The merits of smoking CC's fresh


Recommended Posts

Absolutely right about this! As a lover of matured smokes I always smoke freshies in between, either for checking quality of next purchases to be done or just for a change of pace. And otherwise - I wouldn't know I prefer most of them well-aged...

In the majority of cases - for me, however - it is quite the reverse, a freshy can often appear a bit blunt and without much expression. Also marca differences (I know, I know - Piggy... ;)) are more masked in fresh cigars. While I agree, they can be very "into your face" with their primary notes, they are often lacking a lot of what is to come. Many are gaining depth, complexity and ocassionally even a lot of additional oomph only when properly matured. Prime example for me is the 'generic' RASS - while decent when fresh, a waste of a great smoke when smoked at < 5 yrs of age.

But each to his own - some crack open a fresh bottle of Grand Puy Lacoste and enjoy it.... :D

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, Fugu said:

Absolutely right about this! As a lover of matured smokes I always smoke freshies in between, either for checking quality of next purchases to be done or just for a change of pace. And otherwise - I wouldn't know I prefer most of them well-aged...

In the majority of cases - for me, however - it is quite the reverse, a freshy can often appear a bit blunt and without much expression. Also marca differences (I know, I know - Piggy... ;)) are more masked in fresh cigars. While I agree, they can be very "into your face" with their primary notes, they are often lacking a lot of what is to come. Many are gaining depth, complexity and ocassionally even a lot of additional oomph only when properly matured. Prime example for me is the 'generic' RASS - while decent when fresh, a waste of a great smoke when smoked at < 5 yrs of age.

But each to his own - some crack open a fresh bottle of Grand Puy Lacoste and enjoy it.... :D

Yep, Completely agree with cigars opening up with more defined flavour, and more accurate flavour in time. The principle of ageing cigars is 100% correct. I guess all I was saying was that ROTT cigars can offer a profile pleasure that aged cigars cant, and I would think it really sad, if newbies just didn't bother, feeling pressurised by the "you must do it this way" rhetoric that surrounds most complex pursuits.

I wouldn't dream of smoking some of my cigars young, but as you said it's hugely informative, and can be bloody brilliant.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Love it when they are good young. 

Im going to sound like Luddite, but for how much they cost, they should be delicious day 1.  I'll age em because I can, but I am pissed if it's not enjoyable after the acclimation down time.  Intolerable that something with the pricing they ask for should REQUIRE age to be good.  

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, 99call said:

 I guess all I was saying was that ROTT cigars can offer a profile pleasure that aged cigars cant, and I would think it really sad, if newbies just didn't bother, feeling pressurised by the "you must do it this way" rhetoric that surrounds most complex pursuits.

Absolutely true. And best advice given to anyone new to cigars - don't let yourself be intimidated and driven by any alleged DOs and DON'Ts: There aren't many when it comes to cigars.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, rhcolbert said:

Love it when they are good young. 

Im going to sound like Luddite, but for how much they cost, they should be delicious day 1.  I'll age em because I can, but I am pissed if it's not enjoyable after the acclimation down time.  Intolerable that something with the pricing they ask for should REQUIRE age to be good.  

 

Market has determined a price for unaged tobacco. A second market exists for aged tobacco that will accelerate in price, peak, and then exhibit diminishing returns due to shelf life or the relative fashion of the particular cigar. This is common with any market that deals in scarcity. I don't see anything untoward with their behavior. Of course they run the risk of turning their product into a regional and limited edition based fad and alienating their boring, reliable base customers, but this seems a far way off at this juncture. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't mind either end of spectrum as long as they are "good".  Strong punchy cigar is quite nice, but harder to find than aged box.  They'll be forever aged, but only young once.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, BrightonCorgi said:

I don't mind either end of spectrum as long as they are "good".  Strong punchy cigar is quite nice, but harder to find than aged box.  They'll be forever aged, but only young once.

"They'll be forever aged, but only young once"

Ha, Well done mate, you said it more accurately, in much fewer words. Hats off

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, 99call said:

Im always a little sceptical when I hear people say "I've just bought a Cab and I'm not going to touch it for 5yrs".

