Buying aged cigars

[Bohn007]

While I understand some people's hesitation in paying the premium for aged sticks, still as I replenish my stocks and I realize that my pallet has evolved, it's nice to add some older boxes to the collection. These are box codes from 09/2008. Of course there was a premium but beautiful cigars that are good to smoke now.

[Smallclub]

Ouch. The dreaded Magnum 50 from 2008… one of the most disapointing cigar I've ever purchased. Was already past its "prime" in 2011…

[oliverdst]

[Bohn007]

2 hours ago, Smallclub said:

Ouch. The dreaded Magnum 50 from 2008… one of the most disapointing cigar I've ever purchased. Was already past its "prime" in 2011…

Smells great out of the box, wrappers are gorgeous but need to lay them down for a couple of weeks before firing one up. I think maybe you just got a bad box as they came highly recommended from LCDH. I will post and let you know in a couple of weeks

[wade1979]

Just had a 2009 Mag 50....so damn good. 

[garbandz]

I had a couple boxes of the Mag 50 from '08

they were part of the reason I do not buy them any more..............

 

I hope your box is a good one.

[El Presidente]

When it comes to vintage stock, buy the seller. 

Provenance is key. How they have been stored is so important, but also why they have been stored. Your job is to find out the detail. 

If they have been on the general shelf of a retailer (who moves stock) for 15 years then I would walk away. You can assume hundreds + of buyer walk- ins  already have. 

Ensure they are Habanos retailers and do a search on prior problems with them. Note: Every retailer has their share of critics. However within an hour of research online, you will get a feel of their operation. If 90% of commentary is positive, weigh on that side. 

If they have been in the back room of a retailer who sells few premium cigars then I would look further.  Ask for a little history, a photo and a general overview of the product. 

If purchasing from privateers, who did they buy them from, how have they been kept, photo and general overview.  If they were purchased from another privateer or a non Habanos retailer, do you really want the doubt? 

Well, maybe you can live with the doubt and you can throw the rules out the window and hence  take a bigger gamble. Just don't  gamble more than you can afford to lose.  If burn't, let people know, try to get your moola back but in the end... live with it. 

 

[MahDooRow]

I'm generally content to purchase current production, some of which I put away for a 1-3 year nap before smoking.  However, when I lack the patience and want the instant gratification of an aged smoke I will on occasion purchase aged stock when the premium is reasonable.

[JZBdano]

9 hours ago, Bohn007 said:

While I understand some people's hesitation in paying the premium for aged sticks, still as I replenish my stocks and I realize that my pallet has evolved, it's nice to add some older boxes to the collection. These are box codes from 09/2008. Of course there was a premium but beautiful cigars that are good to smoke now.

Don't sweat it, I picked up some 08 Mag50 A/T a few months ago and the one I smoked was the best cigar I've had this year.  

[Bohn007]

2 hours ago, El Presidente said:

When it comes to vintage stock, buy the seller. 

Provenance is key. How they have been stored is so important, but also why they have been stored. Your job is to find out the detail. 

If they have been on the general shelf of a retailer (who moves stock) for 15 years then I would walk away. You can assume hundreds + of buyer walk- ins  already have. 

Ensure they are Habanos retailers and do a search on prior problems with them. Note: Every retailer has their share of critics. However within an hour of research online, you will get a feel of their operation. If 90% of commentary is positive, weigh on that side. 

If they have been in the back room of a retailer who sells few premium cigars then I would look further.  Ask for a little history, a photo and a general overview of the product. 

If purchasing from privateers, who did they buy them from, how have they been kept, photo and general overview.  If they were purchased from another privateer or a non Habanos retailer, do you really want the doubt? 

Well, maybe you can live with the doubt and you can throw the rules out the window and hence  take a bigger gamble. Just don't  gamble more than you can afford to lose.  If burn't, let people know, try to get your moola back but in the end... live with it. 

 

Thanks Rob. These were purchased from a trusted LCDH store based upon their recommendation and not my first purchase from them. That being said, I just got the first two boxes from you and if the quality continues on that level, I do not see buying anymore cigars ever again from anyone else with the exception of an occasional aged CC or something rare and hard to find. The Connie A's and Vigia's were beautiful and I can't wait to get the Monte #2's, Upmann 56's and Cohiba Pyramids that are on their way. Thanks again for letting me join the "club". 

[RijkdeGooier]

10 hours ago, Smallclub said:

Ouch. The dreaded Magnum 50 from 2008… one of the most disapointing cigar I've ever purchased. Was already past its "prime" in 2011…

 

5 hours ago, garbandz said:

I had a couple boxes of the Mag 50 from '08

they were part of the reason I do not buy them any more..............

 

I hope your box is a good one.

Maybe they turned a corner?  I respect your opinion but I guess experiences vary. On most of my visits to a very large Düsseldorf LCdH last year we were smoking out of an aged Mag50 50Cab. 

