cigkid,

Let those puppies rest for a while. They need a good couple months to mellow out. That is probably why your #5's are too strong.

Very good advice. Now that you have tried them I would bury these boxes for a long time. Opus with a year or more on them are fantastic.

I stopped by the local shop in Arlington, and they had the Opus shipment in. Said the box was on the shelf for less than 12 hours. I picked up 12 PerfeXion's and some Torano Exodus silver labels.

Too much $....

Bear

quote:

Originally posted by Johnnie420:
Very good advice. Now that you have tried them I would bury these boxes for a long time. Opus with a year or more on them are fantastic.

A year or more is ok with the opus? I had some nc montecristo classic that i thought would get better with age well to my surprise they didn't. Back to the opus, and rough idea on what would be to long of a age with the opus?
By the way love the collection Johnnie

Thanks, John

From what I've experienced with Opus Johnnie is right. If you can let them rest for a year the power goes down a little but the complexity and overall flavor gets better. However I do know a few local smokers around my B&M who love to smoke the Opus' young right out of the box because of the power, and they have already been aged for at least a year before they are sent out I believe, it could be even longer.

quote:

Originally posted by Cigar Kid:

quote:

Originally posted by Johnnie420:
Very good advice. Now that you have tried them I would bury these boxes for a long time. Opus with a year or more on them are fantastic.

A year or more is ok with the opus? I had some nc montecristo classic that i thought would get better with age well to my surprise they didn't. Back to the opus, and rough idea on what would be to long of a age with the opus?
By the way love the collection Johnnie

Thanks, John

Definitely. I try to buy for the next year with Opus and Anejos. What I buy now just gets stashed and I'll smoke what I bought the previous year. I guess it is a little easier for me since I do a lot more buying than smoking. I probably only smoke 2-3 cigars a week. I've also started buying a lot of CC so it's taken a lot of pressure of my NC stogies. I'm no expert but my guess would be that minimum 1 year age, peak around 5-8yrs. I had a 5yo No. 2 the other day that was awesome.
I put together a box of Perf X last summer that I won't even touch until the end of this year.
In the end it's all what you likr though. If you like the strength and spiciness of a fresh Opus then by all means smoke em up. I would just put a few away to experiment with though.

I will definitely take everyone's advice here and stash my boxes for at least a year or more.(the only cigars I have had a problem with resting for a while were the cc Diplomaticos yummmmm now if I could only get my hands on another box I would respect them more and let them rest!!!) I think I re-call Gordon Mott saying in one of his blogs that he had a Padron and a opus that he enjoyed with a friend that had a few years on it and it aged perfect. I trust everyone's opinion on this site and look forward to smoking a less powerful opus with much more complexity/flavor that comes with aging. A big thank you to Johnnie, Graham T. and bamawrx for helping me with some knowledge on the opus.
-John

No problem. I'm happy you were able to stumble onto a nice Opus stash, and that you had the balls to pick them all up. In a few years you won't regret it, you'll be thanking yourself you did because many all over the country have a very hard time finding any singles let alone boxes.

You're welcome bud, enjoy those Opus.

I smoked one of the robustos i got...and it was almost plugged..only smoked half the stick..the 9 that i have left will not be touched till next year...johnnie420 has the right idea with Opus..smoking last years when you get the current yearly batch...

Cig,

Something we forgot to mention. Opus MUST be smoked at 65% or less. Otherwise it will be too wet to burn correctly, flavor will be wrong, and possibly draw.

If you store it at 70%, then place one in a dry empty box for a day to let it dry somewhat before smoking.

My Vinotemp is at %62-66...i smoked it right after i got them from my b&m and they are at %70..bama i figured thats why it was almost plugged ...so now i'll be able to see what happens to Opus after one year in the right conditions....

I went to Tampa Sweethearts today to see if they got their Opus in yet. I was heartbroken, they only received one size, the XXX. Better than nothing. At least it wasn't a size I had already found this season .

I haven't seen the XXXs around here. I'm still trying to find a petit lancero to try. I still have never seen one in person.

I've never smoked one either. I have one in the humidor resting.