Making · Warehouse
Aging
A newly rolled cigar is not even in moisture or aroma. Factories rest boxed or bundled cigars in cedar so a quiet after-fermentation can continue. Time may be weeks or more than a year.
Factory rest and the cupboard at home
Factory aging is quality control. Home aging is taste. Some full cigars round off after a couple of years. Some mild cigars only fade. There is no rule that older is better. Steady humidity matters more than chasing a mythical vintage.
Spanish cedar in humidors is usually Cedrela odorata, not Mediterranean cedar. It resists some insects, smells compatible, and helps buffer moisture. The scent will enter the wrapper. That is a trait, not a flaw.
A year on a band may only be a series name. Treat it as brand language unless the house explains the crop.