For whatever this is worth (small sample size and anecdotal) - but I ordered a sampler of 10 of these in the early 2010s. They were fresh at the time. Smoked 3-4 of them over the next year and hated them. I actually wrote off the ERDM brand. I Stumbled across them in my humidor about a year or less ago, and gave one a whirl. Absolutely fantastic. Floral and citrus. Smoked another a month later, and same thing.
In my position, and as a result of my experience, I would absolutely buy an aged box.