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An Explanation of the Stale Cigar Myth

Occasionally, a friend or relative mentions that a cigar does not meet high standards because it tastes stale. This reaction is the last thing that tobacconists want to hear from customers. Unlike most food and drinks, cigars do not get stale. On the contrary, cigars improve with age. Like wine, there is a proper method of storing cigars to keep them aging well in ideal conditions.

The occurrence of dryness causing the cigar to crack does not reflect how long ago the cigar was first rolled. It is common for cigars to be low-end in quality because they did not were not stored in a space with proper levels of humidity or because the cigars were not handled with due care when they were manufactured. A cigar with a cellophane wrapper that has yellowed indicates an aged cigar that is typically a high quality product.

An aged cigar, also known as a round cigar, offers a smooth and enjoyable taste. The aged cigar is not necessarily a superior cigar. It basically has a roundness that causes the product to taste mellower and less like tobacco. Experienced cigar smokers know that cigars aged in humidors for several months after the initial purchases normally taste better. A cigar that has aged well also may burn more evenly. Sometimes, a cigar that is freshly rolled is overly wet and soggy, which means that the product does not have an even draw.

Placing cigars in a humidor causes them to lose some of their initial moistness. The humidor causes the tobacco to have a looser texture, which then results in a subtler flavor. A few serious cigar smokers purchase several boxes of cigars in order to give them time to dry out in humidors. Numerous consumers let their newly purchased cigars rest in humidors for more than a year. When it comes to the age of a cigar, patience takes on a new level of meaning.

Consumers who want to age their cigars have their own preferences about how long to let the cigars rest in humidors. The typical amount of time to age a cigar is a minimum of one year. Naturally, the aging effect only applies to higher quality cigars. Inferior cigars are not as likely to improve with age. It is also noteworthy that some cigars develop extraordinary flavors and aromas after they age properly. A cigar may smell horrible today and wonderful after it rests in a humidor for a year.

Some cigar lines age better than others. One example of a cigar that ages well is the larger ring-gauge type of cigar. If a cigar is thicker, it normally contains several types of tobacco leaves, and the result is that the cigar has a richer flavor after it is aged. The inner components of a large cigar are normally protected from the atmosphere, which means that the cigar is not as dependent upon variations in humidity or climactic conditions. This type of increased stability is good for the aging process.

Other cigars do not receive any benefits from the aging process. Maduro-wrapped cigars are aged or cured using artificial methods. This technique causes the wrappers to take on dark hues. However, Maduro-wrapped cigars are already in their final resting stages and cannot receive any more improvements from the aging process. Every cigar has unique qualities, but each product is only capable of reaching a point when it achieves its best possible flavor and aroma. Once a cigar reaches this point, aging no longer improves the product.