Cubans that are good when smoked young?

[tippexx]

Regular production now is generally excellent and doesn't really need ageing to be smokeable, it's up to personal preference.

Then I would disagree with you Greg. Rather than excellent I would use the word 'acceptable', what has been improved is the smoking characteristic ie. less failures and plugs.

Is the notion of using 2 year aged tobacco new, I doubt it. I think it's more likely a return to something Cuba used to do before it got caught up in quotas and rush production. A fact spun as a benefit and no more. A bit like suggesting using a stack of two year old bricks will lend a patina of age to a new build.

Cuban cigars do need time to improve, and that's all of them including Behike. And Monk was right to mention the leaf. We know how the old leaf aged and cigars from back then are highly desirable. Early days yet with new leaf stuff, the danger being the unknown, and that years rather than bringing a stepped improvement will bring a gradual degrading in quality.

As Meatloaf would say. Nothing really rocks and nothing really rolls. The moral being if you find something you like smoke it and enjoy it, don't worry if it's old or young and don't try to second guess or predict because the chances of getting it right or wrong are equal and life's far to short as it is.

[butternutsquashpie]

Fresh rolled cigars (Customs) generally you'd say smoke them within a month of being rolled after that, let them sit for a year.

If you're cigars have come from overseas a good rule of thumb is leave them a bare minimum of a month but preferably at least 3.

Shops will tend to keep stock at 70% which for me is too wet to smoke so I want them to get down to 65% which is about a month in the humi. If you like your cigars at 70% you're pretty much ready to go though.

Regular production now is generally excellent and doesn't really need ageing to be smokeable, it's up to personal preference. There is a bit of a trend that happens with ageing ie harsh notes soften up, cigars don't get hot and gritty in the second half/final third. Leather tends to turn to cream, sweetness if there initially usually increases.

Oh boy. This topic actually brought Capt. Quintero out of hiding.

[Horsebox]

Very interesting post, [MENTION=469]monkey66[/MENTION]


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[cj121]

Back with a bang se?or Monkey

[monkey66]

A few points, most already mentioned.

The old school of 'rest for at least three years' (of which I was a fully paid up activist, I used to not even sample a box until it was 3 years old) probably went out of date in 2013. Since then the cigars coming out of Cuba have been far more approachable young, and in some cases potentially at their best.

To my pallet cigars often suffer travel sickness, don't know why but often 2 weeks to 2 months rest can transform a smoke.

Nearly all regular Cuban production is using aged leaves since 2010 or so. Normally leaves are 1-3 years old before they are used. This is why bad harvests tend to impact 1-3 years after they happen. From 2013 to early 2015 Cuba had a very good stocks of great leaf. This is not the case currently hence the shortage of some cigars in late 2015.

If you didn't already know stock up on 2013-2015 regular production. Very high chance these are going to go down as classic years.

The kicker is that with the constant (highly secretive) evolution of Cuban seed stock and process we do not really know how well these 'great young' cigars will age. The theory of improvement on 10/20/30 years of ageing is based on process and seed stock from 10/20/30 years ago. Most of the cigars we revere aged probably did not taste anything like the current production when they were young. For example I have half a box left of stunning '98 Lusi's that smoke superbly now. My memory of young Lusis from a decade ago is that they were pretty much un-smokable without 2-3 years on them. Not the case now and I have smoked some great young Lusi's recently. I remember a conversation with Simon Chase where he observed that many of the characteristics that may make a young cigar harsh and unapproachable are also key to the ageing process.

The most important thing to me is if a box is smoking well then smoke them. I have put boxes away that were smoking great on the bases of 'how good will they be with a few more years'. The answer is different, often not as good though. If a cigar is already 9/10 for you or 92-94 points (in the modern vernacular) then I say smoke 'em now!

Recent examples for me of 'smoke 'em now' (ie within 12-24 months of production)
Dip Spanish Short Robusto
Hoyo Epi Delux
Hoyo Epi 2's
Party E2's
Mag 50's
HUHC's
Punch SDO No2
R and J Ex4
R and J WC/SC

The main exceptions (for me) being:
Cohiba: 3-8 years minimum
Monte: 1-5 years minimum
RA: 2-5 years minimum

All of course just MHO, as always smoke what you enjoy.

[Seegarnub]

I try and leave mine to rest in the humi for at least a month.


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[sheppsea]

I always wait at least three weeks before smoking any cigars I receive, it is difficult to resist temptation sometimes though

[nicwing]

I would always let new cigars rest in my humidor for a month or two having received them. Go that tip from the Mexicant ages ago and I have had too many good cigars which tasted poor when smoked on arrival.

[Captain Quintero]

Fresh rolled cigars (Customs) generally you'd say smoke them within a month of being rolled after that, let them sit for a year.

If you're cigars have come from overseas a good rule of thumb is leave them a bare minimum of a month but preferably at least 3.

Shops will tend to keep stock at 70% which for me is too wet to smoke so I want them to get down to 65% which is about a month in the humi. If you like your cigars at 70% you're pretty much ready to go though.

Regular production now is generally excellent and doesn't really need ageing to be smokeable, it's up to personal preference. There is a bit of a trend that happens with ageing ie harsh notes soften up, cigars don't get hot and gritty in the second half/final third. Leather tends to turn to cream, sweetness if there initially usually increases.

[trying]

I've been enjoying the Por Larranaga Picdores recently and it's consistently great straight out of the box, quite amazing for a new cigar.

Edicion Limitadas shoud, in theory, be good at a young age as they are all made with aged tobacco but my experience recently suggests that they still need some time in the humidor to 'calm down'

Is there a rule of thumb for how long cubans take to calm down as you put it once in the humidor?

[cj121]

I've been enjoying the Por Larranaga Picdores recently and it's consistently great straight out of the box, quite amazing for a new cigar

I forgot about these, good shout Nickynacky Yes, verry smokable fresh. So much so, that I bought a box. However, I'm restraining myself as I think these might be even better in a couple of years.

[PeeJay]

Edicion Limitadas shoud, in theory, be good at a young age as they are all made with aged tobacco but my experience recently suggests that they still need some time in the humidor to 'calm down'

Spot on Nic, the 2013 RyJ got bad reviews when it came out but the one I smoked earlier this year was so good I bought a box.

[nicwing]

I've been enjoying the Por Larranaga Picdores recently and it's consistently great straight out of the box, quite amazing for a new cigar.

Edicion Limitadas shoud, in theory, be good at a young age as they are all made with aged tobacco but my experience recently suggests that they still need some time in the humidor to 'calm down'

[Ilyceeuk]

Although i am currently walking into walls after having such a strong hit of nicotine this early in the day

[Ilyceeuk]

Iv just this morning smoked a Ramon Allones specially sellected straight out of the shop and it was fantastic, full, earthy, and perfectly constructed with ash holding well into the second third.

Amazing!