Edicion Limitada's
As mentioned in a previous post, we have seen the arrival of some new EL's this year: The H Upmann Magnum 50, the RYJ Petit Pyramid, and the Montecristo "D". Now that these cigars are showing up in more and more shops I have begun to hear some feedback on them and even smoked a few myself. Some people say they are great, and some people say they are horrible - that the taste is unbalanced, or that the draws are bad. Well, both groups are right, and both groups are wrong. The Edicion Limitada's are not really meant to be smoked as soon as they are released. Now, like I have said before, who cares what they are meant for; Do whatever makes you happy. But these cigars are meant to be aged, so understand that before you open your wallet, and especially before you open your mouth to complain about them!
When you age a cigar, properly that is, it changes. Feel free to use the old wine analogy, as most cigars will improve with time. Your cigar contains Oil and Tannins, and both are generally unpleasant. The bad draws that many people experienece when smoking new EL's can be attributed to the oils. These oils will breakdown over time and leave you with a better burning cigar. I am not a chemist, so I won't try to explain why or how, but it happens! Also, the tannins in your cigar will breakdown over time, and will become more in tune with the flavours of the cigar, as opposed to being the primary taste of a younger smoke. It's the same sort of effect as letting a really oaky wine (lots of tannin) breathe in a decanter before you drink it, cigars just take longer. New cigars also have an ammonia like smell that can be detected in the first 1 to 3 years after they leave the factory. This comes from the fermentation that the tobacco experiences in the box as a result of being moistened when rolled. Each type of cigar is different in this regard but it effects them all to some degree. This can be removed quickly if cigars are left in the open, but then the overall quality of the cigar suffers.
Also, like wine, this improvement with age will only take place if cigars are stored properly during this aging. Cigars are a little less susceptable to temperature fluctuations than is wine, but humidity and packaging play a key role. So leaving a cigar all by itself in a hundred dollar humidor you got for your birthday doesn't constitute aging! Serious aging means that you need a full box of 25 or 50, and this is best done in a "Cabinet" style box (or hard wooden box where the cigars are packed 5x5). The "semi-plain" boxes are the ones where cigars are 13 on the top and 12 on the bottom, and they are just fine, but better suited for shorter periods of aging.
Aging cigars is another really large topic with much debate over the 'hows' and 'whys', much of which I don't understand. But I hope this brings to light some of the complaints about these potentially wonderful Edicion Limitada's. I would say that within 2 years the draw and taste problems of this years smokes will be gone, and within 3 to 5 years they will be some of the best smokes you can get. But as for now lets not criticize them too harshly.
Currently, if you can get your hands on the Cohiba Piramids Edicion Limitada of 2001, they are one of the best things available right now.
When you age a cigar, properly that is, it changes. Feel free to use the old wine analogy, as most cigars will improve with time. Your cigar contains Oil and Tannins, and both are generally unpleasant. The bad draws that many people experienece when smoking new EL's can be attributed to the oils. These oils will breakdown over time and leave you with a better burning cigar. I am not a chemist, so I won't try to explain why or how, but it happens! Also, the tannins in your cigar will breakdown over time, and will become more in tune with the flavours of the cigar, as opposed to being the primary taste of a younger smoke. It's the same sort of effect as letting a really oaky wine (lots of tannin) breathe in a decanter before you drink it, cigars just take longer. New cigars also have an ammonia like smell that can be detected in the first 1 to 3 years after they leave the factory. This comes from the fermentation that the tobacco experiences in the box as a result of being moistened when rolled. Each type of cigar is different in this regard but it effects them all to some degree. This can be removed quickly if cigars are left in the open, but then the overall quality of the cigar suffers.
Also, like wine, this improvement with age will only take place if cigars are stored properly during this aging. Cigars are a little less susceptable to temperature fluctuations than is wine, but humidity and packaging play a key role. So leaving a cigar all by itself in a hundred dollar humidor you got for your birthday doesn't constitute aging! Serious aging means that you need a full box of 25 or 50, and this is best done in a "Cabinet" style box (or hard wooden box where the cigars are packed 5x5). The "semi-plain" boxes are the ones where cigars are 13 on the top and 12 on the bottom, and they are just fine, but better suited for shorter periods of aging.
Aging cigars is another really large topic with much debate over the 'hows' and 'whys', much of which I don't understand. But I hope this brings to light some of the complaints about these potentially wonderful Edicion Limitada's. I would say that within 2 years the draw and taste problems of this years smokes will be gone, and within 3 to 5 years they will be some of the best smokes you can get. But as for now lets not criticize them too harshly.
Currently, if you can get your hands on the Cohiba Piramids Edicion Limitada of 2001, they are one of the best things available right now.
posted by Adam Henderson @ 2:18 p.m.
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