School me on "Vintage" and Dated Cigars

[Springsman]

HI all....another noob question for you. I've noticed a lot of cigars labeled "Vintage" and also a lot of dated stogies, and even some of both...such as "Vintage 1993" or Vintage 1968 even.... sooo Whisky Tango Foxtrot...were these cigars made in 1968? or was 1968 tobacco used in their making? or is this just a name only kind of thing?? Thanks in advance...

[kaisersozei]

Unlike wine, a lot of it is just marketing--the Rocky Patel "vintage" series is a good example. The tobacco used in those sticks are 5, 7 or 10 years old, not really related to the date on the band.

[Bunker]

Regardless of the name, sometimes you get lucky and can find full boxes and even bundles with dates on them and get sticks that are already aged.

Famous Smokes seems to date most of their stuff.

I bought a bundle of Famous Nicaraguan 5000s I planned on aging until next summer before smoking (after reading that these need at least 6 months in the humi before they are any good).

When I received them they were already 8 months old :)

[Springsman]

Thanks guys....so my next obvious question is....what does aging do to a cigar? I've seen aging cabinets for sale, and heard you guys talk about aging...do some things age better than others? does it make them more "mellow" or what...

[Ogre]

Dont waist the money on an aging cabinet. I use an iglo cooler for long term storage. just get a cooler, a hydrometer and some beads. Put all together and store in closet. out of sight, out of mind. Use a humidor for smoking use. transfer cigars from the cooler to the humi as you need. Just my 2 cents, but it saves money for more cigars.

[Ogre]

I believe aging cigars make them taste like they are meant to taste. I usually try to let mine sit a few months to a year when I buy box. I have aged some low price cigars for 6 months and the taste difference is amazing.

[T.G]

Unlike wine, a lot of it is just marketing--the Rocky Patel "vintage" series is a good example. The tobacco used in those sticks are 5, 7 or 10 years old, not really related to the date on the band.

There are a few exceptions though. For example, IIRC, the Macanudo Vintage are actually (allegedly) from the year on the band.

It really depends on the cigar.

[HK3-]

Are Nic 5000's from the future? :)

All kidding aside, I'm going to go with mostly marketing as mentioned above.

[ninjavanish]

Actually most manufacturers will apply a date code to their boxes in some way or another. This aides the company itself in a lot of ways... like for instance... say they had a quality issue with a particular cigar... knowing the date codes gives them the ability to research the issue and hopefully isolate the batch of tobacco from that particular date that was used in making those cigars. It may end up that it wasn't the tobacco but perhaps the roll... or it could be any number of reasons but knowing when those cigars were manufactured is imperative to being able to know if all are bad... or if it's just that batch.

However... the date code is often a specialized "code" for lack of a better term... for instance general cigars have a unique code that you have to know how to decipher it to be able to read it. Otherwise it just looks like random letters and numbers.

[joeobx]

I believe I read a thread from a VERY knowledgeable source that you only need three years to reach fully aged bliss. :r:r
;s

[Bill86]

I believe I read a thread from a VERY knowledgeable source that you only need three years to reach fully aged bliss. :r:r
;s

Funny I remember reading the same thing, I believe he called this scientific theory "the rule of 3's".

[markem]

Funny I remember reading the same thing, I believe he called this scientific theory "the rule of 3's".

:tpd: indeed, in fact, it was recently extended, through careful experimentation, to include only 3 seconds in a dog dish when dropped. :=:

[guitar4001]

i think that i get the jist of your question:

1959 Exodus from Torano - not made in 1959, but that was the year that the partiarch left Cuba.

1926 Padron - not made in 1926, but that was an important date to the Padron family, maybe the year that the elder Padron was born?

1964 Padron - I dunno, maybe the year that the family moved from Cuba?

1968 Macanudo - supposedly original tobacco from 1968, but rolled into a cigar much later.

If anyone can clarify this stuff, please do so.

[ninjavanish]

i think that i get the jist of your question:

1959 Exodus from Torano - not made in 1959, but that was the year that the partiarch left Cuba.

1926 Padron - not made in 1926, but that was an important date to the Padron family, maybe the year that the elder Padron was born?

1964 Padron - I dunno, maybe the year that the family moved from Cuba?

1968 Macanudo - supposedly original tobacco from 1968, but rolled into a cigar much later.

If anyone can clarify this stuff, please do so.

Actually on the macanudo... 1968 is the year the first macanudo was made.

That cigar was first released in 2009... HOWEVER

In regards to the macanudo vintages... Those are made with tobacco grown the year that is listed on the band... For instance... The Mac vintage 2000 is comprised of 10 year old tobaccos... The 1997... 13 year old tobacco... The 1993... 17 year old tobacco etc etc etc.

