low 60s, but others will argue that I am wrong. You just have to decide what you prefer and go with that.

David

Mrs. dpnewell wrote:

I was just doing an online investigation into the subject when I was sidetracked by a piece of cheesecake. I might resume the investigation when I have enough cigars on hand that I might actually be in danger of aging one. Thanks for the response, David.

Whistlebritches
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

#13

Phil222 wrote:

IMHO No.......hell no.You're right on the edge if not in the mold zone.I keep my sticks at 58-63% with zero mold issues,aged to perfection and smokable anytime I want one.

stinger88
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

#14

I agree....70% just puts it a little too high...."that plume looks awesome.....oh wait, that's mold." Not what you want to happen.

KingoftheCove
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

#15

I'm smoking thru a box of 3.5yo Padron 3000 Maduros.
They're not PAMS, but they ARE very much better than ROTT, or close to ROTT.
At the rate I'm smoking them, I'll have some left at 5 years........who knows, maybe mine will turn out like Stingers!

I do plan on extended rest for 2 boxes of 2000 maddies, as I've read/heard that vitola responds well, and quickly to a long nap, and is a very fine smoke at 2 or 3 years.

stinger88
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

#16

KingoftheCove wrote:

A few years on the 2000's....sounds like a great plan. Maybe in a few years I can get a few of them off of you. :-"

KingoftheCove
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

#17

A few years on the 2000's....sounds like a great plan. Maybe in a few years I can get a few of them off of you. :-"

stinger88 wrote:

Well I do have a box of Delicias maddies coming up on 2 years soon, so I will check one of those out at 2 years, and I'll be in touch.........a slightly smaller rg, and a bit shorter than the 2000....... But pretty much the same cigar.

ZRX1200
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

#18

I have some delicias from 2012 or 2014, I'll try to remember a couple next drive west.

KingoftheCove
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

#19

I have some delicias from 2012 or 2014, I'll try to remember a couple next drive west.

ZRX1200 wrote:

Be sure to check with me first, got a new job, I'm in Bandon and Port Orford a lot these days.

tonygraz
Herf-A-Holic

8 years ago

#20

I'm not sure anyone really knows what the best humidity for aging cigars really is. I use the 58-67 % range. Not all cigars get better with age - some get worse. I remember the Riatta brand as being OK or better but never aged any for long. I prefer cigars that are good ROTT as there is much less annoyance trying to figure out how long the cigars have rested, particularly since CBID only lists a couple of years now in order history.

Edited by user 8 years ago | Reason: Not specified

Users browsing this topic

Important Information: