How To Date A Cigar Box?

A cigar box is precisely where the cigar comes packed in, and it offers an equally exquisite look like the cigar itself. A number of times, the box looks even better than the main product, primarily due to the mastery of the individuals behind the process of packaging. Most of the time, when you walk into a cigar shop, the box will be sealed for content preservation.

Even though one gets a look inside the box, the user will not completely understand what’s inside the cigars or even look at the abbreviations on the box and understand if it’s a Cuban one or a Havana flavored-based cigar. You will need to look at the backside of the box, turn it over, spend some time with it to get a feel. The below discussion will assist any newbie in understanding the dating concept of cigars.

Date of the cigar box and its significance

Someone who is a proficient cigar smoker will easily understand the importance of dates in a cigar box. However, for someone new to all this, dating a cigar box is extremely important for displaying the quality and authenticity of the item inside. When a cigar box has dates on it, it will automatically mean that the cigar is from an expert category of brands.

The date on which the cigars were placed inside the box will determine the box’s date, and this can also be considered the right date for selling the items. From this date, the buyers will be able to understand the age of the cigars as well.

Relation between tobacco harvesting and dating on the box

The relation between the date of the tobacco harvested and the cigar packing in the box is not synchronized. The tobacco harvesting takes place much before the packaging is done, and it is usually 1-2 years before the packaging. For example, if the box has the abbreviation ENE2018, the tobacco might have been harvested two years before the packing, 2016.

Other details that are put in other than date

Besides the date, one can identify the authenticity of a cigar box from other details such as manufacturer name, which might be the name of the factory as well, where it was made. Secondly, the country of origin is yet another important detail mentioned on the box and should always be considered while purchasing a cigar box.

Furthermore, cigar boxes often provide the production process, which some people consider quite important as well. This kind of information will not be available in all cigar boxes but only on reputable ones. The cigars from Cuba have this information as making cigars is a cultural pride for them, and they are best at it, so they proudly provide all the necessary details on the box once it’s dated well.

One should be committed to buying the whole box instead of just tasting one cigar from it and then buying the rest. Usually, consumers purchase the whole box, with 5-10 cigars or even more. The Cuban cigars stored in a well-designed package will not have any discoloration towards the bottom layer of the product.

Quality control in cigar packaging

When it comes to dating the box, quality control is very important. There are codes on the box that will showcase the name of the factory where the cigars were made, and this is yet another important detail that the cigar makers will have to portray on the box. The reviewers will surely go through the information about checking how well the factory is performing and based on that, they will buy the product.

Some factories maintain good quality cigars out there, and the consumers should be looking forward to those dates to build an expectation on how pure the cigar will taste. The factory codes also keep changing from time to time, so one should be well updated with that information.

FAQ’s on How to date a cigar box

1. Whom should you date a cigar box?

A cigar box should be dated to provide the quality of the cigars. The stamp date will give the consumer an idea of when the items were made and put into the box. Based on that, the consumers can have an understanding of how old the cigars are. The date includes only the month and year, and getting that information will allow you to understand when the tobacco was harvested.

2. How old are cigar boxes usually?

The concept of packing cigars in barrels is quite old. They can be as early as the 1800s. At that time, only smaller boxes were available, and nowadays, many large boxes can be seen that store a good quantity of cigars. Previous to that, cigars were shipped in crates, where more than 100 cigars were stored and shipped at a time.

3. How long is an unopened box of cigars good for?

There is no specific date limit to how long a cigar or cigars will stay well in a box. The prime idea of storing a cigar is to keep it humified. So, the storing process of the cigars includes a lot of nurturing and taking care of the box. There is a usual time of 30 days, from the packing date before the cigars start to dry out. The quicker the cigars are sold after packing, the better it is.

Now that we know how cigars are packed and how important the dating of the box is to the authenticity of the cigars, we can have an idea of how to look for the best ones in the crowd. The details discussed previously are very important and should always be kept in mind while purchasing cigars. Sometimes, you might come across very well-made boxes, which will prove how valuable the items inside the box are. So, all the best for getting the best piece of cigar for yourself and happy smoking!