Do you age cigars at a higher humidity than you smoke them?

[craigchilds]

I've read a lot of threads on puff.com about aging and desired humidity levels. But I don't think this question has ever been addressed.

I just bought a 300-ct humidor for "aging". My goal is to age my cigars 12-18 months before I smoke them.

I usually keep my humidors at 65-67% RH because I prefer a drier taste, which I feel brings out more flavor.

However, I have read in a few places that cigars should be aged at 70-78% RH, then brought down to 70% before smoking. My aging humidor is currently set at 72%. But I pulled a few cigars out early last night and they were way to wet. So now I'm trying to bring the aging humidor down to 67%.

Does anyone have any experience or thoughts about this?

[Herf N Turf]

Actually, I consider "aging" to be in excess of 24mos. Everything up to that, I consider merely "resting." As far as humidity goes, I am the exact opposite. 65% for aging and 68-70% for smoking.

[AspiringGent]

I agree that you'll want to age at a slightly lower humidity, around 60-65. Then increase the humidity to whatever you like to smoke them at later.

[mrreindeer]

I keep mine at a pretty steady 65/65 and just passed the year mark in March. (just started down the slope last year & my Vino is pretty darn full & I can't quite find the time for a smoke these days so it'll be interesting to see how NC's 'age' although I've heard they've already been aged prior to being distributed....I've heard it's the CC's that are the ones you want to age....wonder what you guys think....

[Sweet_Cigars]

I'm guessing ACID's are not good to age?

[golfermd]

Yes, I smoke them right out of my humidor (RH ~70). I have had no issues with splitting. hard draw, staying lit, etc... Since I only smoke about 2-3 a week, it's not worth the extra effort to have a pre-smoke humidor set at a different RH.

[Acesfull]

I dont have enough cigars to age yet but when I finally get enough.. I'd imagine I'll leave them all at 65% where the sit at the rest of the time

[Sweet_Cigars]

Originally Posted by Acesfull

I dont have enough cigars to age yet but when I finally get enough.. I'd imagine I'll leave them all at 65% where the sit at the rest of the time

[Rubix^3]

This topic covers one of my favorite discoveries of late. Over the last year I have steadily increased my cigar collecting. Last May I had less than 20 cigars. Now I have around 120. About half of those have about 6 months or more on them--the first time i have had enough cigars to not smoke them right away. I can say that based on my experiences this year that I have noticed an improvement in flavor and burn of almost every cigar that I have let sit to rest more than a couple months. I have considered purchasing another humi just for resting, and then one for cigars ready to smoke. Based on my findings, I like to let my cigars rest at least 2 weeks before I smoke them, and ideally, over 2-3 months.
(f.y.i. all my cigars are n.c. and kept at 70% by way of heartfelt beads)

[K Baz]

Cigar aging is generally thought to mirror many way wine aging.

Most people go with the idea that a 55 - 60 humidity is ideal as well as 55 - 60 on temp. Most of the time this is not possible with the need to keep stocks at such a low temp in regards to the rest of a general household especially if you don't have a cooled unit or a wine cellar.

But in the absence of "perfect" conditions I think the best this is consistancy. If you going to keep you stock 65 % 65 F try to keep the swings and variations as small as possible.

Now I am going to disagree with other posters and say aging is 5 years plus. Some will say 10 years plus.

I think anything less then 2 years till burning keep them with the rest of your stock and enjoy.

[ashmaster]

My humidors stay between 64 to 67% and for me, I really don't see any reason to change that for long term aging. I'm happy with the results so far.

[docruger]

Originally Posted by Rubix^3

This topic covers one of my favorite discoveries of late. Over the last year I have steadily increased my cigar collecting. Last May I had less than 20 cigars. Now I have around 120. About half of those have about 6 months or more on them--the first time i have had enough cigars to not smoke them right away. I can say that based on my experiences this year that I have noticed an improvement in flavor and burn of almost every cigar that I have let sit to rest more than a couple months. I have considered purchasing another humi just for resting, and then one for cigars ready to smoke. Based on my findings, I like to let my cigars rest at least 2 weeks before I smoke them, and ideally, over 2-3 months.
(f.y.i. all my cigars are n.c. and kept at 70% by way of heartfelt beads)

ditto i do the same resting. now if i could only rest my self that long.

[GrtndpwrflOZ]

Humidity......what's humidity? and what the hell does it have to do with cigars?

I have met people on this board, that board and the international board that keep their smokes anywhere from 55% Rh to 73% Rh. I think it has to do with your personal preference.
as for aging/resting/sleeping/cat napping/comatosing/killing dead as a doornail ....
unless you buy multiple boxes at a time for just this reason I believe that any cigar you don't smoke is aging. which I guess is a truth.....right?

I think it goes like this and please someone correct me if I am mistaken

resting = < 1 year
aging = < 5 - 10 years
vintage = +10 years

I too started down the slope in May.....of 2007 I think. WOW 2 years now. WHen I started I didn't own a cigar. I had bought a couple for a friend and myself to smoke while throwing darts and it has been all down hill from there (pun intended)
I now own a 120 ct (first humi), a 300ct (2nd), and 2 end table (3rd, & 4th: 600ct ea.) and they are all pretty much filled. I still need to play "tetris" to get at some cigars.
I digress

First I also have heard the whole "you don't need to age NC's only CC's discussion. I don't understand it. Why would you not age NC's because they are already aged somewhat? I mean if I go and by a box of 1998 RyJ Coronas do I have to smoke them NOW because they are already aged?....NO, of course not. So why should you not age NC's anymore than they are aged. I have cigars from the '20's, 50's, 60's, 80's, 90's and current. I am not compelled to smoke them in any hurry. I have been buyiong NC's since I started in '07 but have not smoked all the cigars I have bought. They sit and age/rest/sleep/go intro a coma....whatever cutsie term you want to use. Will I ever get around to smoking them.....probably not, my tastes have changed but every once in awhile I'll grap something I haven't smoked in ages and think WOW, why don't I smoke more of these.......and then they end up sitting again for a year or so.......

OK, this must be the most I have posted in quite some time

MSoke'em if ya got'em

B

[6clicks]

I'm too old to age my cigars so I just let them rest a while and burn 'em up.

[fiddlegrin]

Originally Posted by GrtndpwrflOZ

................................

OK, this must be the most I have posted in quite some time

MSoke'em if ya got'em

B

Thanks for the fun post!