Sticks not ready for prime time?
- Thread starter Crusader
- Start date
I'm new too, but I think the only way is to smoke them (oh, the horror!). I've been buying 5er's lately, so I can have one right away, then space the remaining out. (They still don't make it very far... "aging" them is a foreign concept to me)
my rule of thumb, is once u start really building your stash it will almost age itself, especially if your frequently buying the new stuff coming out all the time.
specific brands have certain time frames for minimum aging I'll let the more experienced peeps tell it.
specific brands have certain time frames for minimum aging I'll let the more experienced peeps tell it.
My opinion, NC are made and distributed ready to smoke. Aging NC cigars is all personal preference that needs monitored as the cigars age and smoking is the only way to do that. Aging will alter stronger cigars and whether its ib a good way or bad way is all up to the smoker.
CCs in the other hand are a different story that I'm not going to pretend to be well versed in.
CCs in the other hand are a different story that I'm not going to pretend to be well versed in.
Cigary43
Just Another Ashhole
Resting cigars comes with experience with any brand over a certain period of time. Those who have years in the hobby can attest to this because what they smoke over a period of time will enlighten them as to what they are tasting over a time frame. Here's an easy analogy....when I buy cigars that I want to try and have not experienced I will buy a 5 pak and then smoke the first one in 30 days after it has been in a humidor that is at a RH that I like. The 30 days is a resting point where I then smoke and that is the standard and then I'll pick it up again 60 days later and see what I find...changes, balanced, better/worse. I will smoke the 3rd one in 6 months and do another comparison and the 4th one I will smoke in 9 months...the last one at a years time. This gives me more than enough info as to how a cigar changes over a fair amount of time and some change much better within a year while some at 6 months is their best. This is a process that takes time but there are some cigars that are so good at 60 days that I know they are boxworthy so that is when I buy them by the box.
This has been a great plan for me for more than 15 years and I don't waste money on buying cigars that are the 'rage' and end up fizzling out. The thought about NC's not getting better with rest is not true as I did my own experiment 3 years ago and bought about 35 different brands and 65% of those ended up being really good cigars that got better over age and there were about 8 members that I sent samplers to who advocated what I found to be true. I didn't just want to use my own opinion but rather those who had a good reputation. It's the smart ones who will learn from others and purchase cigars that can be tested/proven as good quality cigars and not just the latest and greatest new cigar on the block. Time is the standard IMO.
This has been a great plan for me for more than 15 years and I don't waste money on buying cigars that are the 'rage' and end up fizzling out. The thought about NC's not getting better with rest is not true as I did my own experiment 3 years ago and bought about 35 different brands and 65% of those ended up being really good cigars that got better over age and there were about 8 members that I sent samplers to who advocated what I found to be true. I didn't just want to use my own opinion but rather those who had a good reputation. It's the smart ones who will learn from others and purchase cigars that can be tested/proven as good quality cigars and not just the latest and greatest new cigar on the block. Time is the standard IMO.
I have sub 100 smokes, and even with that amount you'd be surprised that you'll begin to age them without really trying. That is, if you can keep yourself from doing too much digging in your humi lol. I keep my "daily" smokes, or things I want to try above my other smokes so it's what I see first. It's worked so far
IMO aging has to do with each different cigar and it's makeup.
For example: a shit cigar, is a shit cigar. No amount of age can change or help that scenario.
I enjoy full body, full strength. For the most part a lot of these types of cigars IMO age well. Over time the power decreases but the flavor profile merries & morphs into(in most cases) more balanced transitions & complex flavors. Simply my opinions and thoughts. Always a great topic to discuss and see what others think.
For example: a shit cigar, is a shit cigar. No amount of age can change or help that scenario.
I enjoy full body, full strength. For the most part a lot of these types of cigars IMO age well. Over time the power decreases but the flavor profile merries & morphs into(in most cases) more balanced transitions & complex flavors. Simply my opinions and thoughts. Always a great topic to discuss and see what others think.
There is no real rule of thumb when it comes to knowing if a cigar needs age or not since everyone's tastes are different. What one person thinks is good another might find flat. That being said, usually a sign that a cigar is still young is a grassy flavor. If you pick up a fiver or a box and find you don't like the first one, try letting them rest for a few months and try it again. If you notice an improvement, continue to age them.
I am going to disagree with apnutter. I recently came across a bunch of cigars that I had forgotten about at a lounge that I had in the locker. I told the owner he can have them when I turned in my key (couldn't afford to renew the membership) as I did not recall liking them much. He called me a few days later and said that I might want to reconsider giving them to him and suggested that I try them again. They had probably been in there for 2 years or so. To my surprise, they aged wonderfully as I literally sat up when I smoked one and couldn't believe how good they were this time around. They were Perdomo Anniversaries if anyone is curious.
But it's all about personal taste to be honest. Some cigars will age well, other won't but at some point there comes a time where they will peak and aging won't improve them anymore than they already are.
I am going to disagree with apnutter. I recently came across a bunch of cigars that I had forgotten about at a lounge that I had in the locker. I told the owner he can have them when I turned in my key (couldn't afford to renew the membership) as I did not recall liking them much. He called me a few days later and said that I might want to reconsider giving them to him and suggested that I try them again. They had probably been in there for 2 years or so. To my surprise, they aged wonderfully as I literally sat up when I smoked one and couldn't believe how good they were this time around. They were Perdomo Anniversaries if anyone is curious.
But it's all about personal taste to be honest. Some cigars will age well, other won't but at some point there comes a time where they will peak and aging won't improve them anymore than they already are.
Agree with most of the above, most NC tobacco is baled and set aside for quite a while. Opus IMO needs at least 3 years, a Liga Privada #9 loses quite a bit with time. I think a pretty good rule of thumb is if the cigar is an ass kicker it will mellow with time. A complex cigar with multiple flavor changes may lose a few sitting too long. YMMV.
So are you keeping track of when you bought the cigars so you know how long they have been resting, and if so, how? Do you put a label sticker on each stick, group them in baggies and label the baggies, label the box (but that would make for a lot of boxes to keep), or something totally different?
I use blank bands and date everything that goes in my humidor. I agree that as youre collection builds stuff will age by itself without you meaning too. Age it, smoke it rott, it is all up to your orference budget etc.