Posted: 8/11/2011 7:49:26 AM EDT
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Just looking for opinions on how long you age cigars.
When I got started a few months ago, Slavac - who has helped me a ton - told me to grab some Nico 3000's from Famous and age them a year. They are tucked away in my first humidor until next Spring. What about the rest? Some of the cigars I've grabbed say they've been aged in cedar rooms for 6 months-6 years. Do I just continue to let them sit for awhile? Primarily, I have Cain Fs, Nubs, Man O' Wars. Have 4 different Ashton VSG's, and some AF Hemingway Short Stories that came yesterday. There a time I just let all of them age? Or do I just light up? |
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Just looking for opinions on how long you age cigars. When I got started a few months ago, Slavac - who has helped me a ton - told me to grab some Nico 3000's from Famous and age them a year. They are tucked away in my first humidor until next Spring. What about the rest? Some of the cigars I've grabbed say they've been aged in cedar rooms for 6 months-6 years. Do I just continue to let them sit for awhile? Primarily, I have Cain Fs, Nubs, Man O' Wars. Have 4 different Ashton VSG's, and some AF Hemingway Short Stories that came yesterday. There a time I just let all of them age? Or do I just light up? Typically those cigars are comprised of aged tobacco and should be good to go.....even the NUBs which I happen to like 6-8 months rested. MOW, Ashton and AF I smoke right out of the box without a worry.....BUT.... Take a VSG from 2005 that has been sitting up against one from a fresh box and you can taste a difference...at least I can but I would have no problem lighting one as i walked out of the store.... Custom blends like the Nic 3000 (and yes....I too have a box....or two...stashed away for those really benefit from a year or two. And most ISOMs will need a good year to mello and get all happy...at least that has been my experience anyway. BUT.....per Slavac I suffer from ADD so it may all be relative to my mood at the moment...and I am ugly but that is another story... |
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You never truely tasted a VSG unless it is aged 7+ years.
Aging time depends on the temperature and humidity you keep them, I age mine at 65F and 65 to 68% humidity with a converted wine cooler and passive - active humidifier system. Any cigar, even the bad ones, benefit from aging them a year or so, even JR Alternatives, which in general, it sucks. I, in general, do not smoke anything that is not at least 2 years old, with the exception of trying out a new cigar. Most cigar collectors do not age one cigar, they age a box, and sample them ever year. Here is what I go with: Cigar band, when they are loose (not start to come loose), and the white part is yellowish-brown. You do not even have to peel the band off, roll it a bit to break the glue and it just slide off. Cello wrapper is not clear anymore, but almost look like tinted brown and feel more brittle. Cubans, check the date code in the back of the box, since they do not come with cello wrapper. When the cigar start to bloom, it is definitely time, and DO NOT SAVE THE CIGAR, because it is starting to flavor. Now, not all cigars bloom. While smoking, you will find the raw tobacco bitterness and harshness is all but gone, the draw is smooth, and not much harsh after taste. In my experience, I found: The stronger the cigar, the better they age, and once the tobacco mellowed out, there are lots of unlying flavor that comes out. The darker the cigar (maduro) age much faster than the natural cigar. You can never wait and excited to smoke your aged cigar, but, it is always sad to smoke the last one out of your box of well aged cigar. A few folks here, was able to smoke one or two of my aged cigars that I sent out during a few passes I participate, you can always ask them for their opinion. |
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I follow a few pretty simple rules:
All CC's get a year's nap. When I buy new cigars I always buy in multiples of 2. I'll smoke one and age one. Often your initial impression is 'meh' but after a year, it might be omgwtfbbq. If I buy a box of something new to me, I'll smoke 1-3 of them then age the rest for a year or so. Keep in mind that some cigars don't benefit from age what so ever. Think Padron Anniversarios. Some absolutely need age, think Opus, Ashton ESG and so forth. |
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Quoted:
You never truely tasted a VSG unless it is aged 7+ years. Aging time depends on the temperature and humidity you keep them, I age mine at 65F and 65 to 68% humidity with a converted wine cooler and passive - active humidifier system. Any cigar, even the bad ones, benefit from aging them a year or so, even JR Alternatives, which in general, it sucks. I, in general, do not smoke anything that is not at least 2 years old, with the exception of trying out a new cigar. Most cigar collectors do not age one cigar, they age a box, and sample them ever year. Here is what I go with: Cigar band, when they are loose (not start to come loose), and the white part is yellowish-brown. You do not even have to peel the band off, roll it a bit to break the glue and it just slide off. Cello wrapper is not clear anymore, but almost look like tinted brown and feel more brittle. Cubans, check the date code in the back of the box, since they do not come with cello wrapper. When the cigar start to bloom, it is definitely time, and DO NOT SAVE THE CIGAR, because it is starting to flavor. Now, not all cigars bloom. While smoking, you will find the raw tobacco bitterness and harshness is all but gone, the draw is smooth, and not much harsh after taste. In my experience, I found: The stronger the cigar, the better they age, and once the tobacco mellowed out, there are lots of unlying flavor that comes out. The darker the cigar (maduro) age much faster than the natural cigar. You can never wait and excited to smoke your aged cigar, but, it is always sad to smoke the last one out of your box of well aged cigar. A few folks here, was able to smoke one or two of my aged cigars that I sent out during a few passes I participate, you can always ask them for their opinion. OK....he is right....and I was one that had an aged stick.........total MANLOVE!!!! BLUE highlight is really good rule of thumb...and a guide to remember. |
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Quoted:
