Lol, I appreciate the candor, however if I put alot of stock in a certain type of tobaccos predisposition to growing mold it is because I am in my mid twenties and wish to properly prepare in the event that the whole industry is dragged down by regulations or otherwise. I am not banking on it, just preparing. I have no delusions of having enough or relying on a tobaccos ability to weather 6-7 decades of time and still consistently be smokable. but just wanna have a reasonable amount for the foreseeable future (which I have mostly and still am in the process of acquiring). It has been amusing being called a pussy and a pipesmoking-inadequate though.
Thanks Sable, its reassuring to hear that they have improved on their mold inhibitors since for me GL Pease is more accessible than some on your list...I will watch the 8oz tins intently and going forward am probably going to chiefly purchase the 2oz, if only because they are more manageable. 50% is a staggering percentage, which only further deepens my prejudice towards the larger tins. I too favor Virginias and as much as I agree that other blending houses VA's are a touch richer, I enjoy C & D's for their pure smokability. They are brainless middle of the road virginias that do not excel in any one area, however still have more characteristic va sweetness than say a Stokkebye flake and are easier to get lit than Samuel Gawiths offerings. When I first started smoking pipes (7 years ago?) I was exclusively interested in aromatics. Man do I kick myself sometimes for not having tried McClelland back then. And also kick myself for having stocked up on pounds of aromatics that In order to smoke I have to blend with something else...usually a cheap oriental/va blend. The only Russ VA I have experienced is Firestorm and found it to be too deep and cinnamony for my taste buds, which is a problem I have found with Sutliff vas in general.
Seems to me if the tobacco doesn't grow mold in five years, it's not going to grow it in fifty years. The mold spores either exist in the tobacco or they don't. But I understand your concerns I just don't happen to share them.
Again, you're talking about a 1% problem at worst. If you're that concerned, buy 10% more to account for spoilage. Casinos make billions on 1% margins. I'd love to live life based upon 99% success rates.
