Really the best advice?

[Cardinal]

Yes the majority move along, people that arent particularly impressed with a release or blend usually off load them in sales, bombs or trades. Your question really segues into a larger aging discussion which could go on for days. So...great post!

Imo, short term aging can bring a sleeper to life (1-2 years), long term aging will smooth out the rough edges (tannins, ammonia). Its difficult to tell which smokes are going to be the best candidates and most people just go on proven track record.

Ive gotten the most out of aged Habanos but some NCs have been really good too. One thing Ive noticed is that a lot of my nicaraguan broadleafs arent aging so great, these were full bodied smokes that seemed like great candidates but for whatever reason just didnt hold up over 2 years. Its tough to predict.

I agree, this is still one of my favorite topics, since it still seems so much more art than science. Plus it takes so long to learn from experience, so I am always interested in other people's first hand knowledge.

And that's really interesting about the broadleafs. With my almost nonexistent expertise I've been thinking that stronger/fuller means better aging potential.

I know you keep really good notes, so are there any standout NCs that have aged well for you, or not so well? I've got a bunch of boxes now dedicated to a 3+ year aging plan, but maybe there are some cigars in my humis that I should sample soon.