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Resting

dutyjedutyje Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,263
(If the carriage returns are screwed up in this message, it's because I'm incompetent.. sorry)

Another question for you guys...

What's all this about "resting" your cigars before smoking them? (Settle down, Madurofan -- I understand and can certainly appreciate the concept of "aging" a cigar - I'm talking about something different here). But I've heard it said, and seen on this forum, that you should "rest" a cigar in your humidor for at least 6 week before smoking it. Apparently this helps the flavors to blend, and removes some of the harshness of fresh nicotine.

But I've been wondering -- while these cigars may roll and ship from the factory in the same day, don't they spend a fair amount of time in transit, warehouses, and on the shelves of my local shop? Who's to say that the cigar I just bought this afternoon hasn't been sitting around for 3-4 months? Why is 6 weeks the magic number? Everything I've smoked to this point has been purchased sometime within the preceding 48 hours. Of course, now I've got the little humi all conditioned and it's stocked... most likely I'll allow at least one of those cigars to sit around for the next six weeks (especially since I'll be travelling to Colorado shortly sans smokes). I suppose at that point I will taste and understand the glorious benefit of this six-week "rest" but to me at this point, it sounds more like silly pretentious mumbo jumbo than anything else. Six weeks? Does it really make that big a difference? Six months or years, I could absolutely see that.. but six weeks?

This has bugged me because my perception of it goes against the grain of who I am as a person. I'm the least pretentious person you'll ever meet. If I like something, it's because it is good -- not because I look good with it. To pound this point home with a sledgehammer, my beer of choice is Schlitz (the beer that made Milwaukee famous.. not the malt liquor with the blue bull). For some reason I like a few sissy-Mary drinks like a good Mai Tai... I prefer a well-aged rum or tequila as a sipper over Scotch. And I like my stogies with a full body that socks you in the jaw and lets you know you're still alive. But I'll smoke 'em right outta the shop, dammit!

Yeah, so anyway... educate me on what I've missed with this resting thing. I promise I'll do my own research as well. Make me a recommendation, and I'll pick two of them up next week. I'll smoke one right away, and I'll save one for my birthday, which is in about 8-9 weeks. Then I'll compare.. what should I expect?

Thanks again, guys!
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Comments

  • j0z3rj0z3r Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 9,403
    This is one of those things a person develops based on what works for them. When you are talking about resting, I like to give mine 2-3 weeks just to settle from being in a different environment and then in transit. You'll see 6 weeks from some people as that will give the cigars ample time to acclimate well to your specific humidor conditions. That's the main reasoning as I've understood it.
  • dutyjedutyje Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,263
    j0z3r:
    This is one of those things a person develops based on what works for them. When you are talking about resting, I like to give mine 2-3 weeks just to settle from being in a different environment and then in transit. You'll see 6 weeks from some people as that will give the cigars ample time to acclimate well to your specific humidor conditions. That's the main reasoning as I've understood it.
    Why would I need it to acclimate well to my humidor conditions when I'm about to light it on fire an suck on it? Is it because it gives my cigars a consistent baseline temperature and humidity level on which to experience the flavor/burn? I could see it being much easier (and more valid) to compare two stick that have had the chance to acclimate to identical conditions. But as far as the quality and character of an individual smoke, I don't see how acclimation to my humidor is particularly relevant. (forgive me, I'm a bit slow sometimes).
  • j0z3rj0z3r Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 9,403
    Well, like I said it falls under one of those preference things. Some of the reasons I've seen are that some people feel cigars smoke better at a lower humidity than they were stored at, for example if cigar.com stores their cigars at 72% RH but I like to smoke them at 63%, then letting them rest in my preferred conditions will be the way I'd want to go.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Damn duty did you have to call me out? I like to think I am not pretentious at all, let me know if I am though. I don't like to follow the guidelines and rules of smoking, I do what I like. I experiment with these rules to see what if any difference it makes and go from there.

    Now onto your question about resting. "Resting" to the best of my knowledge is not a technical term so peoples opinions may vary on exactly what it means but this is my take. Resting generally means they are letting it settle into their preferred RH. Most people have a particular RH they like to smoke their stick at. For example Kuzi likes his sticks at, I think, its 64%, I prefer mine at 70%. Kuzi could explain to you why he likes them at that RH but I'll tell why I like mine at 70. I've played with my RH a few different times I had it as low as 64 and as high as 72. I have personally found that at 70% my cigars seem to encounter less burn issues, again this is just my opinion. This is how I came to that conclusion though, I bought 5 RP Sungrowns all from the same box, smoked one before it ever hit my humidor, then stuck the rest in the humidor which was at 72% at the time and let them sit for a week and smoked another, a week later after changing to 70% smoked another then one at 68% etc. I found that the cigars burned the coolest with the least burn issues at 70%, so I try to maintain my cigars at 69-70%. Now all that said I don't buy into the six weeks thing, one week is plenty for me, if it takes longer than one week to get the RH right IMO then you need to look at changing your humidor setup. But everyone is entitled to their opinion and thats all this is is an opinion. Now some people talk about resting a cigar and they are actually talking about aging. IMO when you are letting a cigar marry thats aging.

    Also I am a big advocate of smoking a cigar three times before writing it off, first straight from the B&M, second after a week(or whatever your resting time may be), third after a few months or years whatever you think is appropriately aged.

