Advice on tobaccos that don't need to age

[toobfreak]

Aromatics. I am betting that if you look at most of the blends that they say smoke right away and don't age or people have had bad aging experience with, I bet most of them are aromatics. Then there are those whom the company TELLS you to age them for best flavor, such as Joie de Vivre, Chenet Cake and others. In fact, they tell you to let them stoke for up to ten years.
Let's not mention those who bake their tobacco for false aging on their dashboard or in the oven. Not all blends take to aging, but those that do give a differing result from when it was new and many like that difference. Not anyone's place to lay a blanket statement that aging doesn't work in ALL circumstances!

 

[hawky454]

Smiley? This notion is somewhat unique here!
Is that your experience?

Yes, for the most part. I find that blends I waited on for 5-10 years are usually no better than they were fresh out of the tin and more often than not, I prefer the fresh tin over the aged tin. There have been exceptions though, my 5 year old Stonehaven is pretty damn good with age on it but it's not good enough that I would put off smoking a fresh tin for 5 years just so I can have it aged. I think that changes take place with cellared baccy but I think those changes are highly overrated. I just recently smoked some Escudo from 99 and while it was pretty good, I still enjoy a fresh tin just as much, if not more. Obviously this is all subjective I'm just reporting my take on the subject. It's near impossible to avoid aging tobacco as my cellar has grown to be very large over the years but I cellar more because I'm worried about the future of the business than I am to actually age blends. I continue to experiment and have fun with it though.

 

[crashthegrey]

It's interesting to see so many that don't believe in the aging hype. I personally like an aged Virginia, but hesitate to wait that long. When I can get an aged tin at the same price, I jump on it. But it's good to know that aging isn't as universally regarded as I thought.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

@curl, you can read John's article and see for yourself.
Link to John Loring article
I knew John well from pipe shows and trades of both tobacco and pipes for a period of over 15 years. He was one of several people that got me interested in aged tobacco from about 1982 on. He is deceased as you may know and I would not in any way presume to speak for him beyond what he has written. He did not, nor do I, believe that just because a tobacco might not improve with age meant that it is without merit, which he states in one of his writings.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

@hawky454, the last Cope's Escudo made by Gallahers in the UK was in 1994. Your experience with a 1999 tin made on the European continent is not surprising to me.

 

[mso489]

Three words: Captain Black Grape.

 

[crashthegrey]

mso couldn't be more correct. Needs no aging at all. Lol.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

@mso489, two words
Five Brothers

 

[toobfreak]

I believe the efficacy of aging largely depends on the freedom from heavy chemicals and the amount of virginia in a blend. Other tobaccos respond differently and Latakia and Perique soften with age. Sometimes that is a good thing.
But aging is largely incidental in today's world--- if you are to cushion insurance to escape the throws of the FDA in eliminating favorite brands and availability then you probably have to cellar. And with cellaring comes aging. Rather a moot point whether it improves it or not, you will find out when you open it; but having it aged good or bad is a lot better thing than not having it at all.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

@toobfreak, +1
Add in the possibility of internet sales restrictions as with RYO, tax increases and costs of compliance with FDA rules that will be passed on and marked up at every stage of the distribution process.

 

[mso489]

Five Brothers ... now that's a fact!

 

[toobfreak]

As an aside to the aging issue, I got an email the other day from P&C mentioning the Pennsylvania Sales Tax on tobacco being 55¢ an ounce and their decision to eat that cost rather than pass it on to the consumer. Not really relevant to the topic here but I don't feel like starting a whole new thread about P&C.

 

[iamn8]

All tobacco haveto age. There are some laws of the universe which can't be broken.

 

[deathmetal]

Nate has a point (as usual).
If you want the A++ experience, age your tobacco.
If you are like me and just want to smoke, pick anything that sounds good and enjoy the heck out of it.

 

[huntertrw]

"Five Brothers ... now that's a fact!"
True, true, true. It is vile when packaged, and aging won't help it one bit!

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

@huntertrw, true, but aging doesn't hurt it either.