Aging NC's?

Does aging NC's make them better?

  • Yea

    Votes: 53 84.1%

  • Nay

    Votes: 10 15.9%
  • Total voters
    63
M

Mystophales

Heavy Metal Jesus
Well I recently had a 1998 Partagas Charlotte courtesy of the Admiral and of course after that kick down yet another slope (aged cigars) I had a question.

I have seen it talked about every now and then but what is the majority's opinion on aging NC's. Does it make them better or not? I realize this will be subjective but I am just really curious. I haven't had a NC more than a couple of years old so what do you guys that have say?
 
well I guess if I would have looke there was already a thread on this subject...:r

As Gilda Radner used to say....NEVERMIND...:D
 
After finally having some sticks for long enough to call them aged, I definitely think it not only works, but works well, at that. I love the way the tobacco blends and takes strong cigars, and morphs them into a smooth, cool smoke.
 
I voted 'nay'. I try to buy only good to really good NCs and they typically have the aging thing built into them. Besides my palate isn't developed enough to tell the difference between a new Perdomo or Rocky and the same cigar with a year on it.

Now most Cubans need some age, and some aren't very tasty when new. I must admit it's tough to keep your hands off 'em. I'm the kind of guy that would put 20,000 miles a year on a Ferrari because I don't get the point of walking by it every time I leave my garage.
 
I've had some NC's that were nicely aged and I must say I enjoyed them immensely. An Opus with 5-6 years on it is much more pleasurable to my palate than one fresh off the truck.
 
I believe aging tends to make the flavor different. I noticed that aged smokes have flavors that are more complex instead of non-aged smokes. Aged cigars tend to be "up front" about their dominant flavors. Aging mellows the stronger flavors and brings out the more subtle flavors. Whether aged is better than non aged is up to the individual in my opinion.
 
Aging is good for any tobacco.

I dont smoke many NCs. But if you ever tasted an Opus or Anejo with 4-5 years age on them you would agree that any GOOD cigar benefits with aging.
 
I voted NAY for a variety of reasons. I've had some great smokes from sticks that just came off the truck and some that had been sitting in my humi for a couple years.

I just don't believe too many of the folks on this site have a palate that is able to discern a quality stick that has been aged from one that is right out of the cellophane wrapper and box it was just pulled from 10 minutes from the time it came out of the mailbox or off the truck. There are some...but, I have to believe not many have that kind of palate.

In fact....I've done a series of tests over the years to test the theory with a variety of things---cigars, wine, beer, and Scotch Whisky.

Just yesterday afternoon I was at a weekly coffee shop outting with some folks that I have smoked with regularly over the last six months. Weekly we each take a stick for the other four of a great smoke that we had encountered in the last month. I specifically took four labels from four Cuban Cohiba Pirámides Edicion Limitada 2006's and placed them on four right out of the box Sancho Panza Dulcineas (Torpedos). The ooh's and aah's I heard for the next 45 minutes were a hoot. Every comment was made from "This is by far the best Cuban I've eaver had" to "Cohiba really has outdone themselves with the quality of this stick". When asked why I haven't offered them one of these until now...I shared with them that I've been "aging" the sticks so that we could all now enjoy the delights of aging these cubans. Now these were four individuals, middle-aged that have been smoking cigars for a minimum of 5 years each. Unless one of them is reading this forum---which is unlikely, I didn't have the heart to tell them what they smoked, but, I couldn't help laugh all the way home.

Over the years I've done the same thing with pouring different brands into bottles, etc., to get pretty much the same feedback. We've drank Olympia Beer when they thought they were having Miller Light. They've drank House Brand Whisky that my father gave me when the ABC Store he managed was clearing out stock--but, the gents swore that the "Talisker" Scotch Whisky I was serving them was some of the best they ever had.

Folks...smoke something because you like it and you enjoy the experience....don't do it for the hype. Don't get caught up in the mindset of you got to have one of everything; store with or without the cellophane; Oh My God my humi was 1 million of 1 degree off from where it should have been in; or even the aged versus non-aged issues, etc., etc., etc.

There are some fantastic brothers on this site, as we all know. But there are many that get too caught up in a lot of hype and then spend their money carelessly chasing rainbows. Remember, it's about enjoying your smoking experience and sharing an experience with a great group of brothers and sisters. Smoke what you like and like what you smoke!
 
