Resting ISOM's

[jayro75]

I took the ISOM plunge about a month ago and received 2 boxes so far. Now I know alot of people say to wait 30-60 days before incinerating them but was wondering when they really become smokable? The reason I'm asking is I'm not sure if I can wait much longer.

 

[Jonesy]

Some are excellent straight out of the box while others seem a bit acidic or acrid. I always break the box open and smoke one when I first get them to see if it's a box I want to enjoy now or let rest for a year or two.

 

[Mabpi]

I took the ISOM plunge about a month ago and received 2 boxes so far. Now I know alot of people say to wait 30-60 days before incinerating them but was wondering when they really become smokable? The reason I'm asking is I'm not sure if I can wait much longer.

They are "smokable" now. How much you will enjoy them at this time is the question. Quick fix is to try one and see what ya think. Ageing them wouldn't hurt but in the meantime make sure you have something to smoke.....Enjoy.

 

[Rod]

Smoke them now. If you wait too long, the cigars will enter their "sick period" and begin fermenting, which will result in a horrible rancid taste. Sick period lasts about 6 months to a year. After that, they'll taste good again, and will continue to age.

 

[amateuraficionado]

I thought all cigar tobacco was fermented prior to rolling. I've always been under the impression that if it wasn't, it would more than likely be unpallatable to most. Is this not the case? Is some tobacco not fermented prior to rolling?

 

[jayro75]

Thanks for the replies! It looks like my Robusto sampler is going to start disappearing when I get home tonight. I need to figure out what I like before really ordering boxes.

How long after packaging do they typically become "sick"? I have a box of Monte 2's that was part of this order and the first one I smoked tasted so terribly that I had to put it out and brush my teeth twice. I smoked another one a week later and it was pretty good.

Sorry for the newb questions but I am a newb after all!

 

[amateuraficionado]

Thanks for the replies! It looks like my Robusto sampler is going to start disappearing when I get home tonight. I need to figure out what I like before really ordering boxes.

How long after packaging do they typically become "sick"? I have a box of Monte 2's that was part of this order and the first one I smoked tasted so terribly that I had to put it out and brush my teeth twice. I smoked another one a week later and it was pretty good.

Sorry for the newb questions but I am a newb after all!

That may just be the inconsistency of the Monte #2, which apparently seems to be almost as legendary as the cigar itself. Glad you got a good one the second time around..... after several of these I've just about all but given up hope.

 

[Jonesy]

I thought all cigar tobacco was fermented prior to rolling. I've always been under the impression that if it wasn't, it would more than likely be unpallatable to most. Is this not the case? Is some tobacco not fermented prior to rolling?

From my understanding, most NC's are already fermented because the tobacco is usually well aged as to where the Cubans don't do the aging as others do

 

[Rod]

Most NC's are rolled with pre-aged tobacco, whereas Cuban cigars are typically rolled with very young tobacco. Most NC's are ready to smoke when you get them. Cuban cigars are usually smokeable in the first few months, then after that, you'll start noticing a change in taste. It will go through the fermentation process, ammonia will be released OUT of the cigar, and the tobacco blend will marry. After about a year or so, the cigar will taste good again. The longer you let it age, the more mellow it becomes.

Monte 2 is a great example... Got a fresh box in '06, smoked a couple and they were great. After about 2 months, I smoked another one but had to extinguish it as it tasted horrible. Waited a few more months, still tasted bad. Today, those cigars are now one of my favorites in the humidor - of course they now have over 2 years of age on them, ammonia scent is gone, and the tobacco has married quite well.

NC's - usually ready to smoke when you get them, and don't require much aging.

Cubans - general rule of thumb is smoke them within the first 3 months; after that you'll notice a change in taste, and they will require about 1 year of aging before they will be smokeable again.

Not all cigars are the same; though I hope this helps answer your question.

Oh, and always leave the cello ON! Just my opinion.

 

[jayro75]

How much of a toll does shipping take on cigars? If I understand your post correctly my June '07 Monte's should be smokable. Could the conditions of travel from other parts of the world have effected them temporarily?

