Does Red Cake Improve With Age?

[jitterbugdude]

Due to the upcoming Tobaccogedon I've been stocking up on bulks. Along with my 5 pound order of Vintage Syrian

I also ordered and ounce of Red Cake. It was very unimpressive. Being a sauced Virginia I'm assuming it will improve with age. So, does it improve so much that I should considering stocking up on a few pounds?

 

[drennan]

If your unimpressed now then chances are you'll be unimpressed in 5 or 10 years. Cellar what you love

 

[jefff]

Yeah it probably isn't going to change enough to impress you.

 

[pitchfork]

I don't know for how long, but Red Cake is already aged some. I've had some in a jar for two or three years and the only difference I've noticed is a little more dark sweetness than before, but basically it's the same flavor profile.

 

[hawky454]

Your tastes may change significantly!

 

[mso489]

An ounce, I'd try mixing it with other leaf or blends. It might improve with aging, but for that quantity, I'd smoke it up. It might go nicely with burley and Cavendish, or to lighten some other blend, depending on your tastes.

 

[lonestar]

I like Red Cake most when it is mixed in with a good burley. The flavors marry well, perking up the burley and adding depth to the red cake.

 

[jefff]

I just mixed half an ounce with an ounce of the Beast. I'll let it jar for 6 months and try it again.

 

[jitterbugdude]

Thanks for the input guys. I think I'll pass on buying anymore. I will however, try blending it with some other tobaccos.

 

[cobguy]

Even just one year jarred up shows improvement in the smoothness and flavor.
Just an idea ... have you tried the Maillard Reaction on it? I've heard it responds really well.

 

[jitterbugdude]

Yes... and no

I've tried it on straight whole leaf Red Virginia as well as Lemon and regular flue cured. The regular flue cured is absolutely fantastic. The Lemon and Reds are rather bland. I'm not sure how Red Cake would taste, considering it has sauce added to it. I only have a little less than an ounce left. I'm thinking of combining it with something like Little Dutch. If I had more I'd put it in the pressure cooker.

 

[yaddy306]

When you say it's "sauced", do you mean it's cased, or topped, or has added humectant, or something else?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Being a sauced Virginia

It is cased, but not topped, which is what most people mean when they say sauced.

I love the aged Red Cake. I have some that is getting close to five years, and it has mellowed very well. But, if you don't like it, then I wouldn't worry about getting more. It's probably never going to change enough to change someone's mind about it.
I find that casing doesn't hinder the aging process.

 

[pitchfork]

I like Red Cake most when it is mixed in with a good burley. The flavors marry well, perking up the burley and adding depth to the red cake.

Same here. Red Cake has a nice sweet/spice flavor, while the bit of sugar in it smooths out the mix of VA and burley.

 

[jcsoldit]

Red Cake is a mainstay for me. I enjoy it fresh but love it with some age. I'm currently smoking some that was jarred back in '09. ::

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Along the same lines as the spirit of the OP, I have found that Peter Stokkebye's LTF doesn't seem to change with age, at least I don't see or taste any effects in five year old LTF. It is a Virginia Cavendish, probably soaked in preservatives. When you get a box of it, the sliced bricks are just wrapped in plastic, with no seal at all on it. So, the company must trust something in there not to go bad in transit and storage.

That said, I don't care. I love LTF, and I jar it up relentlessly. As long as I will always have this blend, I don't care if it is stuck the way it is forever... like Peter Pan, ha ha.

 

[iamn8]

The answer is a definitive NO NO NO! It gets gross with age.

 

[prairiedruid]

Being a sauced Virginia

Why are we talking about my neighbor lady's vodka habit?

 

[jmill208]

Looks like no one showed up for Nates birthday party....

 

[recoilrob]

I have a good amount of Red Cake that I got it from a local shop that was clearing out old stock 1996, it was buried in the back of the cigar humidor room in a bulk bag from McClellands. They told me they thought it was from the early 1980's.
I put it up in Ball jars in 1998 and haven't touched it since.
You're welcome to try some, sent me a PM.