I've just recieved a shipment of Mixture No.79, but in the status quo I've got too many opened tins that I'm certainly enjoying. So, it came to me that I might as well stuff these in a Mason jar and give it a few years. Would Aromatics too improve with age, or just change the flavor from what it was meant to be?
Do Aromatics get better with age too?
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I've found that i prefer aromatics a lot more when they've aged. Smokes smoother and tastes rounder, if that makes sense. Disclaimer: I don't smoke aromatics much anymore, if at all. So i may not represent the palate that you want to hear from. ;{D
Is it even possible for Mixture 79 to improve? I can't even imagine what that would be like. Maybe if it lost all flavoring, maybe I could smoke it, not that I would even try. :
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Since no one has made the joke, I will. Nothing improves the flavor of Mixture 79. There, I said it. Seriously, some like it, and it's been around for eons for a reason. I like aromatics with some age on them specifically because the flavor mellows and fades a little, and integrates with the tobacco better, and leaves the blend more tobacco forward, as I think of it. If the base tobacco is good quality, I think time enhances many aromatic blends. Oops, Cosmic got there first while I was posting!
I find aromatics benefit from a little airing out but not much from aging. I don't really find it detracts from them, either, though. Mixture 79, as they have pointed out above, cannot be made better. What they are telling you is that it is perfect as it is and you should buy a bunch more and dig right in. Let your other tobacco go to waste, this is the stuff pipes dream about.
Yep, most Aros cellar well, but don't age or develop per se. So feel free to buy in bulk to smoke later, but don't expect a "change" in the flavor. It won't hurt the tobacco, but probably best to smoke the inventory within 5 years.
One caveat. Some super high end Aros do mature over time, but these are rare and from good blending houses that use high end tobacco as the base. For example, Dan Tobacco Sweet Vanilla Honeydew (among others) ages brilliantly and tastes better after a few years in the cellar. But most Americans consider Aros to be the goopy, PG cased stuff, which does not mature over time.
One caveat. Some super high end Aros do mature over time, but these are rare and from good blending houses that use high end tobacco as the base. For example, Dan Tobacco Sweet Vanilla Honeydew (among others) ages brilliantly and tastes better after a few years in the cellar. But most Americans consider Aros to be the goopy, PG cased stuff, which does not mature over time.
I think it depends on the particular aromatic blend. Some have a lot of quality Virginia leaf with natural added casing such as some of the McClelland's aromatics and they age beautifully. Others that have mostly average class Burley that has been dunked in a humectant laden casing will lose flavor and become more bitter - while remaining moist - over a period of several decades.
I've smoked aromatics like the old Sweden made Borkum Riff Whiskey that was loaded with Virginia leaf of quality, that still tastes delicious today. I've smoked others that taste as flat as a pancake.
I've smoked aromatics like the old Sweden made Borkum Riff Whiskey that was loaded with Virginia leaf of quality, that still tastes delicious today. I've smoked others that taste as flat as a pancake.
I hate it that Sutliff and Lane style aromatics get called American types. McClelland and C&D blow it out of the water with aromatics, or at least McClelland did, until they became quitters.
But, Lane brought German styled aromatics to the US in the 1920's and they continued to make German styled aromatics. Sutliff was also Germanic, and are today owned by MacBarens. Look at all of the Germanic pipe tobacco companies, they are goopy goopies. Lets leave America out of it.
But, Lane brought German styled aromatics to the US in the 1920's and they continued to make German styled aromatics. Sutliff was also Germanic, and are today owned by MacBarens. Look at all of the Germanic pipe tobacco companies, they are goopy goopies. Lets leave America out of it.
I will be curious to see how Cult Blood Red Moon and Molto Dolce age. They are the only full blown aromatics I have in my cellar. I could see them being pretty good 10 years down the line as they have such big flavors up front, maybe a little mellowing will be good. One thing I do know is that when the deeming laws take place and both Red Moon and Dolce are off the market, the value of my stash will soar to unbelievable heights.
Steve, get ready, in ten years we are going to be rich.
Steve, get ready, in ten years we are going to be rich.
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