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Noob questions on ageing.

trykflyr

invest in America, buy a congressman!
Joined
Feb 20, 2019
Messages
64
So here's my "I'm the new guy and have no clue what I'm really doing" query. I hear age this or give that a year or so a lot. Online, in threads, videos...ad nauseum. My question is how long, on average, do cigars sit after being rolled? Are they shipped immediately? Left in a warehouse to age a bit before they're shipped? And if I'm being recommended to age a stick "X" months or years before giving it a try, do I count the delay between rolling and shipping as ageing?

As a corollary, how does one tell the manufacture date on NC sticks? I've seen pictures of boxes with lot codes and dates stamped or branded ito them, but I've not seen that on any of the NC boxes I purchased. As for samplers or 5 or 10 packs, they just show up cellophane packaged.

I've drifted through the threads a bit but haven't really found much data. But it's entirely posdible, nay, probable, that my old self just flat missed it. So I've ascended the mountain seeking enlightenment from the Gurus of the Leaf. What say you, oh wise ones?
 
Just my 2 cents. When it comes to NC don't over think the aging since I don't believe they undergo a sick period. If you are really curious about the date some should have a date code stamped on the bottom on the box and in the case of Padron I want to say they have a small piece of paper of qc/date. If you order a sampler I highly doubt you will be able to figure out a production date.

In most cases, buy a box or a 5/10 count...smoke one and set the rest away. Visit it periodically and see if there has been a positive change. Remember that time is good for some but not all cigars. You do seem to have a lot of questions and I am not sure if I was able to answer any of them to your satisfaction.

In a nutshell...you can smoke NC as soon as you buy them. Will they get better with age? Maybe maybe not..it varies but don't overthink it. If they are tasty smoke them...if you are curious what time will do then bury them in the bottom and find a nice surprise in the future.
 
Thanks! From what I read and hear, I'm getting the impression there's no hard and fast rule on this. I'll just tell my nerdy engineer alter ego to shut up and relax. It'll do him good anyway.
 
Thanks! From what I read and hear, I'm getting the impression there's no hard and fast rule on this. I'll just tell my nerdy engineer alter ego to shut up and relax. It'll do him good anyway.
Really depends on cigar/brand If i could stop smoking them all before they get the chance i would love to age a box or two if Padron 1000 series. They are really good with a few years on them but they are also pretty good fresh. lol
 
Generally speaking, NC tobacco is aged for several years in bale form prior to rolling and then aged as rolled for another 1-3 years prior to release. Extended aging was one of the great innovations in NC cigar production among former Cuban makers who were at least somewhat dissatisfied with the tobaccos they were blending. You should note that this extended aging in bale form generally limits the future aging potential of NCs once rolled. Generally speaking NC cigars 'are what they are' on release, exceptions noted (the Padron x000 line and Fuente Opus being famous exceptions). Nevertheless all things being equal, ligero content, darkness of the wrapper, and overall strength are usually associated with more aging potential, assuming we're talking about quality cigars. Lighter cigars generally peak sooner and often don't hold up to sustained aging.

CCs used to be fresh on release, that is not always the case now. Cohibas for instance are aged 3 years prior to release I believe and are considered ready to smoke. Regular production CCs were thought to be in a "sick" period for 1-2 years after release. As for how to handle regular production CCs beyond that, I'd defer to Min Ron Nee or a guy like Bill who actually does it in scale. There are also insights to be gained inferentially into the fate of various NC's from Min Ron Nee.

An informative article: https://www.cigarsense.com/of-cigar-aging/
 
Keep in mind that it can take a month or three just for the humidity to settle down for any cigars you buy. Sure, I've smoked them 'right off the truck' but it's not the best plan, to be sure.

Juanote's post and link are on the money. A great read, and very worthwhile. I have had some NC's that after seven or eight years tasted flat and lifeless. Joebiech's advice is solid; buy a 5-er, smoke one every few months and you'll get a really good idea how that particular batch of that particular cigar will age. With CC's I bought to really enjoy, I try to wait at least a year and then smoke one every few months and see how things are going.

What kind of engineer are you? EE here. I design server grade network hardware for a "really big" computer company.....
 
Keep in mind that it can take a month or three just for the humidity to settle down for any cigars you buy. Sure, I've smoked them 'right off the truck' but it's not the best plan, to be sure.

Juanote's post and link are on the money. A great read, and very worthwhile. I have had some NC's that after seven or eight years tasted flat and lifeless. Joebiech's advice is solid; buy a 5-er, smoke one every few months and you'll get a really good idea how that particular batch of that particular cigar will age. With CC's I bought to really enjoy, I try to wait at least a year and then smoke one every few months and see how things are going.

What kind of engineer are you? EE here. I design server grade network hardware for a "really big" computer company.....

I want to highlight BBS's post here because he raises an issue that is under appreciated by noobs: RH management. Having a cigar at the right RH in a stable environment is probably the most important factor in your enjoyment of that smoke apart from the marca, and certainly much more important than aging where NCs are concerned anyway. That kind of acclimation cannot be rushed, and no one can tell you what exactly is going to be the right RH for your preferred cigars, your taste buds, and your climate.
 
Yea, there are different kinds of aging particularly for non-Cubans.

Aging in the factory cold room to make finished cigars ready for commercial release - these cigars are ready to smoke once delivered, though sometimes manufacturers rush a product.
Home aging after purchase to extend the aging process started in the manufacturer's cold room - the value of doing this varies widely by release, manufacture, etc
Home aging after purchase to allow the cigars to settle at your preferred temperature and humidity - this is typically less than 3 months and really doesn't count as "age" rather "rest." Sometimes rest transitions into aging, unintentionally, but thats a whole different convo.
 
I want to highlight BBS's post here because he raises an issue that is under appreciated by noobs: RH management. Having a cigar at the right RH in a stable environment is probably the most important factor in your enjoyment of that smoke apart from the marca, and certainly much more important than aging where NCs are concerned anyway. .

Yeah, definitely. That's why keeping cigars in a cooler is a much better option than keeping it in a cheap cabinet humidor that isn't able to regulate the RH very well. I learned that many years ago. I can now afford a humidity/temperature controlled humi, but not back when I started my cigar hobby. Nonetheless, it's all the same concept. Control the humidity and temperature.
 
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