Ageing Non-Cubans

[cigarmo]

What does ammonia smell like? Everyone seems to mention it, but I have no idea what there talking about.

[rascal]

I think it is true that NC's are blended to be ready to go OTS but Cubans have no understanding/notion of ageing. It was (I believe) a discovery by UK cigar merchants a long time ago.

Yes but was only stumbled across out of necessity as they reeked so badly of ammonia which is no longer the case. A lot of new cc are good straight away though aging will mellow them and bring out the less dominant flavours. Very similar to NC in my opinion with ageing now.


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[monkey66]

In my humble opinion The difference is in the blending ... I believe CC's are blended with aging in mind. Each cigar is put together in the expectation it will be aged and therefore should improve in doing so. NC's are blended with the expectation that the cigar is to be smoked sooner rather than later.

It's just my opinion and I'm probably wrong but that's how I've wrapped my head around it. Since I've smoked NCs that often hit the ground running compared to a CC. I don't recall smoking an aged NC so I'm afraid I can't make the comparison.

I think it is true that NC's are blended to be ready to go OTS but Cubans have no understanding/notion of ageing. It was (I believe) a discovery by UK cigar merchants a long time ago.

[PeeJay]

In my humble opinion The difference is in the blending ... I believe CC's are blended with aging in mind. Each cigar is put together in the expectation it will be aged and therefore should improve in doing so. NC's are blended with the expectation that the cigar is to be smoked sooner rather than later.

It's just my opinion and I'm probably wrong but that's how I've wrapped my head around it. Since I've smoked NCs that often hit the ground running compared to a CC. I don't recall smoking an aged NC so I'm afraid I can't make the comparison.

That sounds like an intelligent view to me

[Agricola]

In my humble opinion The difference is in the blending ... I believe CC's are blended with aging in mind. Each cigar is put together in the expectation it will be aged and therefore should improve in doing so. NC's are blended with the expectation that the cigar is to be smoked sooner rather than later.

It's just my opinion and I'm probably wrong but that's how I've wrapped my head around it. Since I've smoked NCs that often hit the ground running compared to a CC. I don't recall smoking an aged NC so I'm afraid I can't make the comparison.

[ValeTudoGuy]

P.s. Your almost there Jizzbo!

[ValeTudoGuy]

That's a shame, it's the big kick that can put me off.

[butternutsquashpie]

I'm starting to wonder if some of the NC's that have an overly large NicKick would benefit from a couple years to mellow?

sometimes (like the case of LFD or some La Auroras) they actually lose their profiles because they lose their kick... shame, really. the LFD Chisels are prime examples of this.

[ValeTudoGuy]

I'm starting to wonder if some of the NC's that have an overly large NicKick would benefit from a couple years to mellow?

[searsa1]

NCs to age for sure:
Davidoff
Zino
Padron '26
A.F. Sharks, OppieXs, Hemmingways
Diamond Crown Maximus (made by A.F. actually)

NCs to never age:
most of the others really. of course, the problem with lists is that you always forget some damn ones. but those ones above are definitely worth ageing. especially the diamond crown maximus. but those reach prices of cuban chrchills!! they're also so damn glamourised that it's not even worth laughing at anymore (not only is it a crown, but it has diamonds and it's to the MAX!).
anyways, most NCs lose their strength or letheriness whent they are aged. that's a real shame considering they're the selling point of La Flor Dominicana, My Uzi Weighs a Ton, etc.
but the most generic ones are just too cheap to age. My Father, La Aurora, etc vits are 5-8 bucks and really not meant to be aged. i heard they do fair a tad better with age, but not worth the hassle or time. save it for your RYJs or Cohibas. and not the NCs

+1

[Simon-JG-hr]

I think I share your cynicism from the other thread... Anytime the Padrons or Pete Johnson are involved then marketing will be the first thing on their minds... Maybe I'm just a cynic too... (Apologies if I picked up an implied cynicism that wasn't there).

Yes, most NCs are (supposedly) made from older tobacco, and then stored/aged before shipping. Even in the cases where they are aged for some years by the producers before shipping (incidentally, I understand Padron do not do this). So, let's say that five year old tobacco is used, and then aged for a year before release. That's just six years. Thinking about the Padron example... The tobacco may be nicely aged, but could always develop a little further (otherwise they wouldn't use 10 year old leaves for some cigars and 5 year old leaves for others... Accepting that different leaves have different qualities, it is a little bit of a generalisation). Plus, once you've put it all together, do you not want to allow them to meld together and develop a character for a few years?

[monkey66]

We have had this discussion before so try search. I rmeember someone quoting the owner of a line of NC's saying they wouldn't improve with aging, they are ready for smoking when they are brought. His idea was that most NC's leaf is aged & perhaps as cigars as well, like Cubans used to be before the boom of the 90's wiped out a lot of stock.
I have no opinion myself, not experienced enough with NC's to make a judgement.

http://www.ukcigarforums.com/showthread.php?12385-New-or-Older-Cohiba&p=182694#post182694

[butternutsquashpie]

This has got me thinking about trying to swing a travel/research grant from the RAC to visit the Caribbean and central America to conduct plant and soil research...

go with cigarsam! little trip with a grad student never hurt anybody anyhow!! Er.. yupp. business.... to cuba.

but seriously.. methinks it is also the way the cubans treat the tobacco. being the communist country they are, they have the men and manpower to work countless hours on something like cigars in order to make the best product with the best ingrediant: love. but seriously! all that dedication along with years of tradition from the robaina family and alike.. it's just unmatched that way!
and i guess the soil might help it quite a bit too.....

the NCs just have the way of business. if some of the NC markets would control the flow of cuban cigars, maybe we wouldn't have seen the RA898s, the punch SSes, or the LGCno1s disappear from the market.
alas i digress............

[PeeJay]

With an assistant?

[Simon-JG-hr]

he is saying that the non-Cuban tobacco is generally less strong in flavour and not as durable.

Now, that's a statement I would probably have to agree with - but the key word is generally. I'm not sure he can have it both ways... Haha. I think as a rule of thumb, it's not at all unfair to suggest that Cubans benefit more from ageing that non-Cubans. Though there are some NCs which will develop every bit as well as a Cuban, and indeed some Cubans which will just tread water or regress.

This has got me thinking about trying to swing a travel/research grant from the RAC to visit the Caribbean and central America to conduct plant and soil research...