Monday, November 29 1999
Q. I was at the April 7th
La Aurora Cigars tasting event at
Famous Smoke Shop when I received several fresh
hand rolled cigars. I've smoked some, however I was told that they all should have spent time in my
humidor to age. Now, the ones I smoked were good, should I expect them to get better with age, or smoke them now?
- Bill Weidner
A. First, let me say that smoking a freshly rolled cigar is one of life’s great pleasures. It’s like getting a taste of what they do at the factory.
Secondly, if you thought the fresh-rolled cigars you smoked were good, let your remaining cigars rest as long as possible. If you have at least two, try one in six months, then try the second after a year. It sounds like a long time to wait, but for most premium-quality cigars, that’s about the norm before they go into the box. The average cigar takes about three years from seedling to a completed rolled and aged cigar.
Try to forget about them for now, and in about a year, take one out and light it. You will notice a difference. If you have more, let them age another full year. The longer they age, the more mellow they get because the nicotine and most of the other elements that can cause bitterness is greatly reduced.
