Should you age your Cigars?

It is fairly well known in the cigar world that most premium, handmade cigars will improve with age. This is partly due to the natural oils in the cigar developing over time, as well as the flavours blending and mellowing. But, knowing what to do when aging cigars yourself can be a real minefield. 

Should you age your Cigars?

The first thing to remember is that cigars do not necessarily need aging, cigars are intended to taste great as soon as they hit the retailers' shelves, therefore every cigar you receive from us will be in prime smoking condition. Your cigars also may even have gained some age already, with Cuban cigars you can usually find out by checking the bottom of the box for the date code. Or you can also check out our aged and rare section or of course our huge range of limited edition Havanas. 
Secondly, a bad cigar will not age in to a good cigar, if you don't enjoy a cigar, it might be best to gift it to someone who will. 

Then why age cigars?

Part of the beauty of cigars is that they are a natural product that will change over time, if kept in the correct conditions this change should benefit the cigar smoker. Aged cigars will usually mellow and develop over time creating a more refined taste with new complexities. 

How to age your cigars?

Storing your cigars correctly is very important. This can be a tricky thing to get right and does need to be monitored. This can be made easier by using the right products; we've helped you out with some handy tips in the recommended box! 

Generally, a slightly lower humidity level will help the aging process, we recommend 67%. And 65- 67F in temperature This can be achieved easily by using an electronic humidifier such as a Cigar Oasis or Cigar Heaven unit. 

How long should you age your cigars?

Finding out how long to age your cigars is all part of the fun of experimenting with aging, but it does take a little bit of patience. It's also best to buy a box so you can keep track and try them as they develop. 

1 - 2 years - This is when you should start noticing some differences in flavour. It's a good time to start smoking the lighter blends to see how the more delicate flavours may have developed. 

2 - 5 years - Try those heavier blends, some of the flavours should have mellowed and the cigar should have taken on some new characteristics. 

Up to 10 years - This is generally the peak for aging cigars; of course there are many exceptions, some which have become extremely collectable. (To see some very interesting examples of these check out our cigar auctions, there's also a gallery of some of our favourite lots from previous auctions at the end of this article). Or you can see our museum section:here) 

10 years +++ Yes some cigars and certainly Havana cigars will go on maturing for many years. We have smoked cigars going back to the 1950’s that are quite stunning. We have even  smoked Cabanas Havana cigars from the 1890’s that were still an interesting smoking experience ! These cigars were found in a France and had been stored in a sealed ammunition case in a cellar !

This is just a general guide, you may find your ideal length of time is completely different, one thing for sure though a well-aged cigar can certainly be an extremely rewarding experience. There is no one thing that makes for an ideal cigar for aging, it is down to the cigar smoker to find that out for themselves!

If you manage to age your cigars long enough you can add them into one of our cigar auctions. 

Writer: James Peasley 

21st August 2017