Aging vs just storing s stik...

Hawk55

I have noticed in a lot of the threads that the BOTL often talk about letting a cigar "rest"...or aging a cigar for a period of time. Really starting to get a little confused with the aging concept. If a manufacturer produces a box of cigars in say 2005 and it gets to your humidor in 2009...does it have four years aging on it or does it begin to "age' once you open the box and start to "rest" in your humi. I guess I am thinking about boxes or singles that are being kept in a warehouse or somewhere..don't they age while they asre waiting to be sold? any thoughts on this..would love to get responses.

phobicsquirrel

Well I know for some cigars, like you said, it is a release for a few years ago but just now being released due to aging, but when a person gets it, it tastes harsh or is bitty, but after a few months or a few years in their humi at the right conditions it really opens up. I think it's due to being in a stabilized environment or just because smokes taste different to different people at different rh levels. Like I enjoy opus's right from the shop or place where I got them "fresh" but a year or so adds a bit more to it. Others really don't like them that way and prefer them to sit a while.

phobicsquirrel

Kuzi did a great job on many occasions talking about this, as I do believe Alex made a post about it as well.

lilwing88

I've read about and heard from different "experts" very different explanations on aging & storing......

I've read that aging a cigar for 5-10 years will enhance flavors and strengthen it.....but the conditions have to be perfect and it sounds like a lot of work.

I've heard from some "in the know" that a properly made cigar is already aged as much as can be and that letting it sit in your humi won't do anything better for it, just keep it fresh.

I'm more of a "smoke 'em if you got 'em" type and wouldn't have the patience for properly aging a cigar. But if you want to read more, cigaraficianado.com has some info on aging.

YankeeMan

I have two large humis, one for smoking and one for aging or resting cigars. When I get an order, I split it between the two. I usually don't smoke anything new for at least a month. (Okay, I cheated a little with the Diesel!)

I'm not sure if what I'm doing with the second humi could really be called aging. I don't do anything special but keep the tempature and humidity fairly stable. I've only been doing it for about six months, so nothing is especially old, but I'll see what happens six months or a year down the road.

Tumbler

I beleive before they roll it the aging begins... "The wrapping of the cigar moves to the next marriatge age. I can tell a deflinite difference as the leave mar together and come up with a little smoother blend -alittle more in tune as the whole.

One2gofst

IMO, there is a difference between aging the leaves used to make a cigar and aging a rolled cigar. Since all we control are rolled cigars, that is what I am concerned with. When a rolled cigar is aged under propper condition, I find it seems smoother and more balanced rather than the different aspects competing with each other. I find this is good for full bodied cigars, as mild cigars kind of fade away with too much age.

Resting cigars is not aging so much as just stabilizing the cigars at a consistant rh and temp so you don't smoke an off tasting stick.

kuzi16

phobicsquirrel:

Kuzi did a great job on many occasions talking about this, as I do believe Alex made a post about it as well.

here is a thread where i talk a bit about it...

i cant seem to find the one where Alex talks about it. he even went into age and fermentation. that was some good stuff.

nightmaremike31

kuzi16:

phobicsquirrel:

Kuzi did a great job on many occasions talking about this, as I do believe Alex made a post about it as well.

here is a thread where i talk a bit about it...

i cant seem to find the one where Alex talks about it. he even went into age and fermentation. that was some good stuff.

Is THIS it?

Krieg

I love aging cigars, especially maduros. I bought 30 RP Olde world reserves 2nds a few months ago and and split my order 50.50, aging 15 of them. After one year, I will smoke one of my aged cigars and see if I can tell any differences.

Hawk55

I read a lot of the threads on aging and it seems that thinking varies person to person. It seems that experience will tell best and vary from brand to brand...strength to strength...or according to wrapper type, One thing I don't remember seeing is whether aging occurs above 70 degrees or can aging be accomplished at 65-70 degrees,,,and at what RH?

fla-gypsy

I smoke many ROTT. I do think letting them rest for a few days helps settle down any funky tasting/acting sticks. IMO some sticks get milder when they sit for months. That is not desireable to me. I try to keep a couple of many different sticks in a medium size Humi that I call my special occassion box and some of them will sit a few months sometimes.

kuzi16

nightmaremike31:

kuzi16:

phobicsquirrel:

Kuzi did a great job on many occasions talking about this, as I do believe Alex made a post about it as well.

here is a thread where i talk a bit about it...

i cant seem to find the one where Alex talks about it. he even went into age and fermentation. that was some good stuff.

Is THIS it?

YES good looking out!

nightmaremike31

kuzi16:

nightmaremike31:

kuzi16:

phobicsquirrel:

Kuzi did a great job on many occasions talking about this, as I do believe Alex made a post about it as well.

here is a thread where i talk a bit about it...

i cant seem to find the one where Alex talks about it. he even went into age and fermentation. that was some good stuff.

Is THIS it?

YES good looking out!

I help out where I can. Or I spend way too much time reading and searching through this addicting forum.

stephen_hannibal

Wow... I've learned a ton on this thread.
Thanks Guys.

Hawk55

It actuially looks like we have come full circle on this one> My goal is to keep as many stiks as I possibly can at 65%..and 70% for as long as I can. Keep a journal on my experience with each stik and the time at it's perspective relative humidity and after a year or two or three maybe we can revisit this issue with some more insight. There is already a great deal of info in these threads and hopefully I can add some more as we progress. Great hobby we have here and very open to subjectivity and personal taste. Looking forward to the journey.

kuzi16

a cigar journal or catalog is a very good way to learn a bunch about cigars. i would seriously recommend it to everyone.

Hawk55

Thanks Kuzi..I have journal entries for each cigar I have smoked and find it very beneficial to periodically go back and review where I have been in my journey.