Must-Have Blends for Any Cellar

[prairiedruid]

3 Oaks Syrian......not for aging but because Syrian latakia is a dead tobacco.....once what is stored is gone that's it forever.
Christmas Cheer......for aging
John Cotton's Smyrna......it's just plain tasty
MM 965......my meat and potatoes blend
Peter Stokkebye's Luxury Bulls Eye Flake......fresh I find it less harsh and better than Escudo and with age should only get better. Plus as a bulk I can pick it up cheaply.

 

[marcel]

I would suggest getting small quantities bulk tobacco of the various blends and try to narrow down the styles of tobaccos you prefer. Pipe smoking is so individualistic you really need to decide what you like first. Virginia based blends benefit most from time in the cellar, aromatics the least.
Once you've decided on the type of blend, head over to tobacco reviews.com. You can search by a number of criteria and I've found the highest rated blends or the ones that are most favored are a pretty good bet.

 

[sparrowhawk]

Of late, the new Cult Abacus has caught my fancy as an aero to have; Molta Dolce of course is a standy requirement; for bulk I alternate betweeen the mildly aero Trout Stream and the mellow but tasty non-aero 1500 Red Cake. Toss in a little Cult Blood Rest Moon for the cherry alternative, although I've heard much about Westminster Very Cherry which I'll include in next months haul.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Cornell & Diehl Black Frigate

Mac Baren Old Dark Fired

Stokkebye Luxury Bullseye Flake

McClelland Yenidje Highlander

Aylesbury Luxury Flake

Erinmore Flake

 

[derfatdutchman]

You've gotten a lot of good suggestions. Mac Baren Old Dark Fired and C&D Bayou Morning are two I keep cellared.

 

[texmexpipe]

McClellend Yenidje Highlander

Orlik Golden Sliced

Orlik Dark Strong Kentuky

Escudo

Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding

RO Firestorm
These are what I've got stashed away.

 

[leacha]

I figured the first, third, fifth, etc. Posts would have mentioned McClellands 2015, 5100 and or Christmas Cheer.

 

[jmatt]

Here's my take, and it's not necessarily what one should "cellar," but rather what one should try on the road to deciding what they like.
Variable #1: The cut. You need to try some ribbon, a traditional flake, a coin/navy flake, a plug and a rope.

Variable #2: The blend type. You should try an aromatic, a straight Virginia, a VaPer, a VaBur, an English, a Balkan, and a Burley.

Variable #3: You should try something from each of the most prominent blenders/brands. I'd include McClelland, GL Pease, Dunhill, Cornell & Diehl, Germains, Mac Baren, Samuel Gawith, Peterson, Stokkebye, STC and Lane.
The nice thing is you can knock out an item from all three variables with each tobacco you pick.
Some examples:
Lane 1Q. An aromatic ribbon cut.

Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake. A traditional flake of straight Virginia.

Escudo Navy DeLuxe. A VaPer coin flake.

Peterson Perfect Plug. A VaBur plug.

Samuel Gawith Black XX Twist. A straight Virginia rope.
Annyway - you get the drift. Now, go to tobaccoreviews.com, filter using 50 minimum reviews, and search by any of the above variables. You won't go wrong.

 

[derfargin]

GLP - Gaslight - English
GLP - Triple Play - VaPer
C&D's - Billy Budd - Cigar Leaf Blend

 

[sparrowhawk]

It's posts like this that, four years into the hobby, make me feel like a newbie...

 

[deathmetal]

I often tell people that if they want to start their library that one of the must haves is Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" album, which I believe is a great launch-pad.

I don't listen to jazz, but when I did, this album was in there. Along with works from Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and Thelonious Monk (among others).

 

[ltstone]

I'm with 1adsarge on Molto Dolce for your aromatic or Autumn Evening if you like maple. Although I'm not sure if they cellar well.

As with Defargin +1 on the Billy Bud, I love it, so full bodied and smooth to boot!

 

[judcole]

Which blends of tobacco do you guys believe that would also be great launch-pads to have in my cellar?

What do you enjoy smoking now? What sorts of blends don't you like?

There are hundreds of blends out there, and all of us have differing tastes. We can't help you unless we know what you like and don't like.
mso gave you some great advice. A lot of guys were pulling your leg. Do some research on your own - you'll get a lot more benefit out of it. ::

 

[skraps]

Cross off everything below Royal Yacht. That's all you need :rofl:

 

[newbroom]

Latakia blends

Burley blends

Virginia and Virginia blends

tobacco to smoke when you want to.

It's all good! ::

 

[danhester]

I'd agree with all of the people suggesting the VA flakes. Orlik Golden Sliced is great and relatively cheap. At some point this year, I plan on buying a one pound box of each of the three Stokkebye Luxury flakes. Divide them into 4 ounce portions and start cracking them beginning maybe at 3 years.
Let's see... I enjoy H&H Anniversary Kake, and with 8 oz tins for $18 on P&C, it's easy to cellar.
I don't know if I will cellar much in the way of Latakia blends.

 

[jkrug]

Every cellar should have a few ounces of PS Luxury Bullseye Flake hidden in it's dark recesses.

Inexpensive bulk blend that is simply delicious. ::

 

[hextor]

have at least a collection of each tobaccos burley, Virginia , English and Orientals. my preference Is English like c and d mountain camp, it smokes much more smoother once its aged a couple of years.

 

[krizzose]

I would give it a couple of years like mso said. Take your time to find what blends you enjoy. Finding a style you really like probably won't take you too long. Finding which particular blends you wanna make large $ and time commitments to for your cellar will probably take a lot longer.

 

[newbroom]

I don't have 2 year in it yet, but I've smoked a lot of samples and a few tins.

There are a couple of 'obvious' blend answers.

Escudo and Nightcap come to mind, but, there are others of the same genres that substitute nicely.

Escudo may be the exception.

I'll vote for two of the blends I smoked within the last year that are 'tinned' so I typically don't buy them, but if I did or do, they'll be top considerations.

Our friend and mentor Russ Oulette has made several premium blends.

Firestorm and Magnum Opus are full of some of the best flavor you will find.