Cigar Aging

[Marcos]

So we all read here a lot and hear reviews from all you fine people. I hear people comment that a certain cigars needs some age and that they will try them again later on... Obviously some downtime can't hurt any smoke but what criteria do you use to determine if a cigar will benefit from aging? Do oily types benefit more than drier leaves like a cameroon? The only time I will put a smoke down and anticipate a positive change is if I detect hints of what I like initially. How about you? Has anyone had a dog rocket that has turned into an outstanding smoke over time or have they just become alright? Are there limitations to aging based upon the quality of the leaf? Or does aging potential begin at the crop level with the most cared for plants etc being able to benefit most? When do you smoke something and know that it is crap and after years of perfect storage it will still be crap? Marc

 

[CoventryCat86]

Consuegras noticeably improve with age, believe it or not.

 

[badhangover]

Tough to answer this without resorting to a 3 page response, which is really unnecessary, as the true answer is that it's all subjective in the end and wholly dependent upon your own individual tastes.

Generally speaking, it seems to be true for most things in life that slower aging results in a better finished product. That's true for wine as it is for slow cooked b-b-q vs microwave oven TV dinners. The "peak" of flavor for each product is again entirely up to you and your tastes. Most, if not all, organic products seem to have a shelf life wherein they pass their optimum maturity. The general consensus is that a "stronger" initial product is better suited to long term aging. For cigars, that correlates into time allowed for the molecular structure of strong cigar tobacco to "decompose" (no, I don't mean to rot) and for its individual component tobacco leaves to "marry" (conjoin in taste) with each other.

I doubt this post gives adequate response to your question. As it is, I realize I only superficially answered your general question of the benefits of aging cigars. But I do hope it offers some answer to you. The answers to your questions can be incredibly long and scientific in nature.

 

[moki]

If you're thinking you can turn lead to gold, and transform dog rockets into fine cigars via the hands of time... not so much.

 

[anvil]

If you're thinking you can turn lead to gold, and transform dog rockets into fine cigars via the hands of time... not so much.

I agree.
It is like aging wine.
A cheap wine aged, is still a cheap wine, it just has some age on it.
I think it is the same with cigars a bad cigar aged is just an old bad cigar.
I think that a extra robust or strong cigar can benefit from aging in so much as they can mellow out a bit.
And like wine,some cigars are meant to be smoked when released as they are at their best then.
It really comes down to your own preference.
I know a bloke over here that only buys and smokes aged Habanos(a bit snobby for me but that is his thing).
Me, I will smoke just about any thing aged or fresh. In fact I prefer something like a Opus fresh :whistling:
Hope this helps