Aging VS Smoking

I have a 3 part question

1) I have noticed that lately most people agree that the best tem / hum ration is somehing like 65/65 rather than 72/72 that was said to be optimal for the past 4-5 years

Why the change ?

2) If I want to age some cigars for 5+ years rather than just keep them in the humi for smoking in the next year what is the optimal temp / hum ratio in that case ?

3) I also just started smoking ISOMs and can clearly see that they have different properties than non ISOM cigars. Will answers to the first 2 questions still hold for ISOMs or is there an adjustment to be made to have the best conditions in the just for ISOM humi ?

Thanks in advance

This is a great question. I have been wondering the same thing. From what I've read on the web it seems that 70% is best for aging and 65% is best for smoking, but I don't know for sure.

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Originally Posted by Shelby07

This is a great question. I have been wondering the same thing. From what I've read on the web it seems that 70% is best for aging and 65% is best for smoking, but I don't know for sure.

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I tend to keep mine at 70% and then let the cigar I want to smoke sit out for a little while before smoking. But I'll be the first to admit that I'm no expert.

N2

it is the feeling of many of the cigar manufacturers that 62-65%rh is better for most of the wrappers that are used today....70-70 was suggested more when most everything was conn or more bland wrappers.....the other thing is...what if your hygrometer is off...says 70...but it's actually higher??.....this way...if it's reading 65 but actually higher by a few percentage points...you're still not dousing the cigar.......62-65% is the way to go....

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Originally Posted by bigpoppapuff

it is the feeling of many of the cigar manufacturers that 62-65%rh is better for most of the wrappers that are used today....70-70 was suggested more when most everything was conn or more bland wrappers.....the other thing is...what if your hygrometer is off...says 70...but it's actually higher??.....this way...if it's reading 65 but actually higher by a few percentage points...you're still not dousing the cigar.......62-65% is the way to go....

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Thanks, does this also hold for aging? and ISOMs ?

Cubans are IMHO better when stored at 62-65% rh. Nothing f**ks up a good cigar worse than being overhumidified,burns and tastes like crap and makes even the best constructed cigar seem plugged

Actually, I always keep my humi between 70-75. It works really well for me. Both ISOM and the others. I have my singles at about 75% and my boxes at 70%. And I've salt tested my hygro's. I find if my stogies are at 65% or less they start cracking as I smoke them because the wrapper leaf drys out:smiley6:

I see for most part people agree that keeping cigars at 65 RH is best unless you are in a very dry climate , and this goes for ISOMs as well.

So the last question is as far as aging to get the cigars to blend better and become a smoother smoke should it be 65 or 70 or will the 5 degree difference not really be niticable in the long run?

Thanks

I would age them at 70%. The lower humidity would probably slow down the fermentation, if not completely stop it. I am not sure though. Its just a guess...

i would NEVER keep cigars at 70%.....62-65%...for ageing and storage....

I agree 70% is way too high for aging or mid term term storage.

Something that hasn't been mentioned in this thread is the ambient humidity: I find a cigar that's very humid can smoke and taste great in very humid environments, but doesn't burn well or taste optimal in dryer ones.

I haven't smoked a Cuban cigar that gained anything from being dryer than 65%, closer to 70% does it for me.

Where I live is so dry the wrapper starts to dry out in no time- If I won't smoke it within a half hour out of the humidor I have to put it in a ziplock bag, and at around 65% the wrapper will fall apart before I get to the last third of the smoke.

I find your comments about modern wrappers really interesting, BPP, as I have no real experience with modern non-cuban cigars. Do the flavours not develop enough if the humidity is too high, or lack in strength?

I like to keep my cigars at, or just under, 70%.
I find I have an unusual amount of wrapper problems, like cracking and peeling, when they're kept any lower, and any higher and they have more burn problems. YMMV

I just started aging cigars back in March when I got my second humidor. I am shooting for 67-70% humidity for long-term aging and will see how that works. I have pledged not to touch a single cigar in there until at least March 07.

Not to steer this in a different direction but, how do you keep the temp down?

Well the obvious ways are to keep it out of direct sunlight, and in the basement. Any other ideas on keeping the temp down?


I know Avallo Humidors has nice humidors with cooling and humidity systems built in:smiley20: http://www.avallohumidors.com/cooled1200.html



These guys have great products. I use their Accumonitor system in my Humi:smiley16: