Cigar lovers often say that cigars get far better with age. As with wine, time is believed to smooth out rough edges. Flavors mellow, aromas deepen, and the overall experience improves. But is that really true?
Yes, sometimes. Cigars can improve with age. But it depends on a few key factors – the quality of the cigar, how it’s stored, and your personal taste.
Aging isn’t magic. It’s a slow, natural process. The tobacco continues to ferment. Over time, harshness fades, and subtle notes become more noticeable. But if stored improperly, cigars can lose flavor. Or worse, they can develop mold.
Some cigars are ready to smoke right out of the box. Others may benefit from months, even years, of rest. Knowing the difference can save you time, money, and disappointment.
This article breaks it all down. We’ll explore how aging affects a cigar’s flavor and aroma. We’ll also look at the right way to age cigars, and when it’s simply not worth the effort.
If you’ve ever wondered whether to smoke now or wait, this guide has the answers.
What Does it Mean to Age a Cigar?
Aging a cigar means letting it rest over time in proper conditions. The goal is to improve its flavor, aroma, and overall smoking experience.
This isn't the same as just storing cigars. Aging is an active process. Storage is passive. You can store a cigar for years, but that doesn’t mean it’s aging well.
During aging, cigars go through chemical and physical changes. The tobacco continues to ferment slowly. Oils in the leaves settle, and the flavors become smoother and more balanced. Ammonia and other sharp compounds also break down.
For the uninitiated, the process of making cigars from seed to ash is lengthy and complex. All tobacco leaves, once harvested and sorted, go through a fermentation period. This lasts two to three years, or more. This removes most of the natural ammonia. But even after fermentation, small amounts of ammonia often remain in the leaves. This is true even during the rolling process.
That’s where aging comes in. With time, these leftover compounds continue to break down. This leads to a cleaner smoke. Proper aging can turn a good cigar into a great one. But, only if the cigar has the potential to improve and is kept under ideal conditions.
How to Age Cigars: Tips and Techniques
The easiest way to see for yourself if aging really works is by trying it yourself. Normally, cigars endure a transient “sick period.” This is normally after being shipped or stored in large humidors. These cigars are often over-humidified to ensure freshness upon delivery.
It helps compensate for any potential shipping or transit issues. But this over-humidity often hinders the burn of the cigar. It ultimately harms the smoking experience. However, it can easily be rectified by allowing new cigars to rest in your humidor for a day or two. Once you complete this aspect, we’ll move on to the prerequisites for aging.
In order to successfully age your cigars at home you must:
- Own a functional humidor with a good seal.
- Own an accurate hygrometer and ensure its calibration was correctly done.
- Maintain humidity and temperature on a regular basis.
- Have patience!
Now that we’ve cleared up the pre-reqs, let’s get down to the steps.
Step 1: Purchase a box or pack of cigars. The amount you buy will affect the length of aging you can test.
Step 2: Find a tasting card, or make your own. A tasting card is a way to record your cigar experiences. It includes details about the cigar, experience, flavors, burn, and an overall rating. This will help you keep track of the effects of cigar aging and compare results.
Step 3: After waiting for the sick period to end, smoke one of your new cigars. The sick period is the first one or two days after cigars are shipped. Take note of the strength, flavors, and anything notable to you. Rate it if you feel necessary.
Step 4: Wait. It’s time to stash the rest of your cigars and maintain your humidor in the meantime.
Step 5: After waiting for at least a month, you may smoke and review another. Take your time smoking, enjoy the smoking experience, and fill out the form again. Afterwards, compare the forms and see how your experience differed.
Step 6: Repeat the process of aging and comparing. After a year of aging, you will very likely find that the cigars are more smooth, creamy and flavorful.
Step 7: Take note when any flavors drop off. You may have found the limit to aging this particular cigar.
Additional Tips and Insights
To enhance your aging experiment, keep detailed notes on each cigar’s aroma. You should also take note of burn quality, draw, and any changes you notice over time. Aging isn’t just about flavor, texture and combustion also improve with proper rest.
Remember that the environment inside your humidor must be stable. Sudden humidity or temperature swings can damage cigars and undo aging progress. Avoid opening your humidor too often, as this causes fluctuations. A well-maintained humidor creates an ideal microclimate. This mimics the natural fermentation of tobacco in the field.
If you’re new to aging cigars, start with smaller quantities to avoid wasting cigars. Also, try aging different brands or blends side-by-side. This will help you to see which profiles benefit most from time.Finally, trust your palate. Some cigars peak after just a few months, while others can age for years. Revisiting your tasting cards will help you find your “aging sweet spot” for each cigar. Aging cigars is as much an art as it is a science, so enjoy the journey.
How Long Should You Age Cigars?
How long you should age a cigar depends on the cigar itself, and your taste.
Some cigars improve after just a few months. Others take years to reach their peak. Aging can be short-term or long-term, and both have different effects.
- Short-term aging (6 months to 1 year) smooths out rough edges. Harsh notes soften. The flavor becomes more balanced. Many factory-fresh cigars benefit from this.
- Medium to long-term aging (2 to 5 years) brings deeper changes. The body may mellow. Complexity increases. Flavors become more refined and integrated.
