"Accidentally" Aged Tins - Smoke or Save?

[Sig]

As others have said, after 10 years the tobaccos are about at their limits.
Like you, I quit for years and came back last Spring. I had about 60 pounds of jarred and tinned tobaccos from 2005-2019.
It has been MY experience that after the 10 year mark, tobacco doesn't change much.
I have popped 18 year old jars of several blends and 10 year old jars of the same tobacco....they are identical in MY opinion. It had been MY experience that Virginia based blends start changing about 3 years in, and level off at 10 or so. To be honest, the change is MOSTLY color....but the flavors change too....some for the better, some not so much.
I never really began cellaring to improve tobacco, but it indeed can.
I began to cellar so I'd have my favorites. And now I'm sitting on pounds of McClelland Virginia's. McClellands disappeared while I was "away".

 

[Servant King]

The aging does nothing to improve the accuracy of the ammunition.

But it may improve the room note of the gunpowder. I can see the TR.com page: "Notes of dried fruit, safety, and dead burglars."

 

[Sobrbiker]

In 2016, you were finding tobaccos on the shelves somewhere that had been sitting for a year? Where is this place?

I’ve had decent luck at cigar shops that “happen” to sell pipe tobacco. I say “decent” because the selection sucked.
I got a tin when I first started (2 yr ago) of H&H Balkan that was five years old-turned around and bought the other two.

I should go back by and see if any more good ones are there. They had Capstans, but the price drove me away. I may reconsider that opinion if they’ve had them 3+ yrs.

 

[LotusEater]

Smoke what you’ve got especially if tobacco is difficult to find and expensive to purchase where you live.
Your stuff has some good age on it. I don’t think cellaring it longer will improve it and it may hurt it.

 

[BriarsAndBottles]

Tobacco isn't wine. It is meant to be smoked when sold. Aging can change the tobacco profile, but that change isn't considered an improvement by the manufacture. They have already aged the tobacco. The changes that occur with aging only provide the tobacco a different profile - and it may be that the new profile is one you prefer. This is the case with my Virginias and stronger latakia blends. I prefer a more Mello smoke. But something is lost even if something else is gained. Cellaring tobacco primarily is a hedge against not being able to purchase the same tobacco in the future. It's like ammunition. I have enough rounds to last my lifetime. The reason I own the ammunition now is it is a hedge against a time when I might not be able to acquire it in the future. The aging does nothing to improve the accuracy of the ammunition.

I'd say this is generally true with the exception of certain blends containing Virginia. Mcclellands and C&D admittedly made blends that they thought would improve over time.

 

[sablebrush52]

I'd say this is generally true with the exception of certain blends containing Virginia. Mcclellands and C&D admittedly made blends that they thought would improve over time.

Mike McNeil felt that McClelland blends were ready to be enjoyed when released and did not need further aging. Their production model was based on the English tradition of aging their blends prior to release.
To quote Robert Germain on further aging, “Quit faffing about!”

 

[bullet08]

Not worth much. But good for smoking. Or you could try selling it an online auction and see how it turns out. Depends on the country, you might end up paying more for tax/VAT, or getting it lost in the postal service.