Dating Cigars

[TheGreekTitan]

I will be celebrating my 10th wedding anniversary next month, so I don't date cigars. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

All joking aside...I just read another informative review by Will. Jamie asked what year the cigar was, and Will promptly answered with the month and year of said cigar. I also recently purchased a couple great deals from Paddy when he put them up for sale. Each cigar he sent me had a sticker with a month and year on it. When I received the package it was the first thing I noticed. I thought about it a bit, and felt

1. This man must have A LOT of cigars.
2. When would be the best year and month to smoke this one? (Honestly, joking with myself at first, but really thinking about it shortly thereafter.)
3. What is the benefit to the time and effort? Is it really that important, and does it really make that much difference? What is the difference?
and
4. I wanna HERF with Paddy.

What I've come up with so far:
1. Yep, I bet he does.
2. I think there are so many variables, I don't know if there could possibly be a correct answer for this one.
3. I definitely believe there are major benefits, just not exactly sure what.
and
4. Yep, definitely wanna HERF with Paddy.

I guess the answer to the question I'm most curious about is #3. Any thoughts to help a newbie out?

[ggiese]

You're forcing folks to write a long post to answer your question #3...

But - in a short illustration - it's not unlike why some folks like to age wine.

[badwhale]

#3

It's up to you.

Some cigars need time. Others suffer from time. Some turn from nothing much to absolutely nothing.

Just smoke them. Now, later, whenever and see what happens.

This has been a public service announcement from badwhale.

[JiveTurkey]

I date my cigars on a spreadsheet, mainly out of curiosity. I've already got way more cigars than I could smoke in a lifetime (at my current rate), so my cigars all age without me even trying.

[cinda]

In the beginning I used to do a lot more trading and buying and or gifting and I would get cigars that had the date right on them with a hand written tag. I would think wow this is over the top. You guys are probably going to laugh and say how could she ever even attempt to answer this post but I have read, gifted and listen to what people have said. In fact because I do not smoke I know my cigars get pretty old if I do not send them out and I know age is not necessary a good thing. I imagine a cigar is similar to to wine. Some wine is what it will always be, and other wines will get worse or better with age. I presume the time you spend within the culture of cigars and the efforts you place in understanding what you enjoy will eventually answer your question. What an opportunity a board like this gives to people, now able to voyage into trades with all different kinds of people and effectively try different cigars as well as different ages to the same cigar. Lets face it not everyone has the self control as well as the funds to buy enough to age the cigars they enjoy. Take a PadronMaduro 1926 CC's favorite. After a year of resting those cigars change and not for the good. It's a great cigar to most but that is one cigar that too much age will weaken the taste. I got that from just reading what you guys have said over the years. So I guess the answer to your question does it really matter if the cigar is aged? It going to be a personal preference of what you like and what you don't like and you never know what that is if you did not have the opportunity to trade with a cosmopolitan group of individuals that you come to know on CigarSmokers the greatest board in the world....Is Hex looking ? I hope so...smiles

[TheGreekTitan]

You're forcing folks to write a long post to answer your question #3...

But - in a short illustration - it's not unlike why some folks like to age wine.

Aw, c'mon. I'm not forcing, and I've seen you write wayyyyyyy longer posts than this one. Plus, you make a very valid point. I've compared cigars to fine wines in the past, but honestly don't think I have in this context. Great point, and thank you.

#3

It's up to you.

Some cigars need time. Others suffer from time. Some turn from nothing much to absolutely nothing.

Just smoke them. Now, later, whenever and see what happens.

This has been a public service announcement from badwhale.

See, I guess this cuts to the chase, and part of what truly intrigues me about cigars. The fact that there is a proper time (for some, most, or all cigars) and an improper time (for some, most, or all cigars) to smoke said cigar is what I'm trying to figure out. I do find it interesting that you said..."some need"..."some suffer"..."some turn from nothing to absolutely nothing". Where is the "some are so much better"..."some are incredible".."some kick my ass"...etc? Maybe I'm just in a foul mood today (which I am), but this really does cross my mind. And I do understand...I think. I just want to learn and understand more. Cart before the horse, I know.

I date my cigars on a spreadsheet, mainly out of curiosity. I've already got way more cigars than I could smoke in a lifetime (at my current rate), so my cigars all age without me even trying.

Well, that's cuz you only smoke Partagas Black Prontos'. I've got a great friend like you that has a humi that is always full, and in a way I am envious.


...snip

I imagine a cigar is similar to to wine. Some wine is what it will always be, and other wines will get worse or better with age. I presume the time you spend within the culture of cigars and the efforts you place in understanding what you enjoy will eventually answer your question. CigarSmokers the greatest board in the world....Is Hex looking ? I hope so...smiles

Thank you Cinda, and very well said. I plan on smoking plenty more cigars, and contemplating them as I go. What a hobby!

[JiveTurkey]

A
Well, that's cuz you only smoke Partagas Black Prontos'. I've got a great friend like you that has a humi that is always full, and in a way I am envious.

Yep, that's true. After your post, I had to make sure I still had at least a couple tins in the coolidor (not counting the tin in the humi).

