Get the Most of Out of Cigars through Aging

There is no such thing as a perfect cigar, however, by choosing the proper cigar may lead to an almost perfection. Cigar selection has a lot of similarities with choosing wines. Starting off with a fine brand or a vintage will give favorable results. Aside from the careful selection, aging a cigar is one common way of getting a rich flavor and a great smoke.

Cigars are agricultural products because of the fact that tobacco is a plant. After a plant is plucked and processed, it still doesn’t stop from changing. Because some of those changes may be harmful, cigars have to be stored in humidors. When kept inside a humidor, the cigars are much protected from ill-effects and excessive drying that are caused by a long exposure to air.

The environment in a humidor is dynamic. The humidor doesn’t have to be sealed airtight in order to allow a bit of air flow and moisture loss. Even if the humidor is completely shut off from the outside, it is still affected by some factors that produce changes that aren’t as unpleasant as drying.

The heat inside a humidor can only be controlled up to a certain degree because it is not regulated in a way that is similar to the temperature control used in refrigerators and wine-storage devices. Heat exchange is inevitable especially if the humidor is placed in an area that is exposed to sunlight. The ideal temperature is 69F or 20.5C.

Discounting the previously mentioned statements, the cigar itself will still continue to change due to the occurrence of chemical reactions inside the wrapper. The very little air inside a humidor can react with the tobacco and even the compounds within a tobacco will spontaneously react with each other to a degree.

The oils in a cigar are prone to the effects of aging and that is considered to be a good thing because a fine cigar will benefit from aging up to a year or more most of the time. The exuding of the oil, as seen on the exterior of the wrapper, indicates a less amount of oil inside the cigar. This causes the cigar to taste slightly different from others.

The subtle effects that become more pronounced with time makes a noticeable difference to the whole smoking experience. Robust flavors can be mellow and lighter flavors can be concentrated. Typically, larger cigars will age more slowly than smaller cigars since less of their interiors are exposed.

The best guide in aging cigars is probably experimentation. Try buying several cigar pieces of the same brand, type, and batch. Smoke one cigar upon purchasing and save the others for about a month later then try another one six months later, and yet another after a year.

Comparing across long periods of time is difficult because other cigars, food, and body changes may intrude on the process. Learning how to tell the difference between one cigar and another that came from the same brand and type can be achieved by practicing.