I don't cellar tobacco. I'm more of an accidental jar-abandoner and tin-neglecter. A year ago or so I jarred a tin of Dunhill London Mixture and a couple ounces of Westminsree. I've just smoked them back to back in a pipe that is devoted to those two - the rather infamous Peterson Sherlock Holmes Original. You see, this pipe shape is notorious for heating up easily, making it a very challenging pipe to enjoy. I just happen to like it a lot, and have learned to tame it. So, what happened tonight?
London Mixture changed very little - still moist, fragrant, and delicious, the Oriental (perhaps it's most playful feature) is still there, in all its spicy glory. It burned a little hot, left a little bit of moisture in the pipe, and an insignificant amount of dottle. It burned peacefully to a fine white ash, with a few pauses to let the pipe cool down. Enjoyable as always.
I cleaned the pipe, let it cool down completely, and came back.
Westminster, which comes dry to begin with, worried me. I occasionally rehydrate the big ceramic jar in which I keep my main stash and wasn't prepared to see it drier than I have before coming out of the jar. I worried. I packed the pipe and proceeded to light. And surprise: It got a bit better. It looked drier, and it smoked great with no pauses needed. The pipe got a bit warm as usual but not too warm. It burned to a white ash, left almost no dottle, and very little moisture in the trap (this is a quasi-system pipe). The bit of magic that makes Westminster more enjoyable than London Mixture got a bit gentler and more pleasant - I think this was the Latakia aging a bit. The spiciy accent, which is likely the Oriental, was not as pronounced as in London Mixture, instead gracefully present and superbly balanced.
I should also say that the Virginia in both blends is something I've never paid attention to. It seems to be the "base" that holds it all together, and does not scream "I'm here" to me. So if aging did something there in either blend, I simply failed to notice.
I love these two blends. My passion and preference for Westminster is no secret - I've described it as being co sister got like a very good tin of London Mixture. The only thing I learned today is that maybe I shouldn't be that afraid of the dry side... And maybe I should start to be more intentional about aging. If one year of neglect did this, maybe a few years of intentional abandonment will be bliss.
London Mixture changed very little - still moist, fragrant, and delicious, the Oriental (perhaps it's most playful feature) is still there, in all its spicy glory. It burned a little hot, left a little bit of moisture in the pipe, and an insignificant amount of dottle. It burned peacefully to a fine white ash, with a few pauses to let the pipe cool down. Enjoyable as always.
I cleaned the pipe, let it cool down completely, and came back.
Westminster, which comes dry to begin with, worried me. I occasionally rehydrate the big ceramic jar in which I keep my main stash and wasn't prepared to see it drier than I have before coming out of the jar. I worried. I packed the pipe and proceeded to light. And surprise: It got a bit better. It looked drier, and it smoked great with no pauses needed. The pipe got a bit warm as usual but not too warm. It burned to a white ash, left almost no dottle, and very little moisture in the trap (this is a quasi-system pipe). The bit of magic that makes Westminster more enjoyable than London Mixture got a bit gentler and more pleasant - I think this was the Latakia aging a bit. The spiciy accent, which is likely the Oriental, was not as pronounced as in London Mixture, instead gracefully present and superbly balanced.
I should also say that the Virginia in both blends is something I've never paid attention to. It seems to be the "base" that holds it all together, and does not scream "I'm here" to me. So if aging did something there in either blend, I simply failed to notice.
I love these two blends. My passion and preference for Westminster is no secret - I've described it as being co sister got like a very good tin of London Mixture. The only thing I learned today is that maybe I shouldn't be that afraid of the dry side... And maybe I should start to be more intentional about aging. If one year of neglect did this, maybe a few years of intentional abandonment will be bliss.
