Aging lets the ammonia out of cigars that are still fermenting. Really fresh ones I'll let sit for six months. Some cigars smoke harsh at first but then come alive with complexity after aging. I think it's hit or miss. I like aged La Glorias and Taboos as well as most RPs. I like all Padrons, aged or not, so I can't say. If someone will send me a sampler of PAMs aged fresh to 5yrs I will be happy to review them. :-)
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Good question.

I usually let just about everything rest for a few months, just to get them acclimated to my humi. But, it seems that the stronger flavored sticks seemed to age the best. Opus X always get at least 6 months. I haven't had anything really get "bland" on me, yet, but I don't have anything too old, either.

What's amazing to me is how quickly I will find things getting old . . . or aged. I know they age at the same rate, but time just flies by. I bought a bunch of boxes before SCHIP . . . and that will be 6 months before you know it. I know that is not YEARS . . . but it's still longer than I expected them to last.
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This question relates to the thread title:

"Are there certain waiting periods you will give to certain high end cigars?"


I have seen a few people mention that Opus's age very well. Do you keep them in the humidor for a certain amount of time when you purchase a new batch before lighting them up? Any other sticks you will let age a certain amount of time before trying them out? Interesting thread :-)
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From my personal experience:


Any Nicaraguan ligero bomb or any full-flavored Maduro.
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This thread got me thinking...

We all know that CCs are better for aging because the tobacco is often more fresh, and it's generally accepted that most NCs are made to be smoked right away. In most cases the tobacco used in NCs is already aged to some degree. and from what I understand, Opus Xs are also made from tobacco that is several years aged.

so why is it that Opus are generally considered a good candidate for long term aging but other NCs made with aged tobacco are not? I know Opus are full flavored in strength and maybe 5-10 years would mellow them a bit, but it stands to reason that other strong NC cigars made with aged tobacco should also be good candidates for long term aging. right?
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I haven't been at this long enough for any serious aging, but I've noticed two of my go-tos that really improved with a couple of months on them: Perdomo Slow-Aged Lot 826 Maduro and Sancho Panza Double Maduro. The flavors are still there, but they pick up a smoothness that makes them really enjoyable to smoke.
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I smoked a Graycliff 1666 Pirate last night that kicked my butt. Definently plan on letting the rest I have rest.
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I think aging achieves two effects. The first is for "fresh" tobacco that is still fermenting (CC). The next is to allow the cigar to continue to mellow and meld flavors (both CC and NC). Stronger cigars (Opus) will mellow with age giving a different experience. As I stated, I like some age on cigars as it reduces the pepper flavor (as least IMHO).Cigars which are already mild tend to become very boring. I was gifted a Excalibur Dark Knight, not a cigar I usually crave, but this thing has cello so yellow you can barely see through it... I am waiting for a great day to smoke it and plan to smoke it with a fresh one. I will report back when I do.
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Greg makes a good point.

The only way I think you'll be able to tell is if you buy a few boxes, smoke a few fresh and write down a review, set them to age 5 to 6 years and then come back to them and compare notes. Otherwise it's just a crapshoot guessing what can and can't age and how you'll enjoy an aged cigar versus a fresh one.
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If one were to make any attempt to find objective information from this anecdotal collection of subjective opinions, I would think it would be this:

Its hit or miss. It depends on the specific cigar you are talking about, the specific smoker, and (though it hasn't been mentioned yet) the specific aging environment (this might be why powerhouse cigars age better while milder ones lose their appeal). Further, I would doubt that anyone here could actually describe with factual confidence what is truly occuring during the aging process. So, all the variables are either very instance-specific or are unknowable.

Not to put anyone down, but if you are asking the question about aging, chances are you may not have been "around long enough" to be able to have developed your own subjective opinions about the specific elements (your taste, the cigars, the environment). Further, "your taste" may change over time, as will the cigars you have in the humi, as will the state of your humi. Gathering other people's opinions will give you a basis on which to build your own opinion. But, the moment you have your own opinion, I would discard everyone elses.

With that in mind I would propose a position at which to start, allowing you to best move forward and facilitate finding your own "sweet spot":

Rest your cigars, don't age them. Six to nine months should do.
Keep notes on how well the cigars faired.
Allow your cigars to only age by accident.
Appreciate those mistakenly aged cigars and allow your opinions about aged cigars to come from there.

Anyone back me up on this???

Cheers

John
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Add aged gifted cigars and this is how it usually works for me anyway.
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Age helps almost any cigar evolve so long as it has resonable materials as a starting point. Particular aging points may not have the flavors you prefer. The real issue is do you like the evolved flavors and can you appreciate it based upon how you smoke.

Aging in general positions us to experience more subtle or more intense flavors depending upon the cigar. What many of us are looking for in aging is complex flavors. Sometimes they come as intense sometimes subtle. Over time, either could be the description of the same cigar at different aging points. How you smoke may have a huge impact on your appreciation (or lack of) for those cigars who display more mellow and nuanced complexities.

Flavored air is how some cigars become, interesting crazy flavored air vs the intense experience of smoking most high end NC cigars cigars fresh. If you do not nasal exhale.. better off smoking a fresh Macanudo.
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How do you get plume without age?

I've been pleasantly surprised by a Hemi Signature maduro
that aged(with plume) into one of my most memorable smokes
in 2008.

There have been other surprises, too. Aging took the bite off
of LPH, which made it an ordinary, bland smoke. But an RP
Fusion with 18 months or so, turned into another memorable
smoke (yard gar) and a very nice smoke.

I'm glad to learn that Cien Anos ages well, since I have some
belis approaching a year on them.

I think that it depends on what you like in a cigar, and the
attributes of the cigar you're aging, on whether the results
of aging will be to your liking.

I have a lot of odds 'n' ends in my humi, getting age by just
being forgotten. Hopefully, many of them will become pleasant
surprises, once I get around to finding/smoking them.

Good topic.

Chemyst :-)
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I knew I was forgetting one that ages very well...

RyJ Reserve maduro.

Just a great smoke with a year or two on them.
I have a box aging and maybe a fiver available in the mean time.

Chemyst :-)
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The first box I ever purchased was 25 Tatuaje Noellas. They have really smoothed out nicely over the last 18 months.
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i thin a good read on aging nc cigars is this column http://www.cigarresearch.com/Cigar_Research/CC3.html by colin ganley. I think ll of his collectors corner article are a good read.
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I have some VS that were terrible whenI bought them almost a year ago, but they are turning around nicely. :-)
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Padilla Hybrids seem born to age. Just a few months brings out the oils and tempers the flavors. Nice thread, btw!
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Also, one thing to consider with NCs is that they often say "the wraper has been aged x years". Remember, in order for the flavors of a cigar to marry properly the ENTIRE cigar needs to age. Just having a wrapper that's aged on young binder/filler isn't the same. my:-)
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Thank you for that link. I have been to CIGAR many times and missed this. I will have to go back and ask some questions. :-)
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