Aging cigars

[Jdsmoke]

Had a few questions about aging cigars.
What are the best ones to age (e.g. Certain brands, strengths, sizes, countries of origin)
How long should they age for? Any guidelines (stronger= longer)
Does it change by year or production. I know with wine certain years are better. I was not sure if this was true for cigars as well. I know that certain years there were quality issues and you are more likely to get a badly constructed cigars.

Thanks
JD

 

[Cigary43]

This is something we figure out for ourselves because not everybody has the same tastes...similar maybe but not the same. What we do is experiment with what we smoke and let our tastes determine what is better for us. Some tend to get better over time such as an Opus..the same can be said for a myriad other CC's. Reading and research is a part of this...see what others who are very knowledgeable about this in blogs and make application after you've tried it and see what you think.

 

[HarleyMark13]

I was taught to understand that your full bodied smokes would age better than the light bodied smokes I'm guessing that would the oils?

 

[James]

Here's a link i found informative when curious a couple months ago. Gives the reasons and times that different strengths/cigars need and how they progress. Also says that 70%rh and 70 degrees is the best point for aging. http://www.cigars4dummies.com/tobacco-curing/aging.html

 

[vivalanation734]

Here's a link i found informative when curious a couple months ago. Gives the reasons and times that different strengths/cigars need and how they progress. Also says that 70%rh and 70 degrees is the best point for aging. http://www.cigars4dummies.com/tobacco-curing/aging.html

Lower RH is better IMHO. I prefer to age/smoke around 63-65% humidity.

 

[KH63]

I'm onboard with resting and smoking at 65%. But why not age at 70%? If aging is a super slow fermentation won't that go faster at the higher humidity of 70%. Lots of industry experts recommend 70%/70F. I know the board is all about 65% but is that because of science on aging or that's the best humidity to smoke at? I'm going to ask as many big names as I can that question in Boulder this weekend. Would love BOTL opinions so I have some ammo.

 

[pbibby]

Go to cigaraficionado.com and go to the cigar cinema page. Watch tasting the 60s part one and you'll hear Cuban cigar expert Ajay Patel talk about temp and humidity being mid to low 60s. There is no person better qualified IMO to express an opinion on this matter. He is probably the leading expert on the subject. IMHO

 

[vivalanation734]

Go to cigaraficionado.com and go to the cigar cinema page. Watch tasting the 60s part one and you'll hear Cuban cigar expert Ajay Patel talk about temp and humidity being mid to low 60s. There is no person better qualified IMO to express an opinion on this matter. He is probably the leading expert on the subject. IMHO

Ajay is beyond legit.

 

[Alwayslit]

If all else fails use the microwave.

 

[Cigary43]

I'm onboard with resting and smoking at 65%. But why not age at 70%? If aging is a super slow fermentation won't that go faster at the higher humidity of 70%. Lots of industry experts recommend 70%/70F. I know the board is all about 65% but is that because of science on aging or that's the best humidity to smoke at? I'm going to ask as many big names as I can that question in Boulder this weekend. Would love BOTL opinions so I have some ammo.

You will find most sources will tell you to replicate the environment that the tobacco thrives in before harvesting...so the science behind 70/70 is accurate. What some advocate is not science but rather their own tastes and that's fine as well. Cigars are all about taste but when they are being rested/aged I try to follow the science first and when it's time to smoke them I'll put them in a humidor that has the RH I like. I admit to having humis that are 65% and I rest/age cigars in there as well but that's because I have already done my own experiments as far as what I like better in profile and taste.

 

[pbibby]

Go to cigaraficionado.com and go to the cigar cinema page. Watch tasting the 60s part one and you'll hear Cuban cigar expert Ajay Patel talk about temp and humidity being mid to low 60s. There is no person better qualified IMO to express an opinion on this matter. He is probably the leading expert on the subject. IMHO

Ajay is beyond legit.

He seems to have the most comprehensive knowledge of aging tobacco as anyone out there.

 

[Cigary43]

I went to CA but didn't find that article or it just slipped past me..do u have a link of this? I've probably read literally 20-30 articles on how to age/rest cigars...at what temp and RH is best and most of them are going to say they rely on the science and horticulture and being able to reproduce the environment they grew in... while I absolutely respect Mr Patel as far as his extensive knowledge and experience in the industry his ideas of how to store cigars is something of preference...not absolutes. I can't debate that resting/aging cigars at 64% RH is wrong or bad...it's not and it's within in the ranges of almost everything I've read...which is 64 - 68%. Anything below 61% will halt the fermentation of the tobacco and what we look for is the absolute best environment for our cigars.

What we as enthusiasts want to look for is the acceptable parameters so we don't make mistakes in our aging/resting and we have to satisfy what our tastes tell us...nobody can tell me what I want in matters of taste as it's strictly subjective...whereas applied science in horticulture isn't..it's a fact based science and when it comes to tobacco which has been studied and manipulated for hundreds of years....it all comes down to keeping it healthy and viable for our own tastes.

 

[KH63]

Go to cigaraficionado.com and go to the cigar cinema page. Watch tasting the 60s part one and you'll hear Cuban cigar expert Ajay Patel talk about temp and humidity being mid to low 60s. There is no person better qualified IMO to express an opinion on this matter. He is probably the leading expert on the subject. IMHO

Thanks that's a great answer. Sadly I think CA has pulled that video after a site search and a search on the cinema page for Ajay. I'd love to be proven wrong. I did find this on YouTube where Ajay talks about 15C~16C (59F~61F), 64%~65% and dark, working to keep CC for 60 years. [video=youtube;0-fz1l9j7w0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-fz1l9j7w0[/video] he

 

[pbibby]

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/videos

Here's the link. You go to Tasting the 60s. It's the 10th video down on the "All" tab. Go to the 3 minute mark and you will hear Gordon Mott say something like, "when people are planning to age cigars for 5, 10, or 20 years, you recommend that humidity and temperature be in that mid to low 60's point right?" and Ajay nods in agreement and may say yes.

Hope this helps. Otherwise the video from the 2011 Big Smoke is a good one as well

 

[James]

I was just going off what the site says. it says the true aging process stops at just below 70%. I hope to have the storage and time to begin aging cigars soon but as of now i have no opinion just info lol.