Understanding the difference between fresh and aged cigars, as well as knowing how to properly care for them, is essential for anyone looking to build a valuable collection.
Hello dear reader,
I’ve been on the road again, meeting up with friends and fellow cigar enthusiasts from around the world. This time, my travels brought me to Ho Chi Minh City, where I had the pleasure of spending time at their renowned La Casa Del Habano. The atmosphere, the cigars, and the conversations made it a truly unforgettable experience. It was here that inspiration struck, and the idea for this next article came to life.
Collecting cigars is a true passion for many of us. Every cigar you store, care for, and anticipate smoking holds the promise of a future moment, a memory that hasn’t yet been created. Whether it’s a gathering with friends, a special family celebration, or a quiet moment of solitude, cigars offer an experience far beyond just the smoke. For those of us who carefully curate and age our collections, we understand that cigars are the companions to life’s most cherished moments.
1. Collecting Cigars: The art of building moments
Obviously cigar collecting isn’t just about accumulating boxes and stashing them away. It’s about selecting cigars that resonate with us, ones that we know will reward our patience in the future. The pleasure comes not only from smoking but from the anticipation, the care, and the commitment to preserving these masterpieces.
For me, cigars are a promise of a beautiful moment waiting to happen. Whether shared with friends or savored in peaceful solitude, each cigar carries the potential for a unique experience. Collecting cigars is as much about passion as it is about preservation.
When it comes to building a collection, some Cuban cigars stand out as particularly collectible due to their craftsmanship, limited production, or historical significance. These include:
• Cohiba Talisman: The 2017 Limited Edition, is a fabulous cigar, great vitola and always a good choice for a celebration.
• Trinidad Fundadores: A classic that embodies the rich tradition of Cuban cigars, known for its subtle complexity and the cigar that Fidel Castro wanted made specifically for diplomatic purposes as Cohiba was shifting to regular production.
• Partagás Serie D No. 4: A robust and bold choice, perfect for those who appreciate strong, full-bodied cigars. It has great aging potential and will never disappoint.
• La Gloria Cubana Medaille d’Or Series: Known for its refined flavor, these cigars age beautifully over time.
2. Aging Cigars: Where patience meets perfection
Collecting cigars is one thing, but understanding how to age them is a whole new level. Aging cigars allows their flavors to develop and mature, revealing nuances that simply aren’t present in fresh cigars. If you haven’t yet experienced the difference between a fresh cigar and a properly aged cigar, you’re in for a treat.
When aging cigars, it’s crucial to understand that your typical cigar shop humidor may not be the ideal place for long-term aging. Most humidors in cigar shops maintain higher humidity levels—around 74%—since the doors are frequently opened and closed. This environment is great for keeping cigars fresh for short periods, but it’s not ideal for long term aging.
For aging cigars at home, you need a much more controlled environment. The optimal conditions for aging are:
• Temperature: A steady 18-20°C (64-68°F) is ideal.
• Relative Humidity: A humidity level of 62-64% is perfect for aging, as it allows the cigars to slowly mature.
Fluctuations in both temperature and humidity will interfere with the aging process.
But the process doesn’t stop there. Aging cigars requires regular attention. You should check on them periodically to ensure they’re aging correctly, and it’s important to sample one each year to track their development. Smoking one from the batch and making notes on how the flavors evolve will give you a better understanding of how they are maturing. Over time, the notes will soften, and the flavors will meld, creating a more rounded and balanced smoke.
There are many cigars on the market that have an old box date but that doesn’t mean they are properly aged. The differences between an old cigar and an aged one are as big as the differences between a fresh cigar and an aged one… if not even bigger.
3. Investing in Cigars: A collectors approach
Once you start collecting and aging cigars, you might find yourself with quite a valuable collection. Investing in cigars goes hand in hand with aging, but it’s crucial to approach it with the right mindset. Unlike speculative investments where you’re looking for a quick profit, investing in cigars is a long-term passion project.
While we recently saw a significant price increase in Cuban cigars, such spikes are unlikely to happen again. So, don’t expect to buy cigars today and flip them for double the price next year. In fact, speculators—who often aren’t true cigar enthusiasts—can make it harder for genuine collectors by driving up prices and creating shortages.
Distributors and limited editions also play a big role in cigar investing. Limited production runs, such as regional and special editions, often drive demand and scarcity, making these cigars even more collectible. Brands like Cohiba, Trinidad, and Partagás are prime examples of labels that are great for investing due to their reputation and the steady demand for their cigars. Regional editions like the La Gloria Cubana Gloriosos or limited editions such as Cohiba 1966 are perfect examples of cigars that hold—and often increase—their value over time.
Aged cigars, especially those with 5+ years of age, can see a price increase of 10-15% from the original retail price. If you’re fortunate enough to have cigars that have aged for 10-20+ years, particularly those in excellent condition or discontinued lines, you could be looking at up to a 100% price increase.
However, I prefer to think of these price increases as an appreciation of the cigars’ value, not pure profit. When you’ve invested years of careful storage and attention, the reward isn’t monetary and can hardly be dubbed as profit—it’s about sharing the experience of a well-aged cigar. True aficionados care about the preservation of their cigars, and they often sell at a fair price because the joy comes from seeing their collection enjoyed by others who appreciate it just as much.
Collecting, aging, and investing in cigars is a journey fueled by passion. While there may be financial benefits to aging cigars, the real reward lies in the experience of smoking a well-aged cigar and the memories that come with it. Whether you’re just starting your collection or have been aging cigars for decades, it’s always about the pursuit of those perfect moments—the ones spent in good company, or perhaps in quiet reflection, with a cigar in hand.
Wishing you rich flavors and good company, until we meet again.