I didn't vote because there was not a "it depends" choice. Some will benefit, some won't. Just like different wines, different tobacco will be affected in different ways from aging.
 
gnukfu said:
I believe aging tends to make the flavor different. I noticed that aged smokes have flavors that are more complex instead of non-aged smokes. Aged cigars tend to be "up front" about their dominant flavors. Aging mellows the stronger flavors and brings out the more subtle flavors. Whether aged is better than non aged is up to the individual in my opinion.
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So, did you ever have the '99 Punch Rotschild that I sent to you? That'd fit into this discussion.

My personal experience is that there is more complexity to "fresh" cigars, as the flavors of the individual leaves in the bunch, binder and wrapper have not yet melded.

Some have said there is an ammonia flavor that develops, due to the chemical reaction taking place in the new leaves brought together, shortly after a cigar is rolled - as in a couple days. I don't know if this is true or not. I will say though, I have had cigars that I have smoked right off the roller's bench and they are exquisite.

I wanted to kind of experiment with this once with some Perdomos I watched being rolled back in 1999.

First stick - from roller's hand, to cutter, to lit - excellent. Complex and tasty.

Same blend, same cigar, same roller, rolled only minutes apart - but smoked a couple weeks later was nearly unsmokable - nasty bitterness.

Given a couple months and it smooth out wonderfully, but a bit less complex.

I didn't get enough of them to smoke them much older than that, cause I could only afford three.

But, I do notice a mellowing of stick as they age. A certain aspect of the complexity disappears. Very sharp or harsh sticks seem to mellow and smooth out nicely.
 
The experiments you have been running simply prove that our smoking enjoyment is closely tied to our mindset when we are smoking. If we are happy and relaxed, or have been primed to expect a great experience it will be a great experience. Countless such blind tastings have been done with wine, California vs. Bordeaux etc. etc.

For me the real question is : Are we MORE LIKELY to have an enjoyable smoke if a fine quality stick has been aged? By now the answer seems pretty obvious. Yes, it is more likely, all else being equal. JMO. Larry.

BTW - Since you went to all that trouble, wouldn't it a good idea to share your findings with your friends, in a non-condescending way of course?
 
PUFFNMO said:
The experiments you have been running simply prove that our smoking enjoyment is closely tied to our mindset when we are smoking. If we are happy and relaxed, or have been primed to expect a great experience it will be a great experience. Countless such blind tastings have been done with wine, California vs. Bordeaux etc. etc.

For me the real question is : Are we MORE LIKELY to have an enjoyable smoke if a fine quality stick has been aged? By now the answer seems pretty obvious. Yes, it is more likely, all else being equal. JMO. Larry.

BTW - Since you went to all that trouble, wouldn't it a good idea to share your findings with your friends, in a non-condescending way of course?
Click to expand...

The above post is in response to Squid's post.
 
squid said:
In fact....I've done a series of tests over the years to test the theory with a variety of things---cigars, wine, beer, and Scotch Whisky.

Just yesterday afternoon I was at a weekly coffee shop outting with some folks that I have smoked with regularly over the last six months. Weekly we each take a stick for the other four of a great smoke that we had encountered in the last month. I specifically took four labels from four Cuban Cohiba Pirámides Edicion Limitada 2006's and placed them on four right out of the box Sancho Panza Dulcineas (Torpedos). The ooh's and aah's I heard for the next 45 minutes were a hoot. Every comment was made from "This is by far the best Cuban I've eaver had" to "Cohiba really has outdone themselves with the quality of this stick". When asked why I haven't offered them one of these until now...I shared with them that I've been "aging" the sticks so that we could all now enjoy the delights of aging these cubans. Now these were four individuals, middle-aged that have been smoking cigars for a minimum of 5 years each. Unless one of them is reading this forum---which is unlikely, I didn't have the heart to tell them what they smoked, but, I couldn't help laugh all the way home.

Over the years I've done the same thing with pouring different brands into bottles, etc., to get pretty much the same feedback. We've drank Olympia Beer when they thought they were having Miller Light. They've drank House Brand Whisky that my father gave me when the ABC Store he managed was clearing out stock--but, the gents swore that the "Talisker" Scotch Whisky I was serving them was some of the best they ever had.

