A Tobacco Worth Too Much To Smoke?

[yohanan]

Smoke it, and enjoy smoking it.

 

[teufelhund]

If you're not going to smoke it I fail to see the point... I never understood collecting things that are supposed to be enjoyed and never using them. Now if just by some chance over time it's value increases and you need some cash then sell it. To me an empty tin serves as keep-sake enough. Enjoy your smoke and share your experiences.

 

[mrenglish]

Yes, I agree with teufelhund. Smoke one and enjoy it. You bought it, the damage is done and its not like you need the coin selling the other tin would bring. If you decide you do not like it, then sell the other. It's whole reason for being is to be smoked and enjoyed. Who do you think you are denying its reason for being? Just smoke it, take some pics and let us know what you thought.

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

If you resell it, you probably can't command the price that Steve could anyway. He has a lot of followers on Ebay. In my experience, people would rather pay more for something from one of the big name Ebay sellers than some average Joe.

 

[phil67]

Now those are the kind of dilemma's I wish I had to deal with in life.

 

[jmatt]

I have a slightly different take: It's not even remotely expensive tobacco.
A decent cigar is $12 and provides roughly an hour of relaxation, but is nothing special. It's not atypical to spend $25 for a really nice cigar, which still provides roughly an hour of relaxation.
By comparison, that tin should provide maybe 15 one hour long bowls. Let's assume you choose a larger briar and only have 10 bowls. So you've spent as much as $10 for an hour of relaxation. Perhaps only $6. Even at the full opportunity cost of let's say $360 for the tin, your down in the $24-$36 range for an hour of relaxing smoke. That's no more than a very nice, but very commonly available, cigar.
So pop that tin, and enjoy.

 

[easterntraveler]

Smoke it. That was the reason you bought it in the first place.

 

[wyfbane]

Crack a tin, smoke a bowl or two and put the rest in the Canadian Box Pass... And I don't even LIVE up there!
That way you get to try it, get to share it (nod to Gig), and get to haaave it too!!
Game, Set, Match!
First world problem indeed.
Here I am trying to figure out how many liquor stores i have to knock off to get $1700 to buy your Dunhills...

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Damn peck, if you had wanted to try Deerstalker, you could have just asked. I have so many that I use the full tins to balance out a short leg on my smoking table. ::

 

[phil67]

Funny how our perspective changes as we grow old...

Right on the button, and Amen to that.

 

[shaintiques]

I opened a tin of balkan Sobranie which was similarly selling for $1000 on eBay earlier this year. So my vote would be to say that it would be a shame to not open it and smoke it. Sounds like an amazing blend.

 

[warren]

Smoke it! Otherwise you've just have a couple of tins and no real return on your money. Unless of course it's a pride of ownership kind of thing. Having and displaying the unopened tins as props when you regale the masses with the story of your superb and relatively inexpensive acquisition might be an important consideration.
So, no don't open them! But, still the chance for a taste of the past. Nah, go ahead and smoke it. Although . . . seems I have strong feelings on both side of this question.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Can anyone get those prices? I mean, if I set up an ebay and just started selling aged tins, could I bring in as much as PipeStud? Or, is it the years of trust and marketing that work on these guys behalf who bring in the great returns? I see some rather high end Danish pipes go for a mere pittance (In fact I have a few), because the seller was new. But, to one of the sellers who have a reputation.... they get a much higher return.
And, if I was going to look to buy me a really old tin, I'd be more likely to give my money to PipeStud as well, as opposed to someone who just sold some pocketknives and a few cufflinks, etc...

 

[weezell]

Crack one! If its good, smoke both. If not, sell off. Ya aint gonna like it as much if they toss it in the crematorium with ya...

 

[lonestar]

I say smoke em if you got em.

 

[dottiewarden]

I can't recall exactly, but I think I paid $100 or $125 tops for each of the two tins I ended up purchasing.

This isn't about money, or you never would've bought them in the first place.
Smoke and be merry!

 

[klause]

I know that many would disagree but this life is about our experiences........... That time you smoked the $300 Deerstalker sounds like a much better memory and also one you will likely keep with you.

