Does tobacco that has been well stored for more than 20 years get better?

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Drucquers Banner

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
5,761
30,590
71
Sydney, Australia
I’ve had tobacco that was approximately 100 years old and conducted a Forum Tasting of tobacco that was approximately 80 years old.

It was good, but oxygen immediately goes to town on it once opened
I had a similar sad experience with a bottle of the iconic 1931 Quinta do Noval Nacional vintage port (a white whale for many) put on by a very generous friend with deep pockets.

The bottle was decanted half-way through dinner and pronounced to be excellent.
By the time the cheese was served, our anticipation of sybaritic pleasure was cruelly dashed as the wine had fallen into a heap in the meantime.

Expensive lesson learned.
 

Merton

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 8, 2020
941
2,499
Boston, Massachusetts
I can't speak of aged tobaccos as I have only returned to smoking pipes 3years ago and have not had the opportunity to lay down a cellar.

I have still, and have smoked cigars from the '70's and '80s, and they exhibit mellowed attenuated flavours. My guess is that most would have been better smoked when they were 10years old, rather than at 30 or 40.

I can speak with some experience of aged wines. The 3 oldest I've had in the past 3 years are a 1837 Bual (Madeira), a 1855 Port and a 1874 Rivesalte (sweet white wine from southern France). All 3 bottles were stonkingly good, and far more youthful tasting than one would expect. But these were exceptional bottles. 99.999% of bottles half their age would only be fit to be poured down the drain.

I have drunk and enjoyed German white wines that were over 50yrs old, but if I had my druthers, I'd druther enjoy most of them in their first flush of fruity youthfulness at 2-10 years old. Bridget Bardot was still very attractive at 60, but one would not argue with the fact that she was at her physical prime between 18 and 25 years old (I apologise for this non-PC male sexist comment ?)

Flavours change with age. It's whether you like those changes. My wife will only eat slightly underripe bananas. She will not eat a banana once it develops those esters associated with a ripe banana. Whereas I am the opposite, and will only eat a properly ripened banana.

Older is not necessarily better. Just different.
Interesting observations. Look up Benjamin Franklin's letter to a young man contemplating marriage for a contrary view of, say, Ms. Bardot.
 

karam

Lifer
Feb 2, 2019
2,341
9,012
Basel, Switzerland
Since 50g can almost last me a month, would one be able to say vacuum seal half the contents upon opening to delay the affects of oxygen?
I once bought 25g of 2003 SG Balkan Flake from the UK another member flagged here. The first smoke was among the most memorable smokes of my whole life, without exaggeration. Then i jarred it for special occasions, when one supposedly came i smoked it again and it was pure hot air, all subsequent smokes too. Totally gone, sadly.
 

logs

Lifer
Apr 28, 2019
1,873
5,069
The various McClellend VA and VaPer tins I've smoked that were 20 years or older were all smooth as silk and easy going but I didn't feel like they were intrinsically better. The flavors mellowed. Personally I prefer tins in the 5 to 10 year range when they're smooth but still have punch.
 

gervais

Lifer
Sep 4, 2019
2,078
6,973
39
Ontario
Since 50g can almost last me a month, would one be able to say vacuum seal half the contents upon opening to delay the affects of oxygen?
I think this is the best option. If it's oxygen that degrades the leaf, removing it would halt the degradation, theoretically. Correct?! Lol. I worry about these things too. A tin can last me almost a month as well

the whole cellaring aspect of the hobby will eventually catch up to all of us and we will be smoking very old tobacco, at least the younger ones here.
 
Last edited:

gervais

Lifer
Sep 4, 2019
2,078
6,973
39
Ontario
I think this is the best option. If it's oxygen that degrades the leaf, removing it would halt the degradation, theoretically. Correct?! Lol. I worry about these things too. A tin can last me almost a month as well

the whole cellaring aspect of the hobby will eventually catch up to all of us and we will be smoking very old tobacco, at least the younger ones here.
My closing statement: I really hope all of our invested money and efforts aren't rewarded with unsmokable garbage "shit dust" tobacco ?
 

steelman

Might Stick Around
Jun 17, 2012
67
2
Are there certain brands/blends that are known to age well? I was under the assumption that Samuel Gawith VA flakes, Germain & Esoterica blends age well….
 
  • Like
Reactions: hoosierpipeguy

Grangerous

Lifer
Dec 8, 2020
3,251
13,104
East Coast USA
No.
With all tobacco there is a curve, and all blends reach a point of diminishing returns unique to that particular blend and then begin to decline. For some, they start out as crap and die as crap, There are number of Virginia and Vapers such as St. James Flake for example, where there is a definite improvement in taste and even smoking quality that evolves over a decade, but at some point the focus changes from any improvements to the tobacco, to one of preservation.
I agree. “there is a curve, and all reach a point of diminishing returns”
EDCD26A9-96E1-40D5-8F26-C8041217E741.jpeg
 
My closing statement: I really hope all of our invested money and efforts aren't rewarded with unsmokable garbage "shit dust" tobacco ?
Luckily, I won’t live past my tobacco’s peak. There is a point at which different tobaccos slow down the aging process, so 10-15 years should be about as old as any of my blends get in my cellar.
But, yes, I imagine some will be shit. That’s just the gamble we all take, and surely anyone who cellars understands this risk, and comes to terms with it the moment we set them aside.
If someone isn’t ok with the risk, then just smoke them all now.
 

Grangerous

Lifer
Dec 8, 2020
3,251
13,104
East Coast USA
Luckily, I won’t live past my tobacco’s peak. There is a point at which different tobaccos slow down the aging process, so 10-15 years should be about as old as any of my blends get in my cellar.
But, yes, I imagine some will be shit. That’s just the gamble we all take, and surely anyone who cellars understands this risk, and comes to terms with it the moment we set them aside.
If someone isn’t ok with the risk, then just smoke them all now.
I agree. “then just smoke them all now.” — before it’s too late.
A4E34CDA-21D5-4F16-A19C-2CBF51D08CC6.jpeg
 

JOHN72

Lifer
Sep 12, 2020
5,136
51,569
51
Spain - Europe
Luckily, I won’t live past my tobacco’s peak. There is a point at which different tobaccos slow down the aging process, so 10-15 years should be about as old as any of my blends get in my cellar.
But, yes, I imagine some will be shit. That’s just the gamble we all take, and surely anyone who cellars understands this risk, and comes to terms with it the moment we set them aside.
If someone isn’t ok with the risk, then just smoke them all now.
this goes from light brown to dark brown..............we are going to die like bedbugs with this obsessionel_pianista_05.jpg