You never truely tasted a VSG unless it is aged 7+ years. Aging time depends on the temperature and humidity you keep them, I age mine at 65F and 65 to 68% humidity with a converted wine cooler and passive - active humidifier system. Any cigar, even the bad ones, benefit from aging them a year or so, even JR Alternatives, which in general, it sucks. I, in general, do not smoke anything that is not at least 2 years old, with the exception of trying out a new cigar. Most cigar collectors do not age one cigar, they age a box, and sample them ever year. Here is what I go with: Cigar band, when they are loose (not start to come loose), and the white part is yellowish-brown. You do not even have to peel the band off, roll it a bit to break the glue and it just slide off. Cello wrapper is not clear anymore, but almost look like tinted brown and feel more brittle. Cubans, check the date code in the back of the box, since they do not come with cello wrapper. When the cigar start to bloom, it is definitely time, and DO NOT SAVE THE CIGAR, because it is starting to flavor. Now, not all cigars bloom. While smoking, you will find the raw tobacco bitterness and harshness is all but gone, the draw is smooth, and not much harsh after taste. In my experience, I found: The stronger the cigar, the better they age, and once the tobacco mellowed out, there are lots of unlying flavor that comes out. The darker the cigar (maduro) age much faster than the natural cigar. You can never wait and excited to smoke your aged cigar, but, it is always sad to smoke the last one out of your box of well aged cigar. A few folks here, was able to smoke one or two of my aged cigars that I sent out during a few passes I participate, you can always ask them for their opinion. OK....he is right....and I was one that had an aged stick.........total MANLOVE!!!! BLUE highlight is really good rule of thumb...and a guide to remember. That Camacho made me see the face of Ctuhulu. <3 |
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Okay, thanks guys. Any sticks I should start buying that I can truly appreciate that I don't need to age for that long? Just started really buying decent stuff in June... don't have a whole lot I can smoke I guess. Here is another trick to "speed up" your aged cigar collection. Use your local cigar store, be friends with the owner, make sure is a decent size one. They all have cigars tucked away, sometimes "forgotten" in the back of their storage, or their personnel collection. If they you you are seroius about cigar and you being a long term customer, they might let you try one or two. My first aged cigar was a 5 years old Casa Fuente corona as a gift...simpily delicious. My first box of aged cigar was a 7 year old box of ISOM Monticristo 2, with lots of self control, the box lasted me less than one month. In both cases, the cigars store owner aged the cigars, not by me. |
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You never truely tasted a VSG unless it is aged 7+ years. Aging time depends on the temperature and humidity you keep them, I age mine at 65F and 65 to 68% humidity with a converted wine cooler and passive - active humidifier system. Any cigar, even the bad ones, benefit from aging them a year or so, even JR Alternatives, which in general, it sucks. I, in general, do not smoke anything that is not at least 2 years old, with the exception of trying out a new cigar. Most cigar collectors do not age one cigar, they age a box, and sample them ever year. Here is what I go with: Cigar band, when they are loose (not start to come loose), and the white part is yellowish-brown. You do not even have to peel the band off, roll it a bit to break the glue and it just slide off. Cello wrapper is not clear anymore, but almost look like tinted brown and feel more brittle. Cubans, check the date code in the back of the box, since they do not come with cello wrapper. When the cigar start to bloom, it is definitely time, and DO NOT SAVE THE CIGAR, because it is starting to flavor. Now, not all cigars bloom. While smoking, you will find the raw tobacco bitterness and harshness is all but gone, the draw is smooth, and not much harsh after taste. In my experience, I found: The stronger the cigar, the better they age, and once the tobacco mellowed out, there are lots of unlying flavor that comes out. The darker the cigar (maduro) age much faster than the natural cigar. You can never wait and excited to smoke your aged cigar, but, it is always sad to smoke the last one out of your box of well aged cigar. A few folks here, was able to smoke one or two of my aged cigars that I sent out during a few passes I participate, you can always ask them for their opinion. OK....he is right....and I was one that had an aged stick.........total MANLOVE!!!! BLUE highlight is really good rule of thumb...and a guide to remember. I am glad you enjoy them, they are a thank you gift for those aged Opus X you sent me. |
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Quoted: Okay, thanks guys. Any sticks I should start buying that I can truly appreciate that I don't need to age for that long? Just started really buying decent stuff in June... don't have a whole lot I can smoke I guess. I tried Berger & Argenti's Entubar cigar when it first came out, turned out I didn't like it and apparently neither did any of the other regulars at our local B&M. A year later they were in the budget bin for $5 a stick, so I bought a hand full and tried them again... Wish I had bought the rest of the boxes, those cigars were a completely different experience with a year in the humidor on them. |
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Quoted:
Okay, thanks guys. Any sticks I should start buying that I can truly appreciate that I don't need to age for that long? Just started really buying decent stuff in June... don't have a whole lot I can smoke I guess. I tried Berger & Argenti's Entubar cigar when it first came out, turned out I didn't like it and apparently neither did any of the other regulars at our local B&M. A year later they were in the budget bin for $5 a stick, so I bought a hand full and tried them again... Wish I had bought the rest of the boxes, those cigars were a completely different experience with a year in the humidor on them. If he still has them in the bargin bin, I'll pay you whatever they cost + a finders fee to go clean him out. Srs. |
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Okay, thanks guys. Any sticks I should start buying that I can truly appreciate that I don't need to age for that long? Just started really buying decent stuff in June... don't have a whole lot I can smoke I guess. I tried Berger & Argenti's Entubar cigar when it first came out, turned out I didn't like it and apparently neither did any of the other regulars at our local B&M. A year later they were in the budget bin for $5 a stick, so I bought a hand full and tried them again... Wish I had bought the rest of the boxes, those cigars were a completely different experience with a year in the humidor on them. If he still has them in the bargin bin, I'll pay you whatever they cost + a finders fee to go clean him out. Srs. This. How many sticks are we talkin' here? |