Opening cellared tobacco??

[vargen]

Hello everyone!
I recently turned 20, and recieved a great gift from one of my uncles! A cellared tin (since 2013) of some Maltese Falcon. Now, being only 20 yrs old and having smoked a pipe for only about a year, I am very much of a beginner smoker, and I'm feeling quite overwhelmed and in awe for this fine tobacco.
I feel almost scared to open the tin! Do I ruin the cellaring process by opening it to smell it for example, or for a occasional smoke? How should I treat this great gift?
I'm a young tobacco and pipe smoking noob in need of advice. Thanks in advance, and sorry for bad english, english is not my native tounge!
Hope you have a wonderful day!
/Vargen

 

[didimauw]

On one hand, it will probably be amazingly delicious, with that much age on it. On the other hand, it may ruin all other blends with no age, for you in the future!

 

[vargen]

On one hand, it will probably be amazingly delicious, with that much age on it. On the other hand, it may ruin all other blends with no age, for you in the future!

So, in other words, it's no problem what so ever to open the can occasionally and then re-sealing it? It will not have any negative impact on the tobacco, or the aging process?

 

[redglow]

Welcome Vargen. I would be prepared to transfer the tobacco to a Mason jar if you open the tin to enjoy a bowl.
It is a gift. So, I think it would be appropriate for you to try some out. Oh, and, don't forget to write your uncle a "thank you" note. :wink: ::
Enjoy!

 

[alexnc]

yes, open it and then seal it in a Ball or Mason jar - 4oz size will hold a tin. I've maintained jars for years with no ill effect. If I ever need to add a little moisture I add a disk with distilled water and have never suffered mold issues.

 

[haparnold]

Per GL Pease, when asked about opening an aged tin:

This is a little tricky. Once the seal of the tin is broken, the delicate balance present in that little ecosystem is permanently altered. You can't go back! So, once that tin is open, either smoke its contents fairly quickly, or transfer it to air-tight containers, like bail-top canning jars. The aging process from this point on will be different, but the tobacco will remain in fine condition for your enjoyment as long as it's kept in good condition. (The plastic lids on my tins will keep the tobacco in find shape for anywhere from a couple weeks to a few months, depending on the ambient temperature and humidity. Just keep an eye on it!) This is the reason, by the way, that I cellar 2-oz tins, rather than the 8-oz ones. Once I open that tin, I want to smoke its contents as quickly as possible to get the maximum enjoyment from my years of patience. It's like a fine wine - cellar it for a long time, but drink it fairly quickly.

source: https://www.glpease.com/FAQ.html

 

[scloyd]

Welcome Vargen. Open it, jar it, smoke it and enjoy it. If you're uncle is nearby...smoke a bowl with him.

 

[vargen]

Thanks for the answers everyone! I'll swing by a shop to pick up a mason jar tomorrow after work, and I'm really looking forward to smoking this!

 

[samw74]

Welcome Vargen. Happy birthday and welcome to our special nook. There’s nothing wrong with opening it. Before doing so, let me ask you this: what have you been smoking and what do you like? If you’ve only smoke aromatics, or another non-Latakia blends, I would recommend trying some similar and fresher Latakia blends. This way you will really appreciate the aged Falcon.

Enjoy!

 

[hawky454]

Hold on to it until you’ve been smoking longer. If you smoke it now I can promise you that you’ll regret it later. You won’t be able to appreciate the subtleties of an aged blend until you’ve had more experience.

 

[cigrmaster]

I say smoke it all now. It is a gift meant to be smoked, not aged. It has age, crack it and enjoy.

 

[vargen]

@samw74

Welcome Vargen. Happy birthday and welcome to our special nook. There’s nothing wrong with opening it. Before doing so, let me ask you this: what have you been smoking and what do you like? If you’ve only smoke aromatics, or another non-Latakia blends, I would recommend trying some similar and fresher Latakia blends. This way you will really appreciate the aged Falcon.

Enjoy!

Thank you! The only pipe-tobacco I've smoked is Ashtons Smooth Sailing, which is an aromatic with Cavendish and Virginia.

 

[trouttimes]

I vote to open it, enjoy a few bowls but be sure to transfer it to a jar so you can enjoy over a long time and not rush to finish the tin.

 

[brian64]

My two cents:
Based purely on my own subjective experience (but others have said the same) Lat blends don't benefit all that much from aging (or sometimes are even better fresh)...and considering that this tin already has 6 years behind it, I'd say there's no reason not to open it.
Except perhaps what Hawky said. You might want to purchase a new tin of Maltese Falcon and try it first, getting some experience with a Lat blend...then you can compare it to the aged one.
EDIT: I see now that Samw said close to the same thing...good advice imo.

 

[alexnc]

Hawky & Brian are probably right - get a tin and try it first