[guitar4001]

Actually on the macanudo... 1968 is the year the first macanudo was made.

That cigar was first released in 2009... HOWEVER

In regards to the macanudo vintages... Those are made with tobacco grown the year that is listed on the band... For instance... The Mac vintage 2000 is comprised of 10 year old tobaccos... The 1997... 13 year old tobacco... The 1993... 17 year old tobacco etc etc etc.

Ah ok. I assumed that the 68' was the same theme as the other macanoodle "year" cigars. You know what they say about assuming.

[688sonarmen]

Actually most manufacturers will apply a date code to their boxes in some way or another. This aides the company itself in a lot of ways... like for instance... say they had a quality issue with a particular cigar... knowing the date codes gives them the ability to research the issue and hopefully isolate the batch of tobacco from that particular date that was used in making those cigars. It may end up that it wasn't the tobacco but perhaps the roll... or it could be any number of reasons but knowing when those cigars were manufactured is imperative to being able to know if all are bad... or if it's just that batch.

However... the date code is often a specialized "code" for lack of a better term... for instance general cigars have a unique code that you have to know how to decipher it to be able to read it. Otherwise it just looks like random letters and numbers.

Do you know how to read it? I've always wondered what the Rj or other letters stood for on my boxes.

[jsd]

Actually on the macanudo... 1968 is the year the first macanudo was made.

That cigar was first released in 2009... HOWEVER

In regards to the macanudo vintages... Those are made with tobacco grown the year that is listed on the band... For instance... The Mac vintage 2000 is comprised of 10 year old tobaccos... The 1997... 13 year old tobacco... The 1993... 17 year old tobacco etc etc etc.

1964 was the year the company was started. I believe the Aniversario series were originally released in 1994 for the 30th anniversary of the company. I didn't start smoking cigars until 1998 so I missed out on the original Aniversarios.

Side note: really looking forward to the Padron 50th Anniversary cigar in a few years.

edit: just checked the Padron site to confirm the info on the 1964

[dvickery]

for what its worth...i believe...the cigars that are smoking best just now are...

1989 to 1991...all are good and all(that i have smoked)are ready.

1992 to 1997...most are really good and most are ready(with a few exceptions...party 898v or punch ss#1 for example).

1998 to 2000...getting there...some are pretty good.

derrek :hm

[akumushi]

for what its worth...i believe...the cigars that are smoking best just now are...

1989 to 1991...all are good and all(that i have smoked)are ready.

1992 to 1997...most are really good and most are ready(with a few exceptions...party 898v or punch ss#1 for example).

1998 to 2000...getting there...some are pretty good.

derrek :hm

Baller...

[Bill86]

for what its worth...i believe...the cigars that are smoking best just now are...

1989 to 1991...all are good and all(that i have smoked)are ready.

1992 to 1997...most are really good and most are ready(with a few exceptions...party 898v or punch ss#1 for example).

1998 to 2000...getting there...some are pretty good.

derrek :hm

jesus.....you lucky bastid.

[icehog3]

Baller...

You don't know the half of it, Clayton. ;)

[druturn]

I believe I read a thread from a VERY knowledgeable source that you only need three years to reach fully aged bliss. :r:r
;s

Really? Well, I have it on very good authority that all cigars are in prime smoking condition the moment you buy them. No need to age them, it just makes those cellos yellow and gross looking. :r:r

But seriously, as mentioned before and will be mentioned a thousand times, aging aides most sticks out in refining the flavor profiles and ridding them of impurities. I currently do not have the funds to buy boxes to age them, but I do have quite a few sticks in the bottom of my humi that have been in there since I bought the humidor a few years ago. From my limited experience with aged sticks, I can tell you that aging them is well worth it. The more experienced brothers here will be able to give you specifics of what aging does, because God knows I don't know the exact details.

[Sauer Grapes]

I believe aging cigars make them taste like they are meant to taste. I usually try to let mine sit a few months to a year when I buy box. I have aged some low price cigars for 6 months and the taste difference is amazing.

I remember Don Pepin said that cigars are meant to taste like they do fresh. He said that in Cuba they roll the cigars to be smoked fresh (by fresh, I mean when they leave the factory since some are aged at the factory). This seems contradictory since most of us like our cigars at least rested, if not well aged.

Basically, this is a smoke what you like type of thing.

[Bayou Tiger]

As of late I have been fortunate enough to get some nice aged sticks from the local B&M and I am hooked. The flavor seems to be more distinct and smooth. It might be a placebo thing but I don't care cause I really like them!!