Folks...smoke something because you like it and you enjoy the experience....don't do it for the hype. Don't get caught up in the mindset of you got to have one of everything; store with or without the cellophane; Oh My God my humi was 1 million of 1 degree off from where it should have been in; or even the aged versus non-aged issues, etc., etc., etc.

There are some fantastic brothers on this site, as we all know. But there are many that get too caught up in a lot of hype and then spend their money carelessly chasing rainbows. Remember, it's about enjoying your smoking experience and sharing an experience with a great group of brothers and sisters. Smoke what you like and like what you smoke!
Click to expand...


I would like to point out that although you bring up some very good points, your methods in conducting your tests are flawed. It has been shown time and time again that the power of suggestion is extremely strong.

When you tricked your friends by handing them Cohiba branded Sanchos, they immediately developed a psychological expectation of what that cigar would taste like, whether it be from prior experience, or simply because of the allure of the Cubans. You chose a great smoke and branded it as a great smoke. If it tastes good, you will fool them every time, because they are good in general and they trust that you gave them what you told them you gave them.

This same thing holds true with the alcohol as well. It is simply the way the human mind works. 99% of the time, power of suggestion will come out the winner.

Earlier it was said that many of the NC cigars come pre-aged. I think that speaks highly for the need of aging cigars. The pre-aging process is used by the manufacturers, because it works. For those cigars, the only reason I would "age" them, is to allow them to spread their love to other cigars in my humi. I love the subtleties that happen when different cigars marry. Yes, they are subtle and I do not always pick them up. What I do pick up is the general feeling that "this cigars tastes even better than I remember." That having been said, it could all be that same power of suggestion that leads me to think that way too.

For those cigars that are not pre-aged, I truly believe that aging mellows out the harshness and provides for a better experience later on in life.
 
PUFFINMO----you nailed it! It is most often the EXPERIENCE we're in that is the difference maker. It is most often the experience of enjoying a smoke together with brothers that share a mutual bond. I've had crappy sticks that I've smoked on my front porch alone---but, can turn around two weeks later and smoke the same stick with 3 friends while we solve the worlds problems and the stick is outstanding! Was it the aging---HELL NO! It was the experience and the mental setting we're in. There are so many factors that go into the tastes of things---the drink we're having, the food we just tasted, the mood we're in, the setting and company we're in, etc.

Just seems to be too much quackery on many of the cigar reviews, etc., with regard to tastes. To read some of the responses such as the "complexity of licorice, bold nutty hints of avocado, and aroma of old spice after shave from the roller" are sometimes just too incredible to believe. It's actually laughable sometimes.

Many of you are taking this stuff entirely too serious. Does anyone remember what used to be on the Home Page of CLUB STOGIE before all the changes?
 
squid said:
PUFFINMO----you nailed it! It is most often the EXPERIENCE we're in that is the difference maker. It is most often the experience of enjoying a smoke together with brothers that share a mutual bond. I've had crappy sticks that I've smoked on my front porch alone---but, can turn around two weeks later and smoke the same stick with 3 friends while we solve the worlds problems and the stick is outstanding! Was it the aging---HELL NO! It was the experience and the mental setting we're in. There are so many factors that go into the tastes of things---the drink we're having, the food we just tasted, the mood we're in, the setting and company we're in, etc.

Just seems to be too much quackery on many of the cigar reviews, etc., with regard to tastes. To read some of the responses such as the "complexity of licorice, bold nutty hints of avocado, and aroma of old spice after shave from the roller" are sometimes just too incredible to believe. It's actually laughable sometimes.

Many of you are taking this stuff entirely too serious. Does anyone remember what used to be on the Home Page of CLUB STOGIE before all the changes?
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Squid - I agree. There's a lot of quackery especially in the catalogue descriptions. Damn. If I want to taste nuts I'll eat some nuts. If I want citrus just let me have a nice cold lemonade.

I really can't remember smoking a cigar that tasted like chocolate or licorice. To me they taste like cigars - some good, some not so good... Larry.
 
I'm with the "it depends" crowd on this one. Some sticks benefit from aging, some don't. Taste is also very subjective, so it depends on the smoker too.
 
LasciviousXXX said:
I've had some NC's that were nicely aged and I must say I enjoyed them immensely. An Opus with 5-6 years on it is much more pleasurable to my palate than one fresh off the truck.
Click to expand...

Agree, also, nice to have a selection that is either a limited special blend, or a cigar that has been discontinued. :ss
 
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