- Very long-term aging (10+ years) can create a truly unique smoke. But it’s risky. Some cigars lose their strength or become flat. Over-aging can mute flavor and aroma. The oils dry out. The cigar may start to fade.
This brings us to the idea of “optimal aging.” Every cigar has a sweet spot. Some peak at 1 year. Others shine after 7. It depends on the blend, strength, and how it was made.
If you age too long, even great cigars can lose their character. Aging should enhance, not erase. You must always watch your cigars, and trust your palate.
Not All Cigars Age the Same: Which Cigars Are Best for Aging?
Not every cigar gets better with age. Some are made to be smoked fresh. Others can transform beautifully over time.
Full-bodied cigars
Full-bodied cigars often age best. They have strong flavors and rich tobacco. With time, they mellow and develop complexity. Bolivar Belicosos Finos, Partagás Lusitanias, and Montecristo No. 2 are great examples. These cigars have the depth and strength to evolve.
Cohiba cigars
Cohiba cigars, especially Cohiba Robusto, Siglo I, Siglo II, and Medio Siglo, are also known to age very well. Over the years, their creamy, earthy flavors become smoother and more layered. Cohiba Exquisitos, being smaller and milder, may not age as dramatically. But, they can still benefit from short-term aging.
Montecristo Cuban cigars
Montecristo Cuban cigars, like the Edmundo, No. 2, and No. 4, improve with time too. They often gain balance and lose any early sharpness. Montecristo No. 5 is smaller and more delicate, best aged for a shorter period.
Some other good choices for aging
Trinidad Reyes, Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchills, and Punch Punch cigars can also develop beautifully. This happens with a few years of rest. They start smooth and become even more refined.
Lighter cigars
Lighter or milder cigars, like some Hoyo de Monterrey blends, don’t always benefit from long-term aging. They can lose their character if left too long.
Key takeaway
In short, bold cigars with strong, quality tobacco are best for aging. Milder, thinner cigars may be better enjoyed fresh or with only short rest.
Where Can I Buy Cigars to Age?
Aging cigars can bring out rich, smooth flavors, but only if you start with the right cigars. Full-bodied, high-quality cigars from trusted brands like Cohiba, Montecristo, Partagás, and Bolívar tend to age best. Remember, aging is a slow process that requires proper storage and patience.
If you want to build your collection with cigars ideal for aging, it’s important to buy from a reputable source. This ensures you're given only the best, authentic, premium cigars.
At Swiss Cuban Cigars, we invite you to try out our perfectly aged cigars. We offer a wide selection of genuine Cuban cigars, including many of the top brands we’ve discussed.Explore our collection of Cuban cigars, and find the perfect cigars to enjoy now, or to patiently age and savor later.
Cigar Aging FAQs
Can you accelerate the aging process?
The simple answer is no, not really. True aging takes time. It’s a slow, natural process. There are no shortcuts. Some try to speed things up by raising temperature or humidity. But this can damage the cigars. Too much heat or moisture can cause mold and cracking.
It can even cause flavor loss. In some cases, improperly accelerated aging can ruin an otherwise perfect cigar. They can turn out harsh or flat. Aging works because tobacco slowly changes. Oils settle. Ammonia fades. Flavors blend. This can’t be rushed without harming the cigar. The best way to “speed up” aging is proper storage. Keep cigars in a well-maintained humidor. Aim for 65–70% humidity and 65–70°F.
Give them time. Be patient. If you want immediate results, consider dry-boxing a cigar for a day or two. This slightly reduces moisture and can sharpen flavors. But it’s not true aging. In short – aging cigars well takes care and time. There’s no safe way to fast-forward the process.
Should you buy cigars to age, or smoke them fresh?
Aged cigars are, for the most part, loved by the critics and masses alike. However, generally speaking there are two arguments against aging. The first being that aging isn’t always worth the effort and patience. The second being that fresh-rolled cigars are more flavorful. While the latter can be easily explained, the first point is highly subjective.
To counter the first point, the noted critics will often concede that aging is beneficial. This argument is generally pointed toward rare cigars found at auction. Much like wine, cigars also have a sweet-spot when it comes to aging. When cigars reach this point, they may lose flavor or strength. This happens at a rate that is detrimental to the smoking experience. Tracking this is highly subjective to the smoker’s preferences. It also depends on tastes as well as the storage and condition of these cigars.
Now to address the freshly rolled argument. A fresh-rolled cigar can be something akin to a fresh doughnut straight from the baker. However, it's both extremely limited by proximity and also impossible to maintain. Unless you work at a cigar factory, the ability to get freshly rolled cigars will be limited.
Are older cigars better than younger cigars?
Not always. Age doesn’t automatically mean better. Some cigars improve with time. Harshness fades. Flavors mellow and blend. But others can lose strength or become flat.
Full-bodied cigars often age well. They have the strength to develop over years. Lighter cigars may not change much, or may fade too far.
A well-aged cigar can be smoother and more refined. But a fresh cigar can be bold and flavorful in its own way. It also depends on the smoker. Some prefer the punch of a young cigar. Others enjoy the balance of an aged one.
Also, not all "old" cigars were stored properly. Poor storage ruins even the finest cigar over time. So, older isn’t always better. It depends on the cigar, how it was kept, and your personal taste.
Sep 14, 2022
Last Modified: Jul 03, 2025