This was however the first time I ever liked them  previous exp being similar to your opinions  

 

 

[PapaDisco]

If you're newish to CC's it's worth experimenting with aged stock.  And by Aged I mean 10 years or so.  It's fairly easy to rummage around a B&M or Duty Free and find the odd 5 year old box being sold for current price.  10 year old stock from the PCC aging program tends to run approximately double the cost of a current box, so that's about a 7%, compounded annually, rate of appreciation.  From an economic perspective that's really not much of a premium to pay for 10 years of time.  Oh and double bonus!  El Pres will source and inspect these boxes for you! 

Now, PCC may not age boxes the way you would.  Theirs sit on a shelf, mine I like to shrink wrap or ziplock.  I've had Hoyo and Punch Churchills with 10+ years on them from the distributor, and Punch DC's.  Some have come off as uncharacteristically light, but super smooth (the Hoyo and Punch Churchills) and some have retained their flavor, if my selections hadn't been inspected by Rob for certain my experience with these sticks would have been generally worse.  I don't yet have a shrink wrapped cab of my own that has made it to 10 years yet, so no chance of comparison.  I've been most impressed with the 7-8 year old offerings from the, unevenly reviewed, Anejados program.  Both the Monte Churchills (3 boxes) and Partagas Corona Gordas (2 boxes) that I've gotten from El Pres have been superb.

The 5 year old scores I've made in Hong Kong from time to time have been mind blowing, but in those cases I was allowed to rummage through the shelves and inspect every box.

So I would mostly age my own, but I would not hesitate to consider some older boxes if I had the coin and could inspect them or get them from Rob.  Distributor aged programs are a fair value for the time they 'sell' you.  It's just that it's twice the price and therefore twice as important that you get to inspect the purchase.

[Bohn007]

On 9/3/2016 at 4:37 PM, Smallclub said:

Ouch. The dreaded Magnum 50 from 2008… one of the most disapointing cigar I've ever purchased. Was already past its "prime" in 2011…

Smoking one now. Still has some nice flavors but not overwhelming in complexity. Having serious burn issues though which are requiring correction. As I get to the final third though, it seems to be correcting and getting some nice flavors of brown sugar out of it. I might have to dry box the next one and see if that helps. 

[Smallclub]

9 minutes ago, Bohn007 said:

Smoking one now. Still has some nice flavors but not overwhelming in complexity.

Yes, it's this lack of complexity and evolution that I found so disapointing in a cigar that size. At the same age an Upmann No.2 or a Connoisseur No.1 offers much more for less money.

[Bohn007]

4 minutes ago, Smallclub said:

Yes, it's this lack of complexity and evolution that I found so disapointing in a cigar that size. At the same age an Upmann No.2 or a Connoisseur No.1 offers much more for less money.

I have boxes of each that are from 2011 that I am going to have to open up and try. The Upmann #2 is one of my favorite overall cigas over the years. I also have a box of Magnum 50's from 2009 that I will have to try and see if I see a difference. Usually try to smoke the older ones first unless I find a rock star, then I take my time. 

[JZBdano]

I have noticed with my aged purchases that they take a little longer to settle in to their own from shipping stress.  There was a pleasant change in flavors and complexity from 30 to 60 days acclimatization in several of my boxes.  The only exception has been with tubos, they seem to travel very well (and age wonderfully). 

[TheMonk]

I don't usually buy aged cigars just because they're aged, for two reasons: 1) No matter what anyone says, it's almost always a big risk and 2) they usually cost more then I'm willing to pay. The exception here are discontinued smokes that I know I really like, and even those I only buy if the seller is truly reliable.
Also, I'm quite patient and I do buy considerably more then I smoke, so I have and will continue to have a lot of aged stock.

[earthson]

Always better to age your own - much more rewarding, especially when you find things you forgot about!

Have gotten to try interesting/discontinued stuff, but I tend to prefer most cigars with less than 10 years of age.

[LLC]

I have lots of cigars I've aged myself but if any opportunity comes up to buy aged cigars that I want and all the right boxes are ticked, I jump on the opportunity.

[Habana Mike]

With the general cost of average RE cigar lately approaching/crossing the $20/stick mark I've sworn off them, preferring to spend that coin on aged and/or discontinued smokes I know I like for near same outlays.....provenance and provider always part of the equation.

[Ethernut]

@john007 reference the Aged section just updated in my Noob Thread I Never Read (in my signature) for some additional perspective..

[Bohn007]

36 minutes ago, Ethernut said:

@john007 reference the Aged section just updated in my Noob Thread I Never Read (in my signature) for some additional perspective..

@john007? Bohn, G Bohn. 

[Bohn007]

44 minutes ago, Ethernut said:

@john007 reference the Aged section just updated in my Noob Thread I Never Read (in my signature) for some additional perspective..

@Ethernut, I have been following your updates with a sense of religion. 

[john007]

On September 25, 2016 at 8:27 PM, Ethernut said:

@john007 reference the Aged section just updated in my Noob Thread I Never Read (in my signature) for some additional perspective..

I will definitely check it out.