Acclimating Newly Acquired Cigars

[CaptainQuintero]

I always give them 3 months minimum purely to get new sticks acclimatised to my preferred r/h.

When it comes to cigars and changing their r/h I always go super slow.

[msm1771]

Who really needs science when a cigar is harsh and full of amonia? Only empiric experience is pertinent and useful. One doesn't need to understand everything about tanins, polyphenols and their degradation…

Plus in a world when we have no studies to refute any claims anecdotal evidence is really the best we have to work with.

The cigars either taste good rott or they don't. If they are delicious, by all means smoke them immediately or age a little if you think the wait is worth the improvement. If they suck rott, well ur pretty sol so might as well let the rest sit.

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[El Presidente]

Trust on your taste.

I know that most cigars will taste better when rested in my humidor for a minimum 30 days. Maybe it is only because I like them at a certain RH (62-64 R). Maybe it is the difference in air pressure in travel.

Cigars I take with me around the world seldom taste as good as the same cigars back home in my humidor. it doesn't matter whether I am smoking them in Asia, Europe or the America's. I travel with a 65% RH Humidipak. Makes no diference to me.

That is to my taste (and that is all that is really important). Each members experience may be different and there is nothing wrong with that.

[Smallclub]

Plus in a world when we have no studies to refute any claims anecdotal evidence is really the best we have to work with.

These evidences are "anecdotal" only for people who started to smoke habanos last week. What's next? Davidoff is a fictional character, MRN's Encyclopedia is a rumour?

[JamesNYC]

I often sneak one ROTT if I am particularly curious.

However, I think it really does make a difference if you wait around 30 days.

At first I thought it was because I grew impatient and expected the cigar to taste better, so it did, but after a while, I realized that it was because it actually did taste better.

Not sure if this is true of all cigars, or just the ones I tried.

When I fly, I travel with my cigars in a Tupperware container with a Boveda. As Rob said, they seem to taste better when I am home, but when I'm on vacation, they still taste great.

[msm1771]

These evidences are "anecdotal" only for people who started to smoke habanos last week. What's next? Davidoff is a fictional character, MRN's Encyclopedia is a rumour?

Im saying that we have no actual studies ( that I know of) comparing cigars that have been tasted rott vs sitting in the humi for a month in regards to flavor;therefore, the anecdotal evidence that we have here ( even though it's lowest form of evidence) is all we have to go by.

This means that the science behind why we should store the cigars for 4-6 weeks is irrelevant as no one has used a true scientific method to determine if the change in flavor is placebo or not.

All we have to go by is that 95%+ people here seem to notice a pretty damn big difference after letting the cigars sit vs smoking rott. Also, this is a cigar forum so ppl here are not your typical occasional cigar smoker, so the evidence we have here (although anecdotal) is still probably some of the best available.

Even if there was strong data supporting that we should age cigars, taste is purely subjective anyway so it wouldn't matter.

As of now i'll smoke one off the truck. If it's excellent ill keep smoking them. If not, let them sit for a while.

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[FLB03TT]

I approach it a little differently. I generally like to leave all cigars untouched until they are, at least, one year past their box code date. For boxes which are already one year old I try to leave them alone for 20 to 30 days after receipt. If it's a stick I'm dying to try, I'll sometimes smoke one as early as 10 days after receipt, rarely sooner.

[msm1771]

I often sneak one ROTT if I am particularly curious.

However, I think it really does make a difference if you wait around 30 days.

At first I thought it was because I grew impatient and expected the cigar to taste better, so it did, but after a while, I realized that it was because it actually did taste better.

Not sure if this is true of all cigars, or just the ones I tried.

When I fly, I travel with my cigars in a Tupperware container with a Boveda. As Rob said, they seem to taste better when I am home, but when I'm on vacation, they still taste great.

Im curious to see this. I have a couple smokes from the same box that are just about a month old as I smoked 8 of them within the first week upon arrival. I will give my most honest unbiased feedback to see if it makes a difference.

