Question about ageing

[Mr Moore]

My cigar delivary arrived to today and inside one of the cigar boxes was a token card sort of thingy explaining about the company, etc.
In the info is this sentence; QUOTE " aged a full four years to provide an exceptionally well-balanced taste " UN-QUOTE.

My question is this, Have all cigars prior to arriving at your door been through an ageing process, If so, is there a need to furthur the ageing process ?
I read somewhere that a cigar has a natural ageing of max 10 years, there after the cigar starts losing its spunk, so to speak.
Is the factory date, the time when cigars have been collected to be shipped, If so there is another date that matters, the date of being rolled.
If the above is correct, the factory date means sod all really.
The date of when cigar was rolled would be the important date I would of thought, its like the codes, the expert cigar smokers, some on here no doubt will ask for the code when purchasing, I don't fully understand the reason why, because again I would of thought the only code/date that mattered was the date rolled !!

[TJCoro]

The Older the Better! (That's what she said.)

Man, Mr. Moore, you ask a lot of questions!!! Good one's though.

Let me give you a quick response to a few of your qs. Generally, most stogies and puros need a year from the rolled date -which I believe is the date on Habana boxes - to settle down and get over someting referred to as the "sick period."

It is my understanding that no mater how long the leaf is aged before rolling, because moisture is introduced during the rolling process, it begins to ferment again, thus the so called "sick period." Most reputable vendors will not sell cigars with less than a year of aging.*

Occasionally, you may come across a stogie that just doesn't taste right and may even make you a little sick - I certainly did with a few puros I tried to smoke during the Cigar Boom in the late nineties. If you ever have the misfortune to come across an under aged stogie, throw it in the humi for a few months.

My preference is to find stogies and puros that are at least 1 year beyond the box date, that is of course, if there is a box date. I have, however, enjoyed some Habana puros that were less than a year old from the box date and they were fine. So it depends on the puros, I guess. But IMO, stogies and puros (especially Habana puros) get much better with 2 or more years aging.

Names TJ, TJCoro, and I always age my finest Habana puros.

*Exception is Cuba, they often sell their puros with less than a year, and many taste like it. A year of rest time will usually do the trick

[whisky77]

Ageing.

Mr Moore, i agree with TJ Coro up to a point however the information you have been given with your purchase sounds a bit off to be honest.Not all cigars are aged, simply from an economic standpoint as a producer you could not afford to age every crop which was produced.

As an example, Montecristo(MC) probably produce more cigars than most other manufacturers because of their popularity worldwide.You can and do buy MC cigars from retailers which have been rolled less than six months prior to being sold and they will be absolutely fine to smoke, no problem at all.They may smoke a little young or green, but they are still a good smoke.

The ageing process is of importance because like fine wines, Whisky, Cognac etc, the product can be enhanced through an ageing process and the flavour of the cigars in particular can be greatly improved with ageing.You will always pay more for an aged cigar beacuse it is recognised what the ageing can do to the finished product.

One thing to bare in mind though is that the ageing will only help improve a cigar which is of good quality originally and has potential.A dog of a cigar is always going to be a dog; no matter what.Hope this helps.

[nicwing]

Rollers

Here's something I heard the other day, Periodically at events you will see rollers who demonstrate their wonderful art and will give you, or sell you their wares.

I was told that there is a 2 day period in which you could smoke these confections, otherwise you must shut them away in your humidor for a good 6 months.

Not tried one myself but I saw a roller at a trade show last year banding up cohibas he was rolling and a lady bought 6. Hope she smoked em quick!

[daverave999]

I was under the impression Cubans went straight out without aging, but a lot of NCs are aged prior to distribution. Were these NCs Mick?

[Mr Moore]

Yes Dave NC's, so its normally the NC's that get aged.
I suppose I can understand that, Cubans are prob produced at a higher rate due to the fact its the no 1 selling cigar, so the ageing process is done by the buyer as oppossed to maker.
But, USA is huge. I'd of thought the demand for NC's would be on the same level as that of its Cuban neighbours.
I can't see it being just the cheap NC's that get aged because I've spent a few quid on this box plus three "five box samples of NC's finest cigars"
That said its the cigars shown that came with info card.
Im looking forward to buying some Cubans next month, Iv'e smoked a good few NC's so I will hopefully be able to taste a difference.

[Mr Moore]

So when I buy my Cubans, is it best to leave them in humi for 6 months at least, prior to smoking.
I will if I have to.

[Mr Moore]

ok, just realised TJ, thats what the box dates for. That makes sense now and answers my question.
Cheers chaps.

[Mr Moore]

Just reading up about box codes now, really interesting.
They tell a lot of info including factory, date, etc, only Cubans do this I think.

[Ramon]

The best reference to answer all these questions, and more, is of course MRN's book. Failing that here's a couple of articles that may help

http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/document.php?id=cigaradvisor.htm&title=Cigar+Advisor

http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/document.php?id=cigaradvisorjuly.htm&title=Cigar+Advisor+Questions#

and box codes, although I use a different source.

http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/document.php?id=newcodes.htm&title=New+Codes#

[TJCoro]

Books are fine, but liquor is quicker!

The best reference to answer all these questions, and more, is of course MRN's book.

Hmmm! good point, Mr. Ramon.

But you know...if we all get a copy of his book, then we won't need the forum anymore.

Names TJ, TJCoro, and books are fine, but you can't smoke 'em....or can you?

[PoohBore]

The forum will always be needed by people feeling the urge to gloat about their man bags and being a jammy git on a first visit to a shop !

[G-man]

?

[Stevieboy]

The forum will always be needed by people feeling the urge to gloat about their man bags and being a jammy git on a first visit to a shop !

LOL!!!

[TJCoro]

What the F...?

The forum will always be needed by people feeling the urge to gloat about their man bags and being a jammy git on a first visit to a shop !

I have to say I'm with senor GSS on this one...?