    Finally I'll tell you that I regularly walk into the B&M pick up a stick and smoke it right then and thoroughly enjoy it. i just think to do a proper review, especially taking how it burns into consideration, you should let it rest. THats just my opinion but Ihope it was helpful.
  • dutyjedutyje Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,263
    madurofan:
    Damn duty did you have to call me out? I like to think I am not pretentious at all, let me know if I am though.
    No way Madurofan.. I don't think you're pretentious at all. That's what I like about this forum, is it seems everybody on here thinks rationally about the hobby and understands the reasons behind preferences of one way versus another. I just wanted to make sure I was clear that I wasn't talking about aging cigars, and I've seen you mention that you have quite a collection of cigars you intend to age. Like I said, I fully understand the concept of aging, but resting seems different to me.
  • dutyjedutyje Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,263
    Oh, yeah.. I forgot to mention that your response was spot-on what I was looking for. I can definitely see the change in humidity levels being something that, through preference, someone would want to allow their cigars to rest a bit. Although I'm with you that this shouldn't take any longer than a week. And j0z3r pretty much hit on the same point. It's preference. Since I have no knowledge or experience in this yet, I will use the summer to play around with it a bit. Thanks again for the thorough response. Sorry again for calling you out... I just wanted to razz a bit because I knew you'd see my post sooner rather than later :)
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    I meant to put LOL after that. I was hoping you were kidding around.

    I am growing quite a collection but I wouldn't say I intended to age them as much as they are getting aged because I can't smoke as quick as I buy lol.

    Did what I said about resting making sense?
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    i see my work here is done....





    he he
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Don't apologize man, like I said I meant to put LOL. Try what I did using 5 of your favorite cheaper cigars. If you're like me and can't remember your own name half the time, take notes on each cigar as you smoke it.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    kuzi16:
    i see my work here is done....





    he he
    LOL I am curious about your resting time kuzi. How long do you consider resting before it becomes aging?
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    i think before you were on this forum there was a thread about this. her is the short short shot short version: I wont smoke a cigar that i put in my humidor any sooner than 6 weeks.
    6 weeks - 18 months is rest. (depending on the cigar)
    1 year (yes i know this is shorter than 18 months) - 20 years is age
    15 years (again i know its shorter) on could be "overage"

    there is overlap because some cigars age faster than other due to how strong it is. a full bodied cigar will mellow, a very mild one will mellow all the flavor out.

    overage is simple: cigars are a 100% natural product. from the moment the leaves are picked they begin to break down (no matter what conditions they are kept in). the longer they are in existance, the more they break down. a great cigar will "peak" in flavor and then go down hill.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Really you consider up to 18 months resting? Our definition of resting must vary because IMO 18 months would drastically change the flavor aof most any cigar.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    the diploma doent change that much after 18 months. and cigars in tubes age very slowly. 18 months wont do much there either.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Just curious, is this just your opinion or is it based on professional research? I'm referring to whats aging vs. resting and overage.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Well tubos cigars are tubed for that purpose to retain the same characteristics. I've seen a couple manufacturers say to age a tubo you have to take it out of the tube.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    madurofan:
    I've seen a couple manufacturers say to age a tubo you have to take it out of the tube.
    ive seen me saying to age a tubo you leave it in there in your humi for 20ish years.
    slow aged.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    hmmm ... maybe .... did you see my post before that one?
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    madurofan:
    Just curious, is this just your opinion or is it based on professional research? I'm referring to whats aging vs. resting and overage.
    mostly my opinion but a bit of input from alex and a few cigar rags.


    post 700... Maduro will get to 800 before me.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Could you point me in the direction of this info? I want to know the theory behind that.


    I'm going offline for 10 days tomorrow. You should get 900 while I'm gone.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    i wanna say it was in a pod cast. I cant tell you what one... or was it on the old amback forum. Honestly i dont know, i just remember alex talking about very well aged tubos one day.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    madurofan:
    You should get 900 while I'm gone.
    iduno... you are the one i respond to the most in here. you leave my post count slows down. ... ill do my best to keep up. maybe ill have 999 when I go on vacation in 8 days and when i return my first post vacation post will be the 100th post contest... thats a good goal.
    and a lot of posting.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Do it man that'd be awesome.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    The tubos thing is fine, I've heard similiar I want to know if your scale of aging vs. resting vs. overage is based on research or opinion? Bc I strongly disagree with what you're calling resting but I'd like to see any research you may have done. I could likely be missing somethign.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    oh... thats pure opinion. I just foud that one year oa a cigar that is full flavored (most of what i smoke) does very little. I have a rule for my aging humidor: if its been in there less than a year i cant take it out to smoke.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Ok thats cool. If its opinion thats understandable. I found that Olde World Reserve Natural aged VERY poorly after only 8 months. It lost a lot of its pepper and turned from Earthy to barnyard. Just my opinion but the same is true with an MX2 after only a couple months it loses its pepper.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    I'm also about to do the same thing you do though seperate my humis between aging cigars and resting cigars. right now they're just scattered about and the dates of entry are not exact just kind of month year written on a piece of paper on top of the humis.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    when i get a bunch of cigars i take one oe each kind and put it in the aging humi. so far its worked out well. because of this i have had several aged cigars that i otherwise wouldnt have had.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Piece of advice don't rest that illusione too long it does not rest nor age well. I've read interviews where the guy that came up with it specifically states he designed a cigar that was supposed to be at its peak when it hits the shelf. He's a tobacconist owner so he wanted a cigar to hand his customers to smoke right that minute.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Thats what I'm thinking of doing basically. I've also thought about tagging my cigars in case I stick two of the same cigar in there I'll know which is which.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    madurofan:
    Piece of advice don't rest that illusione too long it does not rest nor age well. I've read interviews where the guy that came up with it specifically states he designed a cigar that was supposed to be at its peak when it hits the shelf. He's a tobacconist owner so he wanted a cigar to hand his customers to smoke right that minute.
    ill smoke that early next week then.
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