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[stogieluver]

Hotty Toddy, my Rebel friend. We gotta beat Arkansas Saturday.

As you can see, when questions are asked on this forum, you will witness as wide an array of answers and opinions as their are marca's and vitola's. Your personal experience will be your best teacher, and I believe a lot of the differing opinions have more to do with the variances in the storage conditions, the ambient environment, the shipping time, the temp and humidity the shipment endured in transit, and the size of the cigar. I don't think there is one reliable answer to your question.

All I can say is, experiment with your shipments upon receipt and, if your storage conditions are fairly constant in terms of temp and humidity, over time you will find the waiting time that suits your taste. That is the beauty of this great hobby.

[ElAbogado]

Hotty Toddy, my Rebel friend. We gotta beat Arkansas Saturday.

As you can see, when questions are asked on this forum, you will witness as wide an array of answers and opinions as their are marca's and vitola's. Your personal experience will be your best teacher, and I believe a lot of the differing opinions have more to do with the variances in the storage conditions, the ambient environment, the shipping time, the temp and humidity the shipment endured in transit, and the size of the cigar. I don't think there is one reliable answer to your question.

All I can say is, experiment with your shipments upon receipt and, if your storage conditions are fairly constant in terms of temp and humidity, over time you will find the waiting time that suits your taste. That is the beauty of this great hobby.

HYDR! We still control our own destiny in the SEC West. Arkansas is a must win. At least we have them at home this year. Same goes for LSU, though knowing the Rebels, we'll likely win those two then lay an egg in the Egg Bowl haha.

Your response is 100% right. I have a wineador I keep at 66 and 65% humidity for longer term storage. I keep my soon-to-be-smoked picked from my boxes in a small tupperdor at room temp with a 62% Boveda pack. As far as waiting, I'm trying to wait at least a month, now that I have a large enough stock of CCs its easier to smoke what is ready and wait on what is new. I also do my best to buy boxes already at least a year old from the factory date when I receive them.

[bummy]

1 month

[Fosgate]

30 days in the freezer then into the humi. then at least 30 days before I think of smoking one. I'll try it, if not that good it will get another 30 days rest and repeat until it is where I want it.

[jackattack]

For me, it depends on the cigar. My everyday sticks: party shorts, PLPC, Upm half's, BC Jrs, RG perlas, Monte 5's smoke pretty darn nice ROTT. Although quite a few do improve with time in cedar. I like to sit em a week or two and give them try. If they show any signs of youth, sour, bitter, ammonia type flavors or odors they go right to the "sleeper" box. I will revisit them at 3mo/6mo/1yr intervals and reevaluate. I do pretty much the same routine with my larger format cigars. All the time trying to find the peak "window" of smokability. I've had some Cohiba Magicos/Genios that sat too long and lost some of their flavor IMO. So it does vary IMHO.

Everyone's likes and dislikes are different. The wealth of experienced, knowledgeable smokers here at FOH provides a great framework to explore. I learn something new everyday. Ultimately, I think you have trust your palate and find what works for you and what you like.

[ElAbogado]

30 days in the freezer then into the humi. then at least 30 days before I think of smoking one. I'll try it, if not that good it will get another 30 days rest and repeat until it is where I want it.

You talking about a deep freezer? Or just the freezer on your Refrigerator?

[Fosgate]

Varies. If I have room in the deep freeze at work I'll dump them in there. Kitchen fridge gauge reads -26 (Good enough for me). In January in Feb I can set them out on the deck when the days are -40 to -60 for a day though I have not done that with CC's yet.

[RijkdeGooier]

I mean scientific evidence. Too much stuff in the cigar community is just hearsay and anecdotal.

Sent from AOL in 1999

If you think there is 'too much stuff just hearsay' you are correct.

As with cigars, pick your sources for information. One could do worse than to heed Smallclub.

[RijkdeGooier]

To answer the question ?

Anytime left until they reach at least 5 years after boxdate.

[ElAbogado]

To answer the question

Anytime left until they reach at least 5 years after boxdate.

