Commentary: Smoking Older (Cigars)
23 Sep 2014
With the recent announcement about General Cigar acquiring Toraño’s brands, it seemed like the perfect time to light up the oldest cigar in my humidor: an Exodus 1959 Silver Edition Churchill from 2005.
I didn’t set out to age it. It’s just a remnant from a box I bought shortly after we moved to Florida that I never got around to smoking. There may even be one or two more that I just haven’t run across. Though I enjoyed the Silver a lot, it—like a lot of other smokes—simply fell off my radar as newer cigars came along.
So, how was it? What did all that time do?
Well, as I so often end up with aged cigars, I’m not really sure. Obviously, I like the line. Back in 2006, I gave another Silver vitola four stogies. I liked this one, too. I just cannot say with any certainty that age had a lot to do with it.
I don’t recall enough details from smoking it before to make a legitimate comparison. That’s my biggest problem with long-term aging. I’m not disciplined or detail-oriented enough to do it properly.
In this case, the one thing that stood out was the Criollo wrapper’s pre-light aroma, a warm mesquite fragrance I don’t remember. Otherwise, I can’t say how much difference there was in the mild- to medium-strength and the flavors.
Another cigar I smoked recently had experienced considerably less aging, so it’s easier for me to gauge the impact of time. I have about a third of a box of Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Toros (6 x 54) coming up on a year of age. I smoked several shortly after buying the box, then occasionally. It has been a few months since I last had one of the Broadleaf-wrapped cigars. As with the Toraño Silver, I like the Reserva from My Father, having awarded it a nearly perfect rating in 2010.
The year of aging seems to have served it well, smoothing out any hints of harshness without reducing the power and melding the flavors into a terrific balance. In short, a great experience.
In this case, the humidor time did improve the cigar. Now, if I could just develop enough self-discipline to age more cigars the right way, perhaps I’d have more great smokes.
photo credit: Stogie Guys