aged cigars - thoughts?

[Ryan]

I've been lucky to have smoked quite a few 20-70 year old cigars over the years.

I'm also lucky to live in Ireland as regards old cigars. A basement here in a house (or a shop) will never (naturally) go over 70 degrees F, and older, well-built, Georgian or Victorian buildings in Dublin will keep a humidity of 60-70% year-round. Even London basements get over 25C and can dry out in the summer.

My favourite was a Dunhill Malecon from the late 80s, but that was smoked on the Malecon in Havana with good people. Lots of savoury umami flavours, that I very rarely get from younger cigars. The closest I can remember in a young cigar was an early release of the H Upmann Royal Robusto in 2011. Though that also had a youthful kick, I can still taste it.

Some of them do go "papery", and I don't think that's just the packaging, I've had papery, older tubed cigars. There can be a "mustiness", like an old book.

Some of them can take on a "cheesiness", a step up from paper and interesting, but not really what I'm after.

For me, the best from an aged (>20 years) cigar are "tea" flavours, floral aroma and some savoury, literally "beefiness", on the finish.

I've had tea and Floral from H Upmann, ERDM and Punch vintage and more savoury from Partagas and Ramon Allones.

That is, when they're good, for me about 50%. Of course that 50% is very likely influenced by my mood and surroundings.

One of my favourite vintage cigar pictures.

 

[Nino]

I have been fortunate in smoking some aged gems - my most memorable was a 1970's Cohiba Lanceros Diplomatic gift, the most outstanding cigar I have ever smoked.

But, as Stuart Fox was mentioned, I am reminded of an 80 year cigar that I smoked with his brother Robert and with David McGrane of Fox Cigars during a visit they ( and Dara, Stephan et al ) made to our pharmacy cigar weekend in August 2012.

 

It was a SOL Aromosos Imperiales from the 1930's, beautifully kept in cellophane and still going very strong.

Here the links to the event and below David's tasting notes.

http://flyingcigar.de/startseite/201208-1930s-sol-aromosos-imperiales-review/

http://www.jamesfox.ie/blog/1930s-sol-aromoso-imperiale/#more-617

On the last day of our cigar weekend and after a beautiful Sunday morning in the vineyards, 20 of us gathered up for a brunch, which finished up with a tasting of some very rare cigars Nino shared with us; the Sol Amorosos Imperiales, which dated back to the 1930’s. 

Although most of us have had the chance to sample vintage cigars throughout the years, an 80 year old cigar is not something you would come across often and it’s enough to raise the levels of excitement in the party!

My first impression was the cigar’s dark brown colour. Having spent many years under cellophane this could be due in part to the normal decolourization of the cellophane. So, with apprehension, and with the greatest respect to this venerable cigar, I gently peeled the cellophane apart. The wrapping had indeed, after so many years, changed to a light tan colour showing the imprint of the Sol band in reverse.

For a cigar that was over eighty years old, it still had a wrapper that was in remarkably good condition with the natural oils of the rich brown leaf, together with sun spots, still evident. On gently nosing the cigar, I was taken aback by the strong aroma of camphor (moth balls). The condition was perfect, with just a little give when gently pressed. The view at the foot of this boxed press cigar showed a uniformity of the tobacco composition within the cigar. To cut, I used a double sided guillotine and a gentle flame gas lighter to ignite.

To my surprise, the first draw resulted in, not a hint of camphor, but of gentle tobacco flavours. After the first few draws, these flavours were joined by flavours of mixed herbs and nutmeg. This cigar was a pleasure to smoke as the draw was perfect. 

The cigar burned evenly throughout, holding its grey ash to approximately 4cm. The most noticeable feature of this ash was the absence of stalk.

All the while the flavours were building, until the last 7cm when the flavour of chalky spices engulfed the tongue only to sink back to a mellow flavour of sublime smoking pleasure.

It was only when I reached the final 3cm that we had to reluctantly part each others company.

My overall impression, despite its age the SOL Aromosos Imperiales was still a very fine cigar, a cigar with class, that gave me over an hour and a half of pure smoking pleasure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Orion21]

57 minutes ago, nino said:

I have been fortunate in smoking some aged gems - my most memorable was a 1970's Cohiba Lanceros Diplomatic gift, the most outstanding cigar I have ever smoked.

But, as Stuart Fox was mentioned, I am reminded of an 80 year cigar that I smoked with his brother Robert and with David McGrane of Fox Cigars during a visit they ( and Dara, Stephan et al ) made to our pharmacy cigar weekend in August 2012.

 

It was a SOL Aromosos Imperiales from the 1930's, beautifully kept in cellophane and still going very strong.

Here the links to the event and below David's tasting notes.

http://flyingcigar.de/startseite/201208-1930s-sol-aromosos-imperiales-review/

http://www.jamesfox.ie/blog/1930s-sol-aromoso-imperiale/#more-617

On the last day of our cigar weekend and after a beautiful Sunday morning in the vineyards, 20 of us gathered up for a brunch, which finished up with a tasting of some very rare cigars Nino shared with us; the Sol Amorosos Imperiales, which dated back to the 1930’s. 

Although most of us have had the chance to sample vintage cigars throughout the years, an 80 year old cigar is not something you would come across often and it’s enough to raise the levels of excitement in the party!

My first impression was the cigar’s dark brown colour. Having spent many years under cellophane this could be due in part to the normal decolourization of the cellophane. So, with apprehension, and with the greatest respect to this venerable cigar, I gently peeled the cellophane apart. The wrapping had indeed, after so many years, changed to a light tan colour showing the imprint of the Sol band in reverse.

For a cigar that was over eighty years old, it still had a wrapper that was in remarkably good condition with the natural oils of the rich brown leaf, together with sun spots, still evident. On gently nosing the cigar, I was taken aback by the strong aroma of camphor (moth balls). The condition was perfect, with just a little give when gently pressed. The view at the foot of this boxed press cigar showed a uniformity of the tobacco composition within the cigar. To cut, I used a double sided guillotine and a gentle flame gas lighter to ignite.

To my surprise, the first draw resulted in, not a hint of camphor, but of gentle tobacco flavours. After the first few draws, these flavours were joined by flavours of mixed herbs and nutmeg. This cigar was a pleasure to smoke as the draw was perfect. 

The cigar burned evenly throughout, holding its grey ash to approximately 4cm. The most noticeable feature of this ash was the absence of stalk.

All the while the flavours were building, until the last 7cm when the flavour of chalky spices engulfed the tongue only to sink back to a mellow flavour of sublime smoking pleasure.

It was only when I reached the final 3cm that we had to reluctantly part each others company.

My overall impression, despite its age the SOL Aromosos Imperiales was still a very fine cigar, a cigar with class, that gave me over an hour and a half of pure smoking pleasure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bravo Nino! I’ve been reading your blog for almost 10 years. 

My experience with old cigars is very similar to my experience with old wine. If stored properly it is different than new. Some people love how it changes and some don’t. I tend to like middle age cigars the most, haha. They are distinguished in their character, but still retain many of the youthful qualities. A bit more toned down, more debonair and refined.