Like a kid at Christmas, I have never been able to resist trying a cigar a day or two after the box arrives. I always find that they improve after a month or two, but I don't consider that to be aging. To me that is just letting them stabilize, or "dry out". Aging, in my opinion, begins at about nine months and goes on for years. I have a select group of expensive cigars that have three years + on them. They are worth the wait, but I smoke too many cigars to let my everyday smokes get that much time. It depends on what you start with. If you are aging cheap cigars then you usually end up with old cheap cigars. If you are aging powerhouse Cubans, or the like, you may end up with the Mother of all cigars. Regardless, it is still fun to nurture them along and taste the fruits of your labors. It's like watching your garden grow.