Aging vs just storing s stik...

Hawk55

I have noticed in a lot of the threads that the BOTL often talk about letting a cigar "rest"...or aging a cigar for a period of time. Really starting to get a little confused with the aging concept. If a manufacturer produces a box of cigars in say 2005 and it gets to your humidor in 2009...does it have four years aging on it or does it begin to "age' once you open the box and start to "rest" in your humi. I guess I am thinking about boxes or singles that are being kept in a warehouse or somewhere..don't they age while they asre waiting to be sold? any thoughts on this..would love to get responses.

phobicsquirrel

Well I know for some cigars, like you said, it is a release for a few years ago but just now being released due to aging, but when a person gets it, it tastes harsh or is bitty, but after a few months or a few years in their humi at the right conditions it really opens up. I think it's due to being in a stabilized environment or just because smokes taste different to different people at different rh levels. Like I enjoy opus's right from the shop or place where I got them "fresh" but a year or so adds a bit more to it. Others really don't like them that way and prefer them to sit a while.

phobicsquirrel

Kuzi did a great job on many occasions talking about this, as I do believe Alex made a post about it as well.

lilwing88

YankeeMan

Tumbler

I beleive before they roll it the aging begins... "The wrapping of the cigar moves to the next marriatge age. I can tell a deflinite difference as the leave mar together and come up with a little smoother blend -alittle more in tune as the whole.

One2gofst

kuzi16

nightmaremike31

Krieg

I love aging cigars, especially maduros. I bought 30 RP Olde world reserves 2nds a few months ago and and split my order 50.50, aging 15 of them. After one year, I will smoke one of my aged cigars and see if I can tell any differences.

Hawk55

I read a lot of the threads on aging and it seems that thinking varies person to person. It seems that experience will tell best and vary from brand to brand...strength to strength...or according to wrapper type, One thing I don't remember seeing is whether aging occurs above 70 degrees or can aging be accomplished at 65-70 degrees,,,and at what RH?

fla-gypsy

I smoke many ROTT. I do think letting them rest for a few days helps settle down any funky tasting/acting sticks. IMO some sticks get milder when they sit for months. That is not desireable to me. I try to keep a couple of many different sticks in a medium size Humi that I call my special occassion box and some of them will sit a few months sometimes.

kuzi16

nightmaremike31

stephen_hannibal

Hawk55

It actuially looks like we have come full circle on this one> My goal is to keep as many stiks as I possibly can at 65%..and 70% for as long as I can. Keep a journal on my experience with each stik and the time at it's perspective relative humidity and after a year or two or three maybe we can revisit this issue with some more insight. There is already a great deal of info in these threads and hopefully I can add some more as we progress. Great hobby we have here and very open to subjectivity and personal taste. Looking forward to the journey.

kuzi16

a cigar journal or catalog is a very good way to learn a bunch about cigars. i would seriously recommend it to everyone.

Hawk55

Thanks Kuzi..I have journal entries for each cigar I have smoked and find it very beneficial to periodically go back and review where I have been in my journey.