Cellaring Aromatics?

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greatdane

Might Stick Around
Dec 26, 2018
66
27
I happen to only smoke aromatics, and was wondering if anyone can give advice on how to best cellar them for the long haul (i.e. decades).
Tinned cans only?

Bulk/pouches in Mylar bags?
I have heard aromatics does not age well long-term in jars and will lose flavor over time, is that correct? Any tips on specific aromatics that will store/age well?
Thanks in advance for any insights.

 

madox07

Lifer
Dec 12, 2016
1,823
1,689
The general consensus around here is that aromatics do not benefit that much from aging ... I will leave the rest of the explaining to some more knowledgeable aro smokers around here.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,343
The general consensus around here is that aromatics do not benefit that much from aging ...
That's in terms of aging like Virginias.
I have some aros in jars from a decade ago that smell and taste just as they did when I bought them.

 

hawky454

Lifer
Feb 11, 2016
5,338
10,220
Austin, TX
Jars. I don’t smoke many aromatics but I love Dan Tobacco Blue Note. I’ve had a pound cellared away since 2010 and I just finished off the last bit of it and have recently stocked up on more. Tastes just as good as the fresh stuff, didn’t lose a bit of top flavoring over the years but I guess that just depends on the aromatic as I’ve heard others say that they can lose their flovorings over the years. I wouldn’t go cellaring aromatics for 20 plus years or anything but 10 or so years should be just fine in a jar.

 

aro222

Can't Leave
Mar 17, 2018
455
114
47
Toronto Ontario, Canada
My cellar is probably 75% aromatics. I have quite a bit in tins unopened, however I'm currently working on over 20 blends which are in jars which i pull from daily.

I'm currently sitting on over 30 lbs (which i know is not much) but haven't had a problem with loss of flavour or even dryness. Now my cellar is only 2 years old and so far so good. I'll have to wait and see how long they last. Until than i will keep building my stock and trying new blends. TAD is wonderful isn't it ? LOL

 

npod

Lifer
Jun 11, 2017
2,942
1,024
This topic is often misunderstood. At its simplest, Aromatics don’t “benefit” from aging, but they aren’t “negatively impacted” by cellaring them. The big difference is between the words agung vs cellaring. The later meaning just storing them to smoke later. Most agree that after 6-10 years Aromatics probably lose some of their magic. But not all. If you love an Aromatic blend and want to ensure you have enough for years, then I always recommend stocking up. YMMV.

 
May 9, 2018
1,687
86
Raleigh, NC
+1 Neal, that was pretty much what I was going to say. For me, nothing is as much about aging as it is about just cellaring. I just don't want to cellar stuff that won't age well. If my cellar gets age on it, so be it, but it will just come from buying all I want so that I can smoke it some day in the future.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,343
Aromatics don’t “benefit” from aging, but they aren’t “negatively impacted” by cellaring them.
Exactly my point. They really just stay the same which is excellent for those that enjoy aros.

 

drrock

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 20, 2011
514
565
Minnesota
I’ve had good results cellaring bulk aromatics in Mason-type jars. I have Trout Stream & Lane LL-7 that taste the same since jarring them in Kerr 1/2 pint wide mouth jars in 2008.

I always leave tinned tobaccos in their tins.

 
I opened a jar of 1Q earlier this winter, and it had five years on it. It was really good. Of course it has been a long time since I have had fresh 1Q, but... it was still good.
I also set back quite a few ins of aromatics as well. There are some, like Solani Tropical Mango Flake that seem to be getting much better, IMO, as it ages.
Looking at these forum generalizations to be absolute rules is just not going to work. Obviously, aged latakia blends were what inspired and propel Greg Pease. Aged vintage Balkan Sobraine... nuff said. And, if an aromatic is Virginia based and the topping is balanced, not goopy, then you might really like how it ages. But, if you are talking about Captain Black Grape... well. Ha ha.
Same for burleys. Burley Flake #1 is really getting better for me with some age on it. And, there are a few other burleys known for their aging. But, no, I don't think those wimpy white burleys will do much with time.
Just don't put too much stock in generalizations. They are more of a guide of averages... not absolutes.

 

techie

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 20, 2018
589
10
I suppose this is a related matter, but I purchased a number of OTC pouches that have been sitting for about 4-5 months, and I pulled one out today (Peterson Aran) and it is very dry. I didn't really think about jarring these, but should pouched tobaccos be jarred too if they're not going to be smoked within, say, a few weeks?

 
I have left half smoked pouches of Carter Hall in my tool box on my tractor, for half a year, and it was as fresh as the day I opened it. I wouldn't worry about pouches of OTC's going dry. They were probably on the shelf at the drug store for years before you bought it anyways. They load that stuff up with chemicals to protect it against ever tasting fresh anyways. :puffy:

 

techie

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 20, 2018
589
10
Well, what's interesting, Cosmic, is that I have found that the "American" OTC's like Carter Hall hasn't dried out at all, but this Peterson Aran has - bone dry. Is it possible that the European ones use fewer chemicals or none at all?

 
Techie, your OTCs are way better than ours. I have had a few OTC plugs and Virginias from England, and they are much more appealing. As far as describing American OTC's, imagine a tobacco with no actual tobacco taste, that has had a chemical added to make it taste like tobacco, and also makes it feel like it was preserved with Vaseline.

 

techie

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 20, 2018
589
10
I think you just described much of the US processed/packaged foods industry. Lol
BTW, I am in the US, but I did purchase a number of the European OTCs.

 

greatdane

Might Stick Around
Dec 26, 2018
66
27
Thanks for all your input.
So if I planned to store 10+ years, would I better served with selecting aromatics containing a heavy dose of humectants? I live in a very dry climate and wonder if the tobacco would simply dry out over time in a jar or Mylar bag if it did not have these additives.

 
Cellar the things you like (period).

The PG laden stuff won't age, and the better quality aros, especially those with a Virginia base will most likely *improve.
*unless your idea of improving is more of that aromatic (flavoring) taste.
You know, more than likely your tastes, like most of the rest of us, will expand more in time. You may start wanting more tobacco flavor in your smokes later on. I will even smoke an aromatic every now and then, but it definitely would never scratch my itch asd an all day everyday smoke. I would never just smoke aromatics exclusively after having tried real tobaccos. But, YMMV.

 
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