So to follow on - what Cuban cigars do need aging to get the best?

[Kickback]

What are your absolute favourite Cuban cigars that you have had to age to get the best out of them?
What was the difference and why was it much better?

[K444HEP]

What are your absolute favourite Cuban cigars that you have had to age to get the best out of them?
What was the difference and why was it much better?

From my limited experience, nearly all CCs will benefit from aging. Personally, the aged sticks I have picked up are smoother and more nuanced in terms of flavours, leading to a more enjoyable smoke.

Cohiba, in particular, seem to need laying down for years before their true potential comes to the fore. PLPC has caramel flavours that shine when aged (I've had one with three years on it) and ERDM has some nice dessert like flavours (the oldest I've had from this marca was a 2003 Grandes De Espana; amazing and the first time my eyes were opened to the wonders of an aged cigar)

I now tend to look for cigars with some age on them or LEs where the tobacco is already aged for two years before release.

[PeeJay]

Apart from the Aristocrats I tend to only like Partagas with a good few years on them. I also have a box of JLs that I'm aging but purely because the first ones I smoked were aged and I'm looking for that flavour again.

[TonyN]

I age all my Cuban cigars while smoking the one's that are aged already .

[ha_banos]

I've not had a bad Cuban with anything from a year to 40 years of age on it! Maybe I've been lucky. There have been a few where I've not been a fan of the taste. But wasn't a 'bad' cigar. So my limited experience they all get better with age!

Some I've liked a lot of what I've tried ranging from 2 years to 40! I don't keep a diary very well, so these are approx years old. All which I've noted I liked and would love to get hold of more to try around that age.

Punch Ninfas 15 years
Punch Series D'oro no. 2 4 years

Partagas 898 unvarnished >10 years
Davidoff not sure which one 40years
Montecristo C 14 years
Cohiba Esplendido ?
Cohiba Robusto 3 years
Monte 2 8 years

But of course there's no guarantee they'll taste the same again!

Not quite what you asked for. I've not really had enough that I've aged and have experience over the years. Apart from the Monte 2. I've been through two boxes and have only 2 left. They just were better as the years piled on!

[sheppsea]

I agree, most CCs need a few years on them at least - I generally go for five

Although, I am in the minority as I think between five and 10 years is when they're at their best - beyond that is unnecessary. I think [MENTION=13402510]ValeTudoGuy[/MENTION] once said the idea of vintage, 20 years aged etc is a way to sell tasteless old cigars for an inflated price, and I must I admit I do tend to agree with him

[TJCoro]

Top Tube.

Easily one of the best aged-puros I've smoked in my young puffin' career was a tubed Bolivar Royal Corona! I remember reading in don TJ's journals that puros in tubes age best but require more time - minimum of 5 years. He's right! The one I enjoyed had more than 5 years and was easily a top smoke!

The two brands (marcas) that absolutely require one year at a minimum are the Trinidad and the Cohiba...based on my own experience, of course (as opposed to something I read in the don's journals).


Bag Boy

[Horsebox]

I've found that most Cohiba smoke much better with 5+ years on them. A Siglo 6 with 1 year on it was very disappointing, as was a Behike 52 with 2 years. A Siglo 3 with 10+ years was sublime and damn near perfect. Unscientific, perhaps, but I've heard this echoed on here and elsewhere. Though the recent Maduro 5 secretos from a split that [MENTION=13452540]Shaun[/MENTION] arranged were lovely with 3 (I think) years on them.

I've also had a Mag 46 from 2004 that smoked amazingly in 2015 and another from they same box a year later that was tasteless and disappointing.

[mcdee]

I've heard that El Rey Del Mundo Demi Tasse have some of the best ageing potential. I think the same goes for stronger, full flavoured brands such as Partagas, Bolivar, Ramon Allones, etc.

[dvickery]

As others have stated ... all habanos will benefit from at least 3 years of rest .

note well : all cigars are aged by me ... I do not buy vintage smokes .

for me ...

i find that about '89 to about '93 to be the magic time period right now .
'94 to '96 are pretty much all mature now .
with '97 and '98 cigars ... some (most but not all) have moved to the next level .

also ... be aware that some cigars (dress boxes in particular) age faster than others .

the slowest aging cigars I have found are the ryj cazadore ... a recently opened box from '00 smoke like good 5 year old smokes (be aware of the extra time that cigars sealed in tinfoil take to mature !!! ) .

derrek

[Gus Fring]

The idea of letting cigars age for any length of time is pretty ridiculous to me. I work as an engineer in the whisky industry. Ageing cigars is like distilling malt liquor, bottling it and selling it to a customer so they can hold onto it for 12 years before they drink it. Nah, thanks.

[Budgie Smuggler]

It doesn?t age in the bottle though, so slightly different in this case.

[Gus Fring]

It doesn’t age in the bottle though, so slightly different in this case.

Well sure. Same end result though.

[Simon Bolivar]

Well sure. Same end result though.

Sorry don't understand Gus, Habanos cigars are sold with minimal age & there 2-3 yrs patience will see notable change, no change in a whiskey once it's been bottled.
For Kickback, Hoyo's are notably better at 5yrs old, especially Epi No2's being a prime example. Bolis & Cohiba's as already mentioned by others reward patience well. RA's & Party's running up. Long term ageing 20yrs+ ERDM take some beating, which might surprise those who think only ht efull flav cigars are worth ageing.

[dvickery]

I work as an engineer in the whisky industry

Simple fact is ... aging cigars changes them ... if these changes are what you like then by all means age your cigars ... if you don't like the changes with time then smoke fresh cigars .

saying "I are an engineer ... " is kind of pompous .

engineer for an oil company for 30 years
derrek