How long do you let your sticks rest and why?

[Newfie]

Many varied answers above, and while most are personal preferences, it's also weather dependant and time of year, even where you got 'em.

One B&M I go to in Detroit, they're absolutely perfect (IMHO) for smoking, while another I've visited, all their sticks are like smoking a wet dishrag.

If your sticks are in a slow "Pony Express" type mail service in the summer time, they'll take a while to stabalize in your humi, if it's overnight in spring of fall, and the place / person sending 'em takes GOOD care of their stock, they're smokable right out of the package.

Many many answers to this one.

 

[dbperea]

I would pretty much agree with what is being said here. Undoubtedly the B&Ms keep their cigars too moist, I am sure this is a protective measure they take as it is better to be safe than sorry. The only thing I had not seen mentioned is that typically, picking up a box or some sticks from the B&M you are not always aware of how old they are already and therein lies the danger of disappointment. This may very well be one and the same point but it also is a reason to let your gars rest even if you get them from the distributor or online. As we all know, in order to roll a cigar, it must be a lot "wetter" than at the humidity point optimal for smoking. Therefore, it is always in ones best interest to allow the cigar to rest prior to smoking. I have seen 3 months used as a general rule of thumb and I must admit that I do like it. Three months usually gives the cigar enough time to balance its humidity level throughout no matter what size stick you are smoking.

These are my thoughts on it. I figure, as a general rule, you can't go wrong with this practice and it will give the cigar a fair chance to please you as well.

 

[Allofus123]

IMO, there are so many variables to this that there is no one correct answer. Of course the first thing we need to get straight is the actual question being asked. The responses here are answering two seperate questions..... letting a cigar rest as in acclimating to a specific humidity level... or... letting it rest as in aging the cigar. Both questions have many variables.

Most of us agree resting fresh cigars for 2 to 8 weeks (or longer) will help a cigar burn better. As fas as I'm concerned the longer the better. I'm not of the camp that feels a cigar's taste will change in this short time, at least not discernable. Its more to allow the cigar to acclimating to the humidity level that each of us prefer to smoke our cigars at. Does this mean that you should not smoke a cigar "fresh"? Absolutely not.... Smoke em when you want to.

Aging cigars is a totally different animal. IMO, this has many personal preferences involved so opinions are just that... opinions. Even if you can get past everyones personal preferences you still have to take into consideration the cigar itself and the enviroment its being stored. Every aspect of aging cigars will have an impact, some more than others, and the correct way will be argued as long as cigars are being produced.

 

[DarrenR]

Great answer Allofus. I could not agree more. I only keep my complete must have smokes on hand in any amount over 4 or 5. The rest I have a ritual of buy 3 or 4 at the shop, smoke a few of mine there. So I can rest the ones I just bought. I store at home more for just having them on hand than to age.
As far as a box I always must try one right away to gauge how long I will let them rest before I try another.
Just my 2 cents. :thumbs:

 

[vortex]

It's interesting that we all agree but have our own, unique, view of this phenomenon called waiting. We wait for so many things in life. In many of these "waiting periods" we can take an active role in the outcome. But some are, like cigars, pure waiting. Waiting to get some "age on them": for them to "recover".

Cigar smoking habits and techniques become very unique to an individual, though.
And it's tough when one is just a newb, as I am, to figure out what your habits are. I wait based on value. I have two Ashton ESGs that I will try very hard to smoke at optimum conditions but the Mayorgas, not so much. Not that I like one better than the other but just the MSRP

My .03cts(inflation)