Age or Top Quality?

[ElAbogado]

Curious to hear everyone's thoughts. Aged/rested? Or top quality, even if it's young?

For purposes of the poll assume you are choosing between two boxes of the same marca and vitola.

And of course, feel free to explain your choice!

[Corylax18]

I like getting them fresh and aging myself. You never know what happens when they are in someone else's hands.

Also Garbage in, Garbage out. If you take an OK box of Cigars and lay them down, a few turn out great. But most wont.

[TheMonk]

Top quality is a tricky perception, IMO. That being said, I try not to pay for aged stock, as I don't mind ageing it myself, so if we're comparing the same marca and vitola, I'd always go for quality.

[Shikar]

They age cos I can't smoke them all at once. That's it.

Regards.

[JohnS]

I think it's a good question. For me, it's not a case of one or the other, as I believe you need top quality to then age well. If you have a lower grade cigar, it won't improve with age.

I enjoy going through a box of cigars every few months to see how they develop as they age so I can find that 'sweet spot'.

[Smallclub]

I think it's a good question.

I don't think so, since "PSP", "HQ" criterias are based on aesthetic appearance and aroma, not on smoking performance. The question is based on the idea that "seconds" are necessarily less good than PSP/HQ, which is false.

[NicPac]

If having to make the choice I'll always take top quality, but if giving the option I'll take both. Top quality to hold on to and savor, seconds to burn through quicker.

[MrGlass]

I'll take the PSP. At the rate I go through boxes, they'll be aged by the end regardless.

[BurnsNZ]

For me its quality!

[Colt45]

Quality regardless of age.

[LordAnubis]

Quality over age. I have never gone to purchase a particular cigar. I just purchase whatever there is that's got everything going for it, and is recommended if i trust the sales person. For me i find i don't enjoy cigars that are more than 6 or 7 years old. Just my preference. I prefer smoking something between 2 and 7 years of age.

[ayepatz]

If I'm buying singles, I'll look for something with a bit of age, then, if I like them, I'll try and source a box of PSP/HQ.

[Lamar]

I've bought many many boxes from FOH over the past few years and I don't buy hardly any PSP/HQ stock anymore. Often I've noticed that clearance stock of the same cigar has very similar wrapper shade, oil content, and smokes just as good, if not better (depending on brand). I've actually compared side by side the exact same box code/year of Partagas Lusitanias that I received a few months apart, one PSP, one hand select, and couldn't visually tell them apart without looking at the sticker on the box. They have smoked with no discernible difference. Mine is only one data point, and its an opinion, so please take it as that. But for me, I always choose hand select/clearance and aged stock.

[skalls]

Prefer top quality.

[btp1979]

I'll take the PSP. At the rate I go through boxes, they'll be aged by the end regardless.

I'm with you. I'll take the PSP and age it myself whether intentionally or not lol!

[wabashcr]

I voted for age because I think over time, the cigars will lose some of the sheen and possibly color that made them PSP in the first place. I don't think you'll find many 5-6 year old cigars that meet the PSP threshold. The visual and aromatic characteristics that determine PSP/HQ/PE seem to be more pronounced in young cigars. I see this as a good thing, as the oils are being absorbed back into the cigar as part of the aging process. Assuming construction is good, I'll take the aged stock.

[Orion21]

Having just received a box of PSP SCDLH LA Fuerza in the mail from Rob, and buying several PSP boxes in the past, I can say with 100% certainty I would pick PSP every single time. I have bought aged boxes in the past and been very disappointed. A great example is a box of 2008 H. Upmann Mag 50's that are sheer crap on every level.

[DWC]

Both! I buy older stock (3+ yrs) blind when I have the chance, to smoke now while my other newer stock is resting.

And I buy fresh HQ of some of my favorites when I can, to lay down. I think it's worthwhile to pay for HQ on some of the higher priced boxes like Lusi's or Sir Winnies for the peace of mind if nothing else. (I've never bought PSP)

I think both aged <PE and HQ/PSP have their place in any humidor. They don't have to be exclusive.

-Dan

[planetary]

One other point to consider is that aged cigars are sometimes the only way you have to access vitolas no longer available, because they were limited-time releases or cancelled regular production.

Other than that... I try to go in for Rob's aged HQ/PSP boxes to get the best of both worlds.

[Orion21]

I want to caution people about buying aged stock blind. If you buy aged stock blind you are taking a multi-tiered risk on those boxes of cigars.

Buying blind is a risk just because you don't know who has handled the cigars from shipping out of Cuba, to the distributor, to the retailer and then to you. I'm not suggesting the cigars aren't real, but I am suggesting the cigars may not be very good quality. It could be a HQ place like Czar or it might not be. If you don't know where your cigars are coming from they might have been shipped all over the place before landing at your door. You have no idea of the storage conditions or provenance.

Buying blind aged cigars just multiplies this risk because now you have 3, 4, 5 . . .10 year old cigars that could have been exposed to this situation for multiple years. They could have been originally bought by one place who couldn't move them, then resold to another place who stores the cigars in sub-par conditions who then makes them available at a really good price. I'm having this issue with a source that I have used for years, but who I now see is shipping cigars from places I don't recognize from the past 5+ year of ordering.

The above described situation has just reinforced my decision to buy my cigars from FoH and be done with everyone else. It's just not worth it after years and thousands and thousands of dollars invested in this hobby. I am just not willing to roll the dice with businesses and people who aren't open books. Cheers to Rob for being both!

[joeskow]

Quality everytime

[Dozerhead]

Quality for me. What if you're getting an aged box of crap?

[Pharmacovigilant]

It's Quality for me as well. I enjoy aging cigars almost as much as I enjoy smoking them. It's part of the overall satisfaction I get out of the hobby. High-quality young will become high-quality aged in time. Suspect-quality aged will always be that...suspect.

[Blazer]

I think quality for me. I went to an event at a cigar bar a few years ago where a young hipster was a having a conversation with an octogenarian proclaiming the benefits of aging when the older gentlemen said "son, I'm 84 years old, I don't even buy green bananas anymore." That comical retort changed my viewpoint quite a bit about long-term cigar and wine aging.

[alloy]

I think age. I bought a box of 2008 GAS ABR Sancho Panza Belicosos. I let them rest a week and they are fantastic. Salt, vanilla, cocoa and smooth, very smooth.