Aging Padron Question

[Jonesee]

2 years ago my beautiful wife gave me a Padron sampler with 3 1926 series, 3 1964 series and a 6000, and a 4000 all in maduro. They are still sleeping peacefully in their box.

I age all my sticks, but I swear sometime in the past I read that Padron's don't benefit as much from aging.

Can anyone help me with this? It doesn't seem rational to me and I know the other 2000 and 4000's I have in my humidors have benefitted from aging. The 2000 and 4000 are twice as good after at least 6 months.

Is there any truth to this or am I just trying to rationalize not waiting any longer?

And finally, has there been any discussions on when different makes of cigars mature and gain no more benefit from aging.

My personal experience has been that Sancho Panza's flavor seems to plateau between 12-24 months. Hoyo de Monterey Dark Sumatra's is just beginning to blossom at 18-24 months. I am sure they will age gracefully for years. I am not opposed to age some cigars for decades and smoke them when they peak. I am 47 and still waiting to reach my peak!!!

I guess that is all more than one question and maybe also a converstaion catalyst on when some gars reach their peak.

[Deuce Da Masta]

i think its all just personal preference. I enjoy the hell out of a fresh padron 26 or 64 maduro and havent found em to be all that much greater with age. You might find it to be different. Only way to find out is to age some and try em.

[Snake Hips]

Well, I'm just going to say that if they do well for you, then do it. Smoke one of them and see how they're doing. If well, then great. If not much different, then no better reason to smoke 'em up, eh?

Buuuut, that's as far as my advice goes. I'm a newb with no patience for ageing yet, so I have no experience to discuss ageing's affects.

[GHC_Hambone]

I'm no expert, but I believe the '64 and '26 don't age as well because the tobacco is already aged so much. But I've never had an aged one so I truly don't know.

[desame.one]

I purchased half a box of Padron 1926 #6 Naturals from Bryan (Addiction) back in May with a date label that reads 11/15/05. I have smoked a couple of them and noticed that the flavor has mellowed out and the spice isn't as noticeable as something that only has a few months of age.

With that said, I prefer the non-aged Padron 1926 #6 Natural over the aged counterpart. Your mileage may vary.

[tchariya]

I think the 26/64s smoke great fresh. I've never had an 'aged' one and I don't know if I could put some away for aging.

[Addiction]

My personal experience is that I much prefer Padrons fresh to aged. Like greatly prefer 2-1. In fact one of my very aged boxes was almost replaced with a fresh box before my tastes took me in another direction.

[Cgarman]

I have only had one 'aged' Padron '64. It was a corona and one of the first high priced sticks I bought. I bought two at the time and smoked one right away. I hesitated to smoke the second one because the first was so good. Eventually, 10 years or so passed. I finally smoked it at one of my first herfs. It was very, very smooth! It did not have the strong pepper burn that most fresh ones have. I did think that it was a superior cigar. I believe that the common opinion on Padrons is that most only benefit from 3 to 4 years of aging. After that they tend to lose their 'edge' I enjoyed my 10 year old '64, but I wouldn't age them that long again.

[upah]

I think Cgarman hit it on the head: people say that Padrons don't age well because fresh ones have that distinct deep maduro flavor that continues to draw people to the Padron lines. Aging these cigars will cause the tobacco to mellow, therefore losing that coveted "bite".

If Padron's home on your personal strength ladder could stand to move down a rung or two, let em rest. Else, burn one and see how it smokes. To each his own.

[Big D]

I had a churchill size left over from a sampler that I got in '04. Smoked it last year and it was the best '26 that I had ever had!! It had mellowed a bit but all the classic flavors were there.

[Andyman]

Originally Posted by Jonesee

Can anyone help me with this? It doesn't seem rational to me and I know the other 2000 and 4000's I have in my humidors have benefitted from aging. The 2000 and 4000 are twice as good after at least 6 months.

6 months is more like resting than aging. I think any cigar will bennifit from resting.

[clampdown]

I picked up a sampler from the Padron store in Little Havana a few years ago. I smoked the last one from the sampler a few weeks ago. Yes, it did mellow a bit from the others, but still you cant beat a PA 26 or 64, aged or no aged. I prefer the mellow taste of the aged padron, but to each their own.

[StogieGuy]

I don't think I've ever been able to age a Padron 64 or 26 for more than 1 month... they are just too tempting.

[Jonesee]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the answers. It looks like those that have smoked an aged Padron like its mellower Padron taste. I think I will let them rest a few more years/decades. Someday I will let them out to play.

Does anyone else find themselves keeping a cigar(s) for a special occasion, but never quite find the right occasion? I am guilty of that.

[Cgarman]

I have humidors full of 'orphans' they just never seem to find that special occasion that is theirs. That is one of my biggest problems. I always reach for something and go...
"no I don't have the proper time to devote to this"