[kingbeefy]

I just started getting serious about cigars a year ago June, so I am very much still a newbie to the hobby. Early on I was keeping up with my cigars on a spreadsheet but it didn't last long. It made it feel too much like work for me so I abandoned it. I do however admire the ones who can keep up with their cigars like that and still enjoy it. The element of surprise I have found really enhances the experience for me. I have even gone as far as to intentionally keep my cigars very unorganized so when I dig through them for something to smoke I might be surprised by what I find.

I am still fascinated when I see an experienced smoker make a comment like, "this cigar would be amazing with a few years of age". Why certain ones would be better with a year, some would be better with several years, and some are as good as they are going to get now and how the old timers are identifying these smoke still intrigues me.

Are there any general rules to aging certain types of fillers, wrappers, sizes, CC's, NC's, etc?

[kingbeefy]

Also, I am very happily married, but if anything ever happened and I found myself single again I would probably be content to just date cigars. :)

[Paddy]

Sorry for the delay in responding. Wife and I took a last minute to a warm country with palm tress & tequila.
Dating the cigars is just a hbit I got into. I do have a very large stash of cigars and dating the helps me from accidently smoking ones that are new and have not had time to adjust, as well as seeing if time improves the smoke or hurts it.

[CptnBlues63]

I just started getting serious about cigars a year ago June, so I am very much still a newbie to the hobby. Early on I was keeping up with my cigars on a spreadsheet but it didn't last long. It made it feel too much like work for me so I abandoned it.

LOL - I'm the same way. I kept it up for a while but found it too much like work. Mostly I started that sheet to keep track of what I did like, and didn't like but it quickly became moot as I seem to remember what I like quite well.

Having said that. My own experience with aging is simple enough. A couple years back I went to Las Vegas and on the advice of someone on this board, I stopped at the Fuente store at Caesar's Palace casino for a cigar and mohito combination. While there, I bought 4 of the "house" Fuente cigars. I smoked one later that day and thought, "This is ok, not great, but ok" A few months later, I smoked another one and had the exact same reaction. I forgot about them for a while so it was almost two years later I lit another one of the remaining two and was stunned by how good it was.

I hadn't aged that on purpose, I just had been smoking other cigars and the two were buried under a few others and I forgot about them. So aging certainly helped that particular cigar out. I hope the same remains true for the last one which I'm kind of saving for a special occasion.

[TheGreekTitan]

...snip
I am still fascinated when I see an experienced smoker make a comment like, "this cigar would be amazing with a few years of age". Why certain ones would be better with a year, some would be better with several years, and some are as good as they are going to get now and how the old timers are identifying these smoke still intrigues me.

Guess I just have to smoke a whole lot more cigars.

[kingbeefy]

Guess I just have to smoke a whole lot more cigars.

Looks like the "old timers" aren't going to give up any secrets here. I guess I'll just have to smoke a whole more too. Oh well.

[kingbeefy]

LOL -

Having said that. My own experience with aging is simple enough. A couple years back I went to Las Vegas and on the advice of someone on this board, I stopped at the Fuente store at Caesar's Palace casino for a cigar and mohito combination. While there, I bought 4 of the "house" Fuente cigars. I smoked one later that day and thought, "This is ok, not great, but ok" A few months later, I smoked another one and had the exact same reaction. I forgot about them for a while so it was almost two years later I lit another one of the remaining two and was stunned by how good it was.

After this post I smoked a Casa Fuente double corona that I bought in February. I thought it was noticeably better than what I had while I was there.

[Paddy]

Looks like the "old timers" aren't going to give up any secrets here. I guess I'll just have to smoke a whole more too. Oh well.

As your pallete developes you be able to tell when a cigar is "green". There are certain flavor profiles that go along with cigars that have "NOT YET REACHED THIER MATURITY". I am in no way an expert in such matters. But I have been smoking for over a decade. and have had the pleasure of massive cigar inventories. It has just become a habit to date all my cigars, singles and boxes alike.

[ashauler]

Too strong, or acrid, or imbalanced......let it sit for a bit. Taste sweet, reminds you of freshly cut hay, with an almost cloying "room note".......let it sit for a bit. Does one aspect of the flavor profile overwhelm another...i.e. spice is over the top.....let it sit for a bit.

[ggiese]

...and if it smells like ammonia, put that baby away for at least a year.

[ggiese]

Looks like the "old timers" aren't going to give up any secrets here. I guess I'll just have to smoke a whole more too. Oh well.

It is impossible to impart experience. That's something you must develop for yourself.

...aging is not a bad thing - unless you're trying to age White Owls. They're made to smoke the way they smoke regardless of how long you leave them around.

[Mizicke5273]

I got a label maker that I use to print out the date and slap on the ass of the box. And I usually only date boxes. I'll do singles if they are special or if I lnow they do better with some down time.

[tonygraz]

I've never dated cigars---don't expect them to last long enough to justify it. I did buy some honduran factory maduro corojos from JR two or three years ago that were 8.5-9.0 inches long. I smoke them when I go fishing. They didn't burn well, and I put them away. When I found some late this summer they had taken on a strong aroma they didn't have before so I smoked one. It was better tasting and burned better. Obviously they needed aging. I do keep invoices, so if it's not something I buy on a regular basis, I can go back and look to see when they were purchased.
THat does remind me that I have a couple of boxes of J. Marti's buried in a humidor that are at least 2 years aged.