How Many Tobaccos Do You Have "Live"?

[aimlesswanderer]

This may well seem like a nonsensical question to some folks here, so I'll try to give it some context. I've tried sampling a range of different tobaccos in the past, and had several blends "on the go" at any one time. However, I am a low volume smoker, which means I've had a lot of tobacco dry out on me, almost to the point of being crispy, before I'd finished them.
I addressed this by mixing all these dregs together. Some may consider that sacrilege, but I figure it's no different to smoking GH Pensioners Mixture, which is a regular purchase for me anyway. As a result of mixing them I have three small jars (around 100ml) packed with a mix of ribbon, cube cut flake, and chopped twist. If I gravity fill a pipe with it, it does actually smoke really well - but I've chosen to stash these at the back of the cupboard and focus on the four pouches I still have open which still have some moisture to them. From here on in, I think it will be sensible for me to keep to only having three or four blends on the go at any point. Any more than that is likely to risk them getting past their best.
Again for context, I'm aiming to keep my usage down to about 50g per month, so a 50g tin and a couple of 25g pouches would mean I have two months worth of tobacco "live" at any time. I'm sure there'll be folks here that consider their entire stash to be live, and others that solely work through one pouch/tin at a time, but it would be interesting to see the mix of approaches all the same.
So how many jars/tins/pouches do YOU have live at any given time? (and if sensible to answer, what does that equate to in time)

 

[fitzy]

Unfortunately I have maybe 65 open in mason jars that I'm sampling. The problem is I keep buying new ones to try without finishing the others. Heck I'm trying to get better at that so I've got about 20 tins of new blends sitting on my table waiting to be tried but I'm working on trying to finish more of the ones I have open already.

 

[sablebrush52]

I have about 30 jars from which I sample. Jarring keeps the "live" stuff from drying out. I'll rotate in from the cellar as needed.

 

[mso489]

Counting samples in jars, blends in jars, and other containers not sealed, I guess I have about forty blends, but some of these are small quantities. I think I have about fifteen blends in an ounce or more quantities immediately available, without having to pop a tin. If I counted, I suspect these figure are low, but let's say....

 

[twoonefive]

I have 143 blends in jars that are part of what I smoke from. Realistically maybe 30 of them are part of my regular rotation. I refill the jars as I smoke through them.

 

[toobfreak]

Funny you ask. Last year I sorted out about 20-25 of my least likely favorite tobaccos and I've been smoking them. Stuff I would not buy again. Some aros, english and a couple I really like. Last night I decided the jars were so empty and more air than tobacco that it was time to consolidate and simplify.
So I blended all the aros together, another category I call Va Forward, and English. Each was a mixture of 6-8 types. You don't blend them so much that you don't get a little variation as you smoke.
Tried one so far, the aro---- let it dry out well, short of brittle and crunchy. Just not damp. I have to say that it was much better than any of the single aros by themselves!
In the future, I am going to keep maybe 3-5 open at a time with perhaps a few others as blending agents, perique, latakia, red cake, etc., as modifiers. No reason to open more. That way I can really keep my focus and pipes centered on one thing at a time and get to know these tobaccos far better.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I have eight jars on my counter I am smoking currently, some more than others!

 

[ukbob]

Usually 3 or 4 jars.

 

[mcitinner1]

Wanderer those crispy dry blends can be rehydrated in several different ways. I give them a very light spritz with distilled (a must) water. Then reseal the jar and shake it up. The next day shake it again and check it out.

 

[Chasing Embers]

A dozen or so tins, and around seventy jars.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I've had a lot of tobacco dry out on me, almost to the point of being crispy, before I'd finished them.

Pack the dry tobacco into a pipe, and blow through the pipe until you feel warm air rising from the bowl. Perfectly rehydrates the tobacco for a smoke.

 

[akfilm]

Solid question. I have no idea. I'll take a guess and say around eight.

 

[drennan]

I have 12 Kilner jars that I smoke from, so no more than 12 blends at anyone time. As they're Kilner jars and air tight I don't have to worry how long it takes me to smoke them, infact I've got a jar of Ashton's Artisans blend that's I started the summer of '15, it's not a favourite.

 

[aimlesswanderer]

I don't keep my tobacco in jars, but I do with snuff. I've noticed that when air starts taking up more than say 40% of the jar, they don't keep so well. A full jar will keep for years, but opening a half full jar can swap a lot of humid air for dry air. Doesn't take too many cycles for the fluffy loveliness to turn to dust.
Are those of you dipping into jars finding the same as you start working the last thirds?

 

[aimlesswanderer]

Wanderer those crispy dry blends can be rehydrated in several different ways. I give them a very light spritz with distilled (a must) water. Then reseal the jar and shake it up. The next day shake it again and check it out.

Thanks mcitinner1, I think (hope) I just about caught them in time. I also added some cube cut #7 Flake and some finely chopped twist that still had some decent hydration to them, which hopefully will balance out in time. Some of what went into the jars was stuff that was a little overwhelming for me, like 1792 and Commonwealth Mixture. Hopefully some time at the back of a dark cupboard will let these mellow a bit too.

 

[curl]

I have over 100 blends but there are just 24 of them in my current smoking rotation.

 

[aimlesswanderer]

Pack the dry tobacco into a pipe, and blow through the pipe until you feel warm air rising from the bowl. Perfectly rehydrates the tobacco for a smoke.

Thanks for the tip. I like quick "instant" fixes like that!

 

[toobfreak]

Are those of you dipping into jars finding the same as you start working the last thirds?

No, never. There should not be that much moisture in your jar to begin with. Second, too many blends are shipped overly moist, so any drying out in the jar (the little that occurs) is a good thing. Third, the RH in your jar and in your home should not be too different. In 45 years of smoking pipes, I have never had the contents of a jar "turn to dust." If it does, you are doing something wrong. Maybe you need to store in smaller jars--- how can the tobacco get any drier than the air in your home? If it is getting that dry, maybe you need to smoke it faster or just give it a light spritz to offset too many repeated openings.

 

[thomasw]

I put all my tobacco into 4oz or 8oz mason jars immediately when it comes in bulk or right out of its tin when I become satisfied with its condition in the open tin. I have never had mold or over-drying issues and I've kept tobacco in jars for many years. If anything, it just gets more mature just as if it were in a tin. My only caution is this: be sure the seals are OK and the jars are clean.

 

[foggymountain]

About 1100 cans, a few pound of bulk and some pouches. It is a lifetime supply. The reason is to get very well aged tobaccos and to avoid future internet and tobacco taxes.