I have wondered this, and given most views on these forums the answer would be no.

However, Cigar Aficionado says otherwise.

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfe...top-Aging_5507

It's an interesting short read. :-)
[Reply]

In my opinion, yes. I have had some cigars that just taste better fresh.
[Reply]

most answers on the forum must be wrong then. The answer is yes.

Cigars are like wine, some are great for aging, others should be consumed within a reasonable period or they go bad (or bland in case of cigars). I had some 100+ year old cigars that were great, but I also smoked an 80's Cuban Davidoff that already passed its prime.
[Reply]

Absolutely, yes -- it obviously varies from cigar to cigar, but I've smoked some old old stuff: White Owls, Van Dycks, etc. and I just don't see what the hype is all about on a cigar that has 40, 50 or 60+ years on it. To me, it tastes like air and sawdust. I have a few lying around as novelties, but they're nothing I ever see myself craving. Might be fun to throw one in a PPP, but again, it would be for the novelty of saying I smoked something older than Al or pnoon.
[Reply]

I think this is the major quote:



Just as an aside, if you watch the accompanying video, you will see a Stinky!! Sweet!
[Reply]

I agree with this 100%. Most uber old cigars are way past their prime and are just plain flat.
A few others on the other hand are nothing less than nirvana.
[Reply]

You can definitely age a cigar too long. Especially under reasonable, but not perfect conditions.
[Reply]

But doesn't that contradict the Rule of 3s? :-)

I agree with Kelly and the others. Sticks can and do age past their prime - prime being a relative and subjective point.
[Reply]

What is the rule of 3's?
[Reply]

That was a sarcastic comment (:-)) regarding a recent post/thread about how cigars are fully aged at 3 years. My comment was tongue-in-cheek.
[Reply]

Thanks for the insight.:-)
[Reply]

I like Padron's comments in the Aficianado interview about how he wants to make cigars you can smoke now and not have to wait for, otherwise "it's like buying a BMW motorcycle and keeping it in the garage for a year before you ride it" or something like that.
[Reply]

:-) I dont buy into the "rule of 3" belief whatsoever. :-)
[Reply]

I understand what Padron is trying to say but I think it is a bad analogy.
The bike is not consumable in that you ride it once and you're done. And I don't think letting the bike sit for a year will improve the ride.
[Reply]

:-)
[Reply]

You're right, and if it did people would be doing it. :-)

Curious to hear if people have smoked 40+ year old cigars that were 100% known to have been stored properly that entire time, say by one individual or store? And was it expired or not?

What I'm getting at is that usually cigars of that age have questionable history with regard to storage conditions.
[Reply]

I have to disagree...Maybe its my noob palatte, but I have never smoked a older cigar saying "man I wish I smoked this 5 years ago" If I find a cigar "flat" I usually attribute it to storage conditions, but like I said I haven't smoked a lot of vintage cigars
[Reply]

That would mean:
1) They stored the cigars themselves for 40+ years
2) It was stored for them properly and they are at least 60yrs old by now.


** Peter is the only one that old around here. :-)
[Reply]

First of all, exactly my point, probably rare but I'm sure it happens/happened.
Secondly, there are exceptions, buying ex-Dunhill stored cigars, someone you know (older) has been aging them for 20 years, then you stored for 20, etc (You don't have to be 60yrs old in either case). In these cases there is an established history that the cigars have been 100% stored properly.
[Reply]

I ve been smokin 16 yrs. Ive had this debate many times with
friends of mine. My 2%, cc`s smoke much much better between
10 and 15 yrs old, depending on the tobacco. From 10 yrs old on,
you get a inkling into the world of properly aged stuff. As a rule,
after i smoke one cigar from a box of cc`s i dont try another one for 3 yrs,
then 5, and so on, this tells me how many yrs till full maturity.
At 10 yrs, 22 or 23 cigars are ready to smoke.
[Reply]