 

[Mike33]

While Rod and Brian make good points about Cubans not having the aged tobacco as their NC counterparts, the dreaded "sick period" is not nearly as prevalent in Cubans nowadays. They introduced aged fillers (and maybe binders?) in late '06, so the "sick" period is not as pronounced and in most cases, not even noticeable anymore. For a lot of them, however, the cigar still needs time to marry and this can take a week, a month, a decade depending on your palate and the cigar. But, like they said, smoke one whenever you get it and form your own opinion.

 

[Rod]

How much of a toll does shipping take on cigars? If I understand your post correctly my June '07 Monte's should be smokable. Could the conditions of travel from other parts of the world have effected them temporarily?

From what I hear, most REPUTABLE retailers ship via FedEX (or similar carrier) and you'll have it in your hands within 2 days. Shipping usually poses no threat. Unless the cigars are going to be shipped some slow route, probably not a good idea to order them in the heat of summer. REPUTABLE is the keyword.

 

[sinnyc]

I took the ISOM plunge about a month ago and received 2 boxes so far. Now I know alot of people say to wait 30-60 days before incinerating them but was wondering when they really become smokable? The reason I'm asking is I'm not sure if I can wait much longer.

I think there is a bit of a misunderstanding in this thread. The 30-60 day "waiting period" jayro describes above is different from aging.

Many people suggest letting newly arrived cigars "rest" for a while (from a week or two to a couple of months depending on who you talk to) before smoking them in order to stabilize and adjust to the new temperature and humidity levels in their new home: your humidor. This resting period is not the same thing as long term aging which is the practice of letting cigars sit unsmoked in your humidor, generally for periods of a year or (potentially much) longer.

My own habit is to always let newly arrived cigars (NC or CC) sit for a week or more before I sample them. My own experience and testing leads me to believe it is beneficial but I know some people think its an old wives tale. To each his own. If my intent is to age them, I label the box, stuff it in my humidor, and try not to look at it until my all-too-small store of my patience is exhausted

- Tim

 

[Snoozer]

Wow you learn something new everyday. :thumbs: Thanks Rod I wasn't aware of that.

 

[Gonz]

Alot of this has to do with the age of the cigars to start. If I got a box with a July or August '08 box code, I'd wait a few days to let it settle down in my humidor then go ahead and feel free to light one up. Maybe smoke a couple to get an idea of how they taste, then hide the box away for a while just in case it enters a "sick period". If I rec'd a box from very early '08 or late '07, I'd inspect it then hide it away for a year or so.

But I don't smoke any cuban cigars myself so this is all just theory. :thumbs:

 

[grateful1]

Cigars keep 'curing'(sp) until they are ash. - note I did not say 'fermenting'!

There's a point of 'downturn' some say after 20+ years, others longer...in which the cigar just fades away.

It all depends on your taste. Try it young and new and old...see the differences. After a while you may get to know which 'young ones' will taste good when aged.

Here's some tangent information.

 

[whopper]

Ok so the CC's are going to release ammonia during the "sick period". Then should one separate the CC's from the NC's? Will the release of the ammonia affect the NC's or any other cigars in an adverse way?

edit: spelling

 

[amateuraficionado]

Thanks for the info guys, very much appreciated.

So would I be correct in assuming that most, if not all tobacco goes through a sick period? Does the following statement have merit?

Since the tobacco used in the production of cc's is generally younger than the tobacco used for nc's, then it might be correct to assume that much of the tobacco used in the production of nc's goes through it's sick period before it is actually even rolled into a cigar.

Let's discuss. :sign:

edit:spelling

 

[Rod]

Ok so the CC's are going to release ammonia during the "sick period". Then should one separate the CC's from the NC's? Will the release of the ammonia affect the NC's or any other cigars in an adverse way?

edit: spelling

Entirely up to you. I keep fresh cigars from certain country's in a particular cooler, while I keep other cigars in the cabinet. The release of ammonia is subtle, and I doubt it'll affect your other cigars.

 

[dvickery]

i realize the original question was about the wait for smokes to get over travel shock.
it appears to be well answered.

there is so much info about further aging and the sick period.
i thought i would add some food for thought.

for cigars that are (more or less)42rg.
there is another sick period to contend with.most 3 year old smokes are a pretty good to really good smoke.then they go through a bland/blah/boring period(this is what i feel is the second "sick"period)for a few years.seems to me(once again...for about 42rg cigars)that the 99's and 00's have just started to come out of this particular funk...01's are coming around nicely too.

4 to 7 lete em sit
derrek