“The tobacco in this cigar has been aged for five
years.” “After this stick was rolled, it was aged for two years before it was
shipped out.” “I let my cigars age in my humidor for about six months before I
smoke them.” You’ve probably heard these terms being bandied about cigar shops
and lounges all the time. But what does it all
mean?
Typically, tobacco and cigars undergo an extensive
aging process in the factory. As a matter of fact, cigars purchased at a cigar shop do not
need any further aging. However, some cigar enthusiasts prefer to allow
their sticks additional time to age at home. This
article will discuss both processes.
Factory Aging
When tobacco leaves are pulled from the fields,
they are stored in curing barns. Here the tobacco starts to dry and turn from
green to yellow to brown as it releases chlorophyll and impurities. This process
usually takes up to two months. Next, the tobacco is fermented, which allows
the tobacco to release impurities and ammonia and develop its unique
taste/aroma qualities.
The tobacco’s aging process starts right after
fermentation. During anejamiento, the tobacco is sorted and stored by leaf
type. Binder and filler leaves are stored in sackcloth bundles for aging.
Wrapper leaves are packed in palm bark bundles,
aka tercios, for aging. Typically, tobacco is
aged from two to three years. However, some cigar makers like to age their
binder and filler from 3 to 5 years, and their wrappers from 8 to 10 years.
Other cigar makers like to age their tobacco in whiskey, sherry, or bourbon
barrels; which creates an additional dimension
to a cigar’s flavor profile. After the tobacco has been aged, it is rolled into
a cigar.
Once rolled, the cigars are moved to a
dehumidification room. This is done so that the cigars can stabilize and lose
humidity. This process takes about a week. Afterwards, the cigars are placed in
an aging room. The cigars are kept here until the cigar maker decides that they
are ready to be boxed, shipped, and enjoyed by cigar aficionados. The length of
time the cigars spend in the aging room is based on the master blender’s
experience with the particular tobacco. Aging the blend allows the tobacco to
marry and reach the blender’s goals in regards to flavor, aroma, strength, and
body.
Home Aging
As the name implies, home aging is when the cigar
is placed in a home humidor for additional aging. If you plan to smoke your
cigars right away, a few days or a week is more than enough time. If you really
want to home age your sticks, you will need to have a lot of patience and be
willing to wait a few months and maybe several years.
Before you age your cigars at home, make sure your
humidor provides a consistent temperature and humidity environment. This ensures that your cigars age
properly, avoid mold, and prevents the proliferation of tobacco beetles. Home aging allows the cigar to reveal nuances, flavors,
and complexities that were once hidden. Loss of strength and spice may be a
downside to home aging.
When it comes to home aging, the big question is
typically “how long?”. The answer is that it’s really up to you. However, as a rule of thumb, you should age your cigars anywhere from
three months to three years. Like most natural products, cigars do peak and
could run the risk of deteriorating if they sit in your humidor for too long.
In conclusion, before being rolled into a cigar,
tobacco undergoes an aging process that typically last up to five years. Some
blenders like to age their tobacco for longer periods of time when they are
attempting to create a specific blend. Aging the tobacco allows it to mature
and bring out its character. After the tobacco has been aged and rolled into a
cigar, it is placed in an aging room. This allows the different tobaccos used
in the blend to marry and create its unique flavor and strength profile. Cigar
aging usually lasts several months or years depending on the effect the master
blender wants to create. Once the blender feels the cigars are ready, they are
boxed, shipped, sold, and ready to be smoked. Realistically speaking, a cigar
purchased from a reputable tobacconist can be smoked right away. It does not
need any further aging. However, some cigar lovers prefer to age their cigars
in their humidor. This is referred to as home aging. This process allows a
cigar to reveal complexities that would otherwise not be found if it were
smoked at time of purchase. A drawback to home aging is that the cigar can lose
its strength and spice. If you are going to home age your sticks, it is
recommend that you age them for no more than three years.