Hit of Miss When It Comes to Aging Cigars?

[ryjexh4]

I recently smoked a '98 Boli RC that I purchased in 1998. What a disappointment. When I intially order these two boxes, I couldn't keep my hands away. I smoked about a 1/3 of each box and every single cigar smoked extremely well. The last seven years, everytime I smoke one it has not lived up to its past glory. However, another box of '98 Boli RC I purchased, also in 1998, has aged extremely well.

Conversly, the two boxes of '98 La Gloria Cubana Medaille D'oro #2 I purchased in '02 has improved trememdously with aging. I smoked one last week with CW member Sir Winston. We both agreed this cigar is very refined and gained complexity with age. Anyone out there with the same experience? If so, which brand and vitola?

 

[allanf]

Could someone explain this a bit that knows about the cigar industry. I'm curious. Wine, unlike cigars, is by design supposed to age, also cheese. But aside from the time to cure the tobacco, what is the general belief about them. I know that some cigars go through that tannic/sick period as some call it. But aren't cigars made to be smoked or consumed out of the box right away? Experts, chime in...

 

[ryjexh4]

I'm no expert but from my personal experience and reading various articles including Min Ron Nee's book aging seem to refine the cigar. A few example from my own collection. I recently smoked a '96 Siglo IV and '96 Sancho Molino (both purchased in '96) both cigars have become more complex and smoother compare to when I smoked them in '96. Another example would be '98 La Gloria I talked about in my original post. This cigar has improved tremendously since I purchased it in '02. In short, aging cigars seems to refine it, but there might be exceptions.

 

[Wasch_24]

I don't consider myself an expert by any means but I think it all depends on your taste preferences. Fresh cigars appeal to some because of their raw, sort of in your face flavors while others can't stand them for the very same reasons. I haven't been smoking long enough to have aged my own cigars but I know that of the same vitola I generally prefer an aged cigar. I enjoy the way the cigar has mellowed and how the flavors of the tobacco have melded together.

MRN does a very good job of explaining how the cigar and the blend of tobaccos contained within actually do begin to ferment. This clearly shows that the cigar is changing. Improving wih age? That's for the individual to decide.

Cigars are intended to be smoked either very shortly after rolling or after a period of rest. Rafael Gonzalez cigars even state to smoke within one month of shipment from Havana or to mature them for at least one year before smoking right on the box.

I think that most people would say that Cuban cigars are intended to be aged.

 

[ryjexh4]

Well said Wasch. :yes: I do find some cigars smoke well when young. Cigars like the Punch Punch, Punch DC, Le hoyo des dieux, etc. I guess I'm just a cigar whore. I like them young and old. :headroll: :headroll:

 

[Wasch_24]

Oh yeah, and I do think it is hit or miss. Rolling cigars is not an exact science.

 

[Jwrussell]

Like Todd said, all depends on your tastes. I've yet to find a cigar I liked New vs Aged, but I haven't tried all that many of the same vitolas aged and new. To my tastes most of the aged cigars I've had have been better than the newer ones. The tastes are more, well, refined. Just like everyone else has said. :dunno:

 

[allanf]

I bet part of this is mental too....

 

[Jwrussell]

One more note for the original question. Aging isn't as simple as give it 5 (or how many ever) years and there you go. Cigars tend to come and go as they age, so to speak. It's possible to hit cigars in an off or flat period even when they've been aged for quite some time.

 

[Jwrussell]

You're mental! :tongueout








J/K. :wink:

 

[Wasch_24]

I bet part of this is mental too....

I have found my mood and surroundings definitely influence the experience.

 

[allanf]

You're mental! :tongueout








J/K. :wink:

Well Duh! :hammersma

 

[Wasch_24]

:rofl: @ Allan! :hysterica

 

[Bruce5]

Hit or Miss... but most of the time hit.
Although I love Boli, I think other brands have
better aging potential. I think most Boli's smoke best
between 2-5 years.

 

[Kurtdesign1]

Ok, a bit deep here. There's a few factors that may have effected this.

1) The original tobacco may have been older from one box to another despite the same box code. That could have been cause for the difference of flavor after the 7 years; one box had changed more. Since the RC is a milder cigar, perhaps it started to lose the flavors you enjoy from the originals since it started to mellow out more than it was when you bought it.
2) You experienced MRN's theory of one missing cigar ruining the aging characteristics of the entire box. Perhaps the full box aged properly and the part box aged as it would in a humidor and intern, aged more but less 'gracefully'.