Older Tobacco is Better? Naaa.

[captpat]

I cellar in order to future proof my hobby (habit ). The changes a particular blend undergoes in the cellar are variable both in magnitude of the effect and the time required to achieve a change. As with most things in this hobby YMMV.

One needs to be careful about comparing a 5 yo tin with a fresh one, there are lots of variables in play (besides aging), for example the recipe has been changed, or the raw ingredients changed -- after all tobacco is a natural product, not every harvest is identical to the last. Similarly I've found some blends I liked and cellared, 5 years ago are just so-so today, is that because of aging, my tastes have changed or a combination, who knows?

 

[bassbug]

So shithead

Isn't that mature. Thanks.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Isn't that mature. Thanks.

You're welcome friend. If you can't take a little ribbing, don't rib me.

 

[TheWhale13]

If you tried 6 months old dry crusty tobacco then I wouldn't like to call it aged, and make a verdict thanks to that. But since you will receive some aged you'll really see. I'm excited to hear what you have to say about it.

 

[AJL67]

Again subjective, Cuban cigars tend to age very well, they aren't (without some exceptions which are debatable) aged tobacco when they are rolled, aging them can have pronounced changes in flavors and having smoked 1000s of mature and vintage sticks some of them are just incredible. All of that being said, tobacco, be it cigar or pipe, is blended in a certain way to be enjoyed fresh, aging it changes what the planned experience was to be. So while it might take some edges off, sweeten up Virginia and all of those things it's meant to be smoked fresh, so while it might be better to you that doesn't mean it's better to those producing it. Or something ... got a little long winded there but I'm sure there was something worthwhile in there. haha

 

[AJL67]

I told y'all. That Hoosierpipeguy is quite a guy! ?

Eh he's 1/2 ok, the half that's Floridian, half a year.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

6 months is not aged. Drier, if the tin has been opened, but not aged.
The general consensus, from what I have read, over a period of 15 years perusing internet tobacco & pipe groups, is that it takes at least 5 years for any noticeable changes to take place. That means 5 (or more) years sealed, in the tin or jar, not opened to "dip into".
Aged tobacco is different. Whether or not it is better is of course subjective, as is so much else in this hobby.
Smoke what you like, and like what you smoke, but don't dismiss things without experience,

I’ve personally found there’s quite a change, for the better, in two years with Virginias. Another big change 2 to 5 years. After that, the changes are more subtle. I’ve found Perique takes 5 years to go from pepper spice to fruity sweet. Latakia blends seem to suck less after 8 to 10 years.

 

[stogie37]

I concur with @hoosierpipeguy ‘s thoughts above - I find the 2-year mark to produce notable changes in both VA & English blends. Now, to @judcole ’s point, this 2-year observation may lean more to the “marrying” effect in a blend than actual aging. Either way, in 30 years of pipe smoking, I tend to earmark the 2, 5 and 10 year milestones as times to revisit blends in the cellar. My fairly extensive experience with aged blends has left me with a primarily positive impression, occasionally neutral and really only one negative: a recently opened 2002 tin of Esoterica Dorchester was very dark (almost black) and tasted flat / off. I think this has to do with the light topping I believe is added to that blend likely breaking down over 2 decades. I’ll take that “fail rate” any day!

 

[clynch]

I told y'all. That Hoosierpipeguy is quite a guy! ?

I wanted to reciprocate but Hoosierpipeguy told me to pass that kindness along to a noob in need. I will do so.