What Daimyo said.
I was in a similiar situation a couple of years ago after scoring a Cutter-top tin of Balkan Sobraine Smoking Mixture for £8 in an antique shop. I agonised for nearly a year about what to do, and, to be honest, the money I could have got for the tin would have been most welcome. But, when would I ever again be in a position to try the fabled blend, if not at that time? It was unlikely, to say the least. A once in a life time opportunity.
So, I cracked it, breathed deeply of that sweet, sweet aroma, smoked it and enjoyed it.
That first smell of the aroma is still with me a few years on - I can feel the smile creep across my face just thinking of it now. The whole experience is indelibly seared into my conciousness - the chill of the crisp winters day, the sun streaming into the greenhouse, the Dunhill sitting waiting for the char light, the tea steaming on the potting table, and, best of all, the sublime tobacco waiting patiently for me - as it had been for 50-60 years.
That smoke, thick, creamy, enveloping, is something I will NEVER forget.
Whenever I read of someone wishing they could try the 'Original' Sobranie, I smile to myself and count my blessings at being a very, very lucky fella. If I had it all to do again, I would do it EXACTLY the same way.
That tobacco was created to bring pleasure - so let it do what its intended to do.
Smoke it, Peck. Then let us all live vicariously through you with a review, eh?

 

[mso489]

I'm with the gang that says "smoke one." Then you'll know what it is and if you want to smoke or sell

the other. With two tins, you have the perfect hedge. You might open one tin, hopefully enjoy the leaf

but decide it's not worth keeping the second tin, and cover your cost on the two tins. I'd have to quit

smoking to buy blends to flip on any regular basis. You bought the tobacco to smoke, and I'd follow through

on at least one tin. See what it is, and how it is. Maybe let us know. A delightful dilemma.

 

[tennsmoker]

Where is Harris when we need him?

 

[misterlowercase]

So, I cracked it, breathed deeply of that sweet, sweet aroma, smoked it and enjoyed it.
That first smell of the aroma is still with me a few years on - I can feel the smile creep across my face just thinking of it now. The whole experience is indelibly seared into my conciousness - the chill of the crisp winters day, the sun streaming into the greenhouse, the Dunhill sitting waiting for the char light, the tea steaming on the potting table, and, best of all, the sublime tobacco waiting patiently for me - as it had been for 50-60 years.
That smoke, thick, creamy, enveloping, is something I will NEVER forget.

What Klause said.
You might as well crack a tin open and see how it goes.
Quoth Mr. Pease:

When these blends were available, I fell hard for "The Stout," and

purchased it as much quantity as I could afford. The entire line was of

excellent quality, but this blend really grabbed me. I still have a few

tins, and open one on occasion. The blend has aged beautifully, and if I

had the means, I'd grab as much of the stuff as I could get my hands on

today.
Sadly, when McConnell went out of business, so did the E&C line. While

the McConnell blends are being produced, they are not what they were, and

the integrity of the Siegels, who imported them and architected the E&C

range with Ken McConnell, wouldn't allow them to continue to produce

blends that didn't stand up to quality of the English made versions.
New World was also excellent, as were Cromwell and Deerstalker. I didn't

smoke the Roanoake much, but it, too, was superb. They also did a shag

cut for rolling called Blue Mosque that was one of the finest cigarette

tobaccos I've ever tasted. I have one tin, and occasionally treat myself

to a few puffs in a small Japanese Kiseru pipe that is perfectly suited

to the very fine cut of this one.
-glp

Also of interest,

you will be experiencing a fine baccy from one of the famous houses - they simply don't or can't make tobacco like that anymore.

For instance, Robert McConnell was reputed to have large gas-heated copper "toasting cylinders" that would tumble the ribbons during the re-drying process and, that these were partly responsible for the unique taste these tobaccos exhibited. I don’t doubt this. The crusting and toasting caused by the heat of the drum’s surface, especially in combination with the chemistry of the damp tobacco and the oxidized copper of the drum, would certainly impart a distinctive taste and aroma to the finished product. There’s little doubt that the blenders of Sobranie House had similar tricks up their sleeves.

http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/ask-g-l-pease/ask-g-l-pease-march-2012-volume-11/