So all the stock that you smoke have at least 5 years on them? Respect!

[RijkdeGooier]

So all the stock that you smoke have at least 5 years on them? Respect!

Yes in case of CC's, or at least 90% and most are around the 10 year mark or older.

I am a bit more lenient with smaller cigars like Perlas, Minutos or Cigarillos, those are usually smokeable for me after three years.

Please note this is a personal preference and should by no means be taken as advice for others.

I just prefer the rough edges sanded and the more subtle flavors that are otherwise subdued can come to the fore.

It may be worthwhile to consider that NC manufacterers do their aging presale, which in the 20th century was also the case for CC's.

[Sprouthog]

2 months

[jdo2110]

I don't resist at all, and in fact make a habit of smoking one as quickly as I can. Theories are abundant, but some of my best samples have come ROTT, and RARELY does that prove otherwise. People dry box cigars before smoking them. To me, that is what travel time is. Reputable vendors keep cigars well humidified. Several days on the road, in protected condition, offer (imo) the right scenario. Extreme heat or cold could create variances I'm sure.... But half the fun of opening a present is getting to play with it immediately. If it costs me a few bucks on a cigar that wasn't quite ready, so be it. : )

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[msm1771]

I don't resist at all, and in fact make a habit of smoking one as quickly as I can. Theories are abundant, but some of my best samples have come ROTT, and RARELY does that prove otherwise. People dry box cigars before smoking them. To me, that is what travel time is. Reputable vendors keep cigars well humidified. Several days on the road, in protected condition, offer (imo) the right scenario. Extreme heat or cold could create variances I'm sure.... But half the fun of opening a present is getting to play with it immediately. If it costs me a few bucks on a cigar that wasn't quite ready, so be it. : )

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Sounds like fun to me!

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[alpyigit]

I probably have received around 30 boxes (probably 60% from Rob) by way of intercontinental shipments over the last year or so and consider this a solid sample size to make a decent empirical observation but not necessarily to perform a statistically significant test. Anyway, statisticians amongst us are welcomed to comment further if they want.. For these boxes, transit / delivery times vary between 4 to 10 days. Probably majority have also been subject to significant heat exposure / variations given that they spend some time in Dubai supply chain..

I crack open each box upon arrival for a visual check, lay down for a week and always smoke one to test. You know curiosity kills the cat! I probably have had only 2-3 boxes with unpleasant tastes at the outset, if my memory serves me right, an Upmann 2, a PL Encantos and a Mag 46. Do they get better by resting them longer? Probably but not significantly. If the test cigar is outstanding, the likelihood that I have a good box is very high, I just put them on an accelerated smoking rotation and reorder when it hits the next 24:24. Worthy boxes to mention, Dippy 2, JL2 and Punch Punch. I believe the quality of the cigar is the biggest factor in time performance then any other factor..

[Homebrew]

Hell, I guess I am a bit differnt than most.

I visually inspect the cigars, upon arrival. Put them in my aging coolerdor, and generally forget about them, until it is time to restock my "ready to smoke humidor." Then, I will start testing cigars, from the cooledor, trying to figure out what I want to restock with. I have several boxes, that have never had a cigar smoked from them, that have 2-4 years on them. Most of the cigars I am currently smoking are between 5-10 years of age. I hardly ever even try a cigar, with less than 4 years of aging. The exception, are cigars I haven't much experience with. Those are generally tried within 6 months, and them back for a couple of years. This has not always been the case. I used to try a cigar ROTT, but I was new to Cuban cigars, and as anxious to try each purchase. I now know what to expect, from most cigars I purchase, and am no longer tempted to try them as soon.

It helps to buy at least three times your rate of consumption. After a few years you have plenty of cigars, with age, to try.

Dave (A.K.A. Homebrew)

[cigarbigboy]

I try one immediately then wait a couple months. Got to say, just had an H Upmann 50 right off the truck and it was jaw dropping incredible. If it's better than that in two months I'll be in hog heaven.