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bocards

I have found that alot of the cigars I have tried (only tried about 50 or so at this posting) that flavors differ from start to finish, but some do not (or I can not tell the difference anyway). Does aging make a big difference as far as the taste from start to finish ? The longest I have aged any smoke is about three weeks....I like to smoke 'em not look at em That being said if aging makes a big difference I might be more inclined to age more and just find an everyday smoke and see what happens....any opinions ?

Bad Andy

Well 3 weeks isn't againg, its more resting. Aging is more like years. And yes the flavor will change over time. Depending on the cigars you are smoking most will evolve while smoking it. Yet some cigars are made to be smoked immediately, others should be rested or aged for a longer periods. Others will chime in on this to give you more details but thats just the basic answers.

rusirius

j0z3r

rusirius:

Usually if you have a very mono flavor throughout, it's probably a cheaper cigar (particularly the machine made ones).

One thing Greg. I don't think a cigar necessarily has to have an evolving flavor profile to be considered good. I've had quite a few cigars that maintain a certain flavor profile from start to finish and they were excellent. Lack of complexity is not a bad thing by any stretch, I always like to put it this way: would you rather have a cigar that changed flavor profiles on you 3-4 times throughout the stick but was really mediocre at best, or would you rather have a cigar that, while it maintains the same flavor profile throughout, is really damn good?

rusirius

j0z3r:

rusirius:

Usually if you have a very mono flavor throughout, it's probably a cheaper cigar (particularly the machine made ones).

One thing Greg. I don't think a cigar necessarily has to have an evolving flavor profile to be considered good. I've had quite a few cigars that maintain a certain flavor profile from start to finish and they were excellent. Lack of complexity is not a bad thing by any stretch, I always like to put it this way: would you rather have a cigar that changed flavor profiles on you 3-4 times throughout the stick but was really mediocre at best, or would you rather have a cigar that, while it maintains the same flavor profile throughout, is really damn good?

Thats a great point Joe, and one that I had completely forgotten about during that post.

urbino

Right. There are some excellent cigars that maintain a consistent flavor throughout, and there are some excellent cigars that change flavors. For me, whether a cigar changes flavors or not is not a sign of its quality or the care that went into its design or manufacture. What counts for me is whether the flavor is good, abundant, and the cigar is well constructed.

rdnstn

Exactly Urbi. As long as there is lots of flavor throughout, I really don't care if it changes or not, although with the right combinations, a nice complex cigar will knock your socks off.

kaspera79

urbino:

Right. There are some excellent cigars that maintain a consistent flavor throughout, and there are some excellent cigars that change flavors. For me, whether a cigar changes flavors or not is not a sign of its quality or the care that went into its design or manufacture. What counts for me is whether the flavor is good, abundant, and the cigar is well constructed.

I like when a cigar keeps me interested with a variation of flavor changes. While I am smoking I look forward to the surprise that the cigar/ blenders will provide. Construction is always important since I don't want to fight the stick for an hour or more. Nice burn, strong ash, and the beauty of the wrapper all increase the pleasure of the smoking experience.

jihiggs

lol, sorry, I had to laugh when I read aged for 3 weeks, the tobaco used in cigars is likely a year old before it even gets rolled. aging is 2 years minimum!

madurofan

Higgs, I strongly disagree. While 3 weeks isn't aging, 3 months very well can be. Anytime the flavor of the cigar changes its been aged. Some cigars can change after a short amount of time others take years. To make a sweeping statement that anything less than 2 years isn't aging is just flat wrong. Some cigars are past their prime at two years.

kuzi16

j0z3r

Capt

jihiggs:

aging is 2 years minimum!

I am going to go with Higgs on this statement. Not much happens to a cigar in 3 months. Maybe an equalization of humidity, but that is it.

kuzi16

madurofan

j0z3r:

Nothing personal maddy, but the statement was a bit overreaching.

I concur. I was trying to point out that his statement was too broad and instead made one myself. What I meant was, IMO, anytime a cigar is stored for the purpose of aging and the flavor of that cigar has changed it has been aged. Whether that takes place in 3 months or 3 years depends on the cigar. We can argue the meaning of aged, and what timelines are correct, etc. Thats all opinion based on personal experience and I love hearing everyone's experiences. However, to say a cigar(being stored for the purpose of aging) does not and cannot change in 3 months is just flat wrong ... PERIOD. Now if your definition of resting allows for some changes in the flavor of the cigar, thats fine but mine does not. I've stated this before but my idea of resting is enough time for the cigar to stabilize in its enviroment, anythign more than that is "aging" TO ME. Now would I pull out a three week out cigar and say it is aged? No but it has done more than just "rested" to me.

j0z3r

Cool, I can dig that one. I've had cigars change over the course of a couple months, so I know it's possible. As you say, people have their own ideas of aging, personally I don't care that much, but all the same I do have a box aging coolerdor to see the effect of age myself.

bocards

Alrighty then !!!!! I seem to have been ignorant with some definitions here about aging or resting. The reason I asked was this....I bought a box of cigars here on Cigar.com after having a cigar from a sampler that I liked. I "rested" the cigars for about three weeks in the humidor once it got here. I smoked the first cigar and it was a bit creamy to my taste in comparison to the sampler....it seemed the more the more the cigars rested (I am unedumacated and this does not even sound right to me!) the more it was the cigar I remeber from the original sampler. Just a thought, but I really appreciate the responses. Thanks, Bo

urbino

I wouldn't feel too bad about it, bo. As you can see, this is something even the relatively old hands still debate.

bocards

Not at all urbino, I asked a question looking for opinions and got a good mix. I ll have to experiment and see what opinions I find closer to what I find out for myself. To me it just seemed a little wierd that some cigars would taste that different over that small amount of time from the same box....I was wondering if I was doing something totally screwy or taste buds were a bit wacky depending on what I ate that day etc. Either way I like debate Thanks, Bo

madurofan

Just to throw this out there. Read this months newsletter, Svenson makes reference to aging a cigar 30 days ...

rusirius

dutyje

Luko

I'll be the first to admit I don't know jack, but I like this line of thinking. It makes sense and is my new raison d'etre.

kuzi16

PuroFreak

I haven't been doing this long enough to really "age" many cigars, but I did have a Gurkha Legend after a little over a year in the box and WOW! Great smoke! I don't know if it would have been better if I had waited longer, but I intend to get a few more and find out. How long a cigar should be aged is a matter of opinion to me and there is no "right" answer to this. If you buy a cigar and smoke it as you are walking out of the store and you enjoy it, then the time at the cash register was enough aging for that person! haha

dutyje

kuzi16

dutyje:

if I like it now I want to smoke it now.

thats actually a good point with aging as well. If a cigar is harsh to you and you put em down to rest for a bit then smoke one ever month or two. when they are good to you smoke the rest of em as fast as you can.

madurofan

Good points, I love this debate. I could continue to stir it up over and over just to see everyone's take. But I agree with duty and kuzi's last statements. Smoke it when it tastes best to you. My only issue with aging ever has been the people that only smoke aged cigars(not you kuzi, while I think 6 weeks is excessive I wouldn't say you only smoke aged cigars) How do you know what the cigar tasted like when it was young, how do you know it wasn't better?

kuzi16

urbino

madurofan:

Good points, I love this debate. I could continue to stir it up over and over just to see everyone's take. But I agree with duty and kuzi's last statements. Smoke it when it tastes best to you.

But that, of course, is the Catch-22 with aging. You don't actually know when a cigar tastes best until it no longer tastes best.

madurofan