I would LOVE to see some truly double blind, large scale taste tests along these lines.  Perhaps a few cabs of 6mo, 2 year, 5 year Partagas Short or Punch Punch divided up between 50 people.   I think the results would be enlightening.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, MrGlass said:

These discussions always remind me of this post from a few years ago:

Don't be afraid of smoking cigars young - fate may have other plans for you.

Thanks for digging this one up. Good read 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Hedgehog said:

I would LOVE to see some truly double blind, large scale taste tests along these lines.  Perhaps a few cabs of 6mo, 2 year, 5 year Partagas Short or Punch Punch divided up between 50 people.   I think the results would be enlightening.  

It would be absolutely impossible to do this kind of study without a time machine because the crop variations from year to year and mean that a box can only ever be compared against 1 smokers notes/memory as it ages.

That said I personally advocate that both newbie and experienced smokers should smoke 1 stick ROTT, then at 30 days then at 3 months, then at 6months, and then on 6 month intervals,  based on the notes from each of these sticks then they will either be smoking heavy up front or aging until peaked....and of course it is fun to try and get something to last as long as possible.

A box of 25 smoked this way would have 5 sticks smoked on the 1yr annv of arrival and based on thoughts it could then last another 10yrs.

That rarely happens these days as the tobacco is enginneered at the seed level to be smokable younger so not many sticks are making the 10yr mark anymore in my humidor. But I am a 1-3 stick a day guy running around 40-50 boxes in my rotation. If I would go back to my 100-150 box storage that I used to run then I might age longer.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What's the newest box code you have ever smoked?  

For me it was around month or two older than the current date.  Back in 2001, my girlfriend went to Cuba and got me a BBF Cab (pre-bands and oily & dark as could be) that was just out of this world.  Haven't had such a memorable BBF since.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, 99call said:

Im always a little sceptical when I hear people say "I've just bought a Cab and I'm not going to touch it for 5yrs". Now I realise that the majority of these people know exactly what they're doing i.e these cabs are probably being tucked behind one they're smoking through and they know exactly what they like, and how they like it.

But it got me wondering, like many pursuits that cost a lot of money, I hope there arnet newbies out there that are too afraid to burn through a few fresh as daisies, as the results can be fabulous. 

Just got through a 2016 Monte 2, and I can honestly say it was a wonderful rollercoaster. touches of toasted cumin, bitter cocoa, sweet and sour damp cardboard,  thats right damp cardboard!!!  There is a wonderful sweet almost confectionary paper smell when you open packages. Many refer to this sweet smell in Monte 2's as milky chocolate, and I get it, but for me it's more acerbic and sour twang that only registers in that heady fresh sweet smell of damp cardboard.     I realise, like always, I'll get a raft of s**t from those who's descriptors have to fall into a catagory of "hmm that sounds nice" 

Anyway I'll get back on message, I think it's absolutely essential as El Pres says, smoke through a box periodically until it hits it's sweet spot. I guess my point being, sometimes that sweet spot can be ROTT. My preferred taste in a cuban cigars is quite Spanish, i.e I like amplitude, searing flavour,  and whilst its not to everybody's taste, its a dynamic of the cuban cigar experience that shouldn't just be side stepped in preference to certain truisms of ageing tobacco.

Like some who say "mmm cant wait to see where this goes in a couple of years", I have smoked vintage cigars and thought, "God, I'd love a time machine to see what this tasted like at it's brutal best". I guess it's a very simple statement, I just hope there aren't any new enthusiast to CC's that collect in an almost idolising approach, staring at them through the glass for ten years, then crack them open in retirement and go "hmm these these are a bit muted".  (i know there will be plenty of those lying in wait for the the big sell off)

Anyway just saying, sometimes being uppercutted by a cigar and lying on the canvas with you teeth knocked out, can be a wonderful thing

 

Great post

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Fugu said:

....what'ya gonna be smoking after that date mate?!!

No worries Both of my sons are avid cigar smokers. I am stocking up for the next gen?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Fugu said:

....what'ya gonna be smoking after that date mate?!!

 

1 hour ago, Winchester21 said:

No worries Both of my sons are avid cigar smokers. I am stocking up for the next gen?

As I live in Amsterdam, I'm afraid the use of tobacco will be declared illegal by then??. 

A fine family tradition will be ended on my watch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

Community Software by Invision Power Services, Inc.