The subltle flavors and complex composition of an aged cigar is indefinable, and many veteran cigar fanciers are well mindful of this fact. The contention goes that a great cigar comes with age, like wine, and older cigars are preferred by cigar fanciers. How can you discover an aged cigar that renders the mellow, complicated flavors you thirst for? You can always fork out a good deal of your money and buy a box of costly vintage cigars. But, if you wish to save your cash, and experiment with ageing cigars on your own, then here are a few pointers to help you get started.

First, know that you will have to be patient if you want a properly aged cigar because you will need to age your cigars for about a year in order to achieve the flavors and complex subtleties of a well-aged cigar. Also, know that in order to achieve the rewards of a well-aged cigar you must begin the process with a high quality example first. If you try to age a poorer quality cigar, chances are any amount of aging won’t improve their flavor significantly. Almost all high quality cigars can be improved the aging process, so if you find a cigar that you think is too strong or odorous, then you have found your perfect candidate for aging.

Purchase a good quality humidor, and maintain the 70-70 rules in order to age your cigars properly. This means that the temperature (Fahrenheit) and humidity must both constantly maintained at 70 percent humidity and 70 degrees fahrenheit.

It is crucial that the environment that your cigars are stored in are following the 70-70 rules for humidity and temperature, so that there is less of a likelihood of your cigars becoming moldy. The aging process can begin to be stunted if temperature and humidity levels are less than this. The process of aging can be disrupted if there are disastrous swings in temperature and humidity, which causes an expansion and contraction of the cigars, which cracks the wrappers, so it is crucial to maintain a stable environment. The space in the humidor should ideally be about twice the volume of cigars, and the lining should be cedar wood because it is highly aromatic and full of its own oil. With the passage of time, the interaction of the tobacco oils on themselves, and with the cedar oil of the wood, leading to a mellowing and blending of flavors that results in that subtle complexity you can only get from proper aging.