To Age (NC) Or Not To Age

[heyferg]

Originally Posted by shilala

Depends on what a brother gets.
For me, I sit nc's for about 8 months to bring them down to around 65%RH.
The smokes from big places like CI are generally wet and very fresh. I can't take the ammonia, wet, barnyard that comes with that.
If I've gotten them from a trade or a B&M that keeps smokes well and they're ready to go, I smoke them.

Just trust your nose. You can compare and sense wet very well. You'll be surprised.

The type of smokes guys like to age are generally very strong ones like Opus and Anejo.
Maybe some others that come from very good tobacco.
Time can make them not so crazy strong, and bring out softer notes that are enjoyable.

Other NC's, after a few years, taste like nothing.

So the rule of thumb is generally to smoke them reasonably quickly (within a year or so) and not to keep too many.
I used to get a box, let it set 8 months, start smoking from it, and order another to get it ready. That was for my staples, nc's that I always liked to have around.
Good Luck!!!

I second this sentiment. I like to let my NCs "rest" for about 6 months after I get them home because I don't know what they've been through with shipping and sitting around in warehouses or whatever. I find that after letting the stabilize in my humidor for a while, they smoke much better.

The only ones I've aged for more than one year are some VSGs and some God of Fires. Both of those improved with age.

Hope that helps.