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Aging Cigars for Optimal Results |
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Written by Dave Sabot
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Sunday, 03 January 2010 08:23 |
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Do you really have to age all of your cigars? Actually, this is an interesting issue, and enthusiasts are torn over the best way to enjoy a cigar. There are some varieties that should be smoked when they are fresh, and will in fact completely reject all efforts at aging and mellowing. For instance, those known as the Maduros are often extremely resistant to aging due to their thick and cured wrappers. The larger ring-gauge cigars, however, tend to do quite nicely in the aging process. There are others that can also benefit greatly from the practice, and investing in a special or individual cigar humidor for such varieties may be a good idea.
by DaveSabot
Do you really have to age all of your cigars? Actually, this is an interesting issue, and enthusiasts are torn over the best way to enjoy a cigar. There are some varieties that should be smoked when they are fresh, and will in fact completely reject all efforts at aging and mellowing. For instance, those known as the Maduros are often extremely resistant to aging due to their thick and cured wrappers. The larger ring-gauge cigars, however, tend to do quite nicely in the aging process. There are others that can also benefit greatly from the practice, and investing in a special or individual cigar humidor for such varieties may be a good idea.
The first thing to understand is that you should aim at aging a full box of cigars and you may want to consider using a single humidor per variety. This is because all cigars are made differently and may require varied conditions to age in the best ways possible. Consider that most experts would point to the larger ring gauge cigars as ideal subjects for the aging process because they rely on a blend of tobaccos that will blend nicely and mellow with age in the controlled climate of the cigar box.
What levels should be maintained for the best end results? Most experts recommend that the cigar owner sample a few from any given box before setting them up for long-term storage. This is to determine if the flavors actually require a bit of mellowing. It is important to remember that if the flavors are truly dissatisfying when a cigar is fresh, it is unlikely that the overall flavor can benefit from the process.
If the box of cigars does indeed seem like a good one for aging, the conditions should be geared at the standard seventy-seventy mix. This is a roughly seventy percent humidity at seventy degrees Fahrenheit setting for the course of the aging period. The process should last at least a full year for best results, and a closely watched schedule should be created.
Is there anything else that should be considered? There are two additional factors that are frequently discussed where the aging process is concerned - the material that the box is made from, and the cellophane wrappers around the cigars. Most experts state that cedar is the preferred choice for the aging process because of its subtle aroma. This is often enhanced by leaving the individual cellophane wrappers around the cigars. These allow the humidity and air to move freely, but also maintain a nice level of control over the exact amount of mingling that occurs between the wood and the tobacco.
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Dave Sabot is the owner of an online specialty cigar lighters store. With expert knowledge of cigar accessories, including torch lighters, Dave also owns a premier online humidors store. |
