Darkening with age?

[daverave999]

As I've managed to leave some cigars alone in the humi to age for a while, I've noticed some of them have gotten darker. Is this normal? Desirable?

It's almost as if they are marbled in different shades of brown. They seem to taste better than those that haven't. Has anyone else experienced this?

I couldn't find much information either way on the web...

[Stevieboy]

I've found this can happen but only if I can manage to leave them alone for long enough LOL...I think it's the oils within the cigar coming to the surface and giving the marbled effect you mention Dave...I believe bloom is the next stage which occurs when some of the oil evaporates and the solid, powdery bloom is deposited on the surface....this is from memory so don't quote me

[Stogiedog]

Dave, yep I had a few that had aged well they turned dark brown and yes I much prefered those older smokes.

Moral of the story let um age before smoking, that said some cigars smoke better younger and vice versa.

Not that I'm any kind of expert.................

[daverave999]

Thanks for the replies guys. At least I'm not the only one!

[cesara valverde]

As others ahve said: this definitely happens.

By far the most common cause is that wetter cigars will be darker. If your humidity is higher than the humidity of the cigars when you bought them then they will get darker.

If you have been aging them for 5+ years and they have been getting progressively darker then it could well be oils.

If they're tasting better then who cares? Good on ya'