Question on Changes during Cellaring.

[mtwaller]

I’ve had the same experience recently with English blends losing their oomph after a few years. I really like the strong smoke/creosote taste of Latakia and how it interplays with the orientals in a good English. The Latakia definitely smooths out after a few years in the closet. I just cracked a 2.5 year old tin of Ten Russians, and after sitting in a jar for a bit, it’s almost lackluster and not particularly exciting to me.

However, if you smoke some English with 10+ years of age, it takes on a delicate perfume-like quality that you can’t replicate with young tobacco, and it’s just divine. The in between years might be a bit “meh” it seems.

I cellar just to have a supply for quite a few years, but the byproduct is lots of aging going on, and maybe not always for the best if you like the way a blend tastes when fresh.

On the flip side, I have a jar of nearly 3 year old Luxury Navy Flake open that is much better for the time spent aging. I don’t think you’ll likely find a straight VA or VA based blend that doesn’t taste better with some years on it.

 

[craig61a]

In my opinion, just about all blends benefit from having some time to rest. Allowing the blend to have time for the component tobacco's flavors to marry.

As for "aging", in the context of 10 - 15 years, or even decades, the character of the tobacco will change. Whether it's for better or worse is subjective.

In general, I would say that the tobacco loses the edginess, becomes more mellow and refined, and in some cases the sweetness of Virginias tends to become more pronounced. Is that because over time the other components influence the blend less? Or does the sweetness of the Virginias tend to blossom over time?

I have cigars that have aged for 25-30 years. Over that time what was once sharp Ligero has developed into a mellow floral profile. Other cigars have just become sort of bland.

I could drone on for hours about the merits/detractors of cellaring pipe tobacco...

But as I sit here, it occurs to me that there's a jar of 2004 C&D Bayou Night in the cabinet just to the right of me, that has developed into something I enjoy with 18 years of age on it.

My cellaring is a hedge against increased prices, lowered availability or obsolescence, for the most part.

So now I think I'll fill a bowl of 18 year old Bayou Night and just enjoy it for what it's worth...

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

Luxury Navy Flake with a few years on it is fantastic. As is Luxury Twist

The two blends that I noticed the biggest changes are both VaPers;
PS Luxury Navy Flake. With 3-4 years of age the jar note is simply delicious though I prefer smoking it when fresh.

Aj's Vaper, I did not like it fresh.
Jarred and shoved to the back of the cupboard [intending to use it as a mixer] after 3-4 years I tried a bowl and it was superb. Wish that I had bought more while I had the chance.

Ageing changes certain blends but whether for the better is subjective to ones tastes.

 

[sandollars]

But, this was before the madness of people actually hunting down aged tins.

^^ This ^^

If everyone wants it, there's clearly something to it. We are, after all, a pretty intelligent sub-group of the general smoking community and definitely the most analytical (if you doubt this, just peruse these here forums).

Having only been in the pipe game for 4 years and a non-smoker the 20 years prior, I have yet to open any tobaccos that I have expressly put away to age but I have purchased many aged tins for immediate consumption and very much like the improvement 10+ years makes on certain tobaccos, especially Virginias.

If I smoke a bowl of fresh Red Virginia, my mouth is destroyed for 3 days minimum. When I smoke a 10+ year old of McCranie's Red Ribbon, I am in heaven. I have several pounds of things like SG FVF, SG St. James Flake, Rougaroux, etc. etc. and am hopeful the end result will be as @sablebrush52 states above.

I very much look forward to the day when my cellar comes to maturity. Until then, I have my favorites, mostly Burley blends that I really enjoy fresh after I dry them out. I like a dry pipe.

 

[chopper]

Luxury Navy Flake with a few years on it is fantastic. As is Luxury Twist

Aged LNF smells delicious, and don't get me wrong it's still a nice smoke, so I know it's a bit odd how I prefer it fresh.
I've got 4oz of Luxury Twist hidden somewhere that's 4-5yo. I'll have to try and find it. [It was good fresh]

I've not tried Red Ribbon [sounds really good . . . sigh] but if you like Red Virginia, aged Aj's Vaper should be up your alley.
Have you tried?

Could not believe the difference from fresh after 3-4 years of age.
Fortunately I bought a pound. Unfortunately I didn't buy several pounds. It's my favourite non-aromatic.

 

[cigrmaster]

For my tastes, the older the better. My 1998 Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky is sublime. My 2007 Stonehaven is smoking great. I rarely smoke anything that is at least not ten years old. I just happen to love the flavors of aged tobacco. The blends meld and become fuller with more raisin and fig flavors from the mostly Virginia's in the blends. Vapers get creamier and Vaburs smooth out the edges of the Burley and Kentucky. I have not found a blend that I liked better fresh than one that has a good ten years.

 

[autococker07]

For my tastes, the older the better. My 1998 Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky is sublime. My 2007 Stonehaven is smoking great. I rarely smoke anything that is at least not ten years old. I just happen to love the flavors of aged tobacco. The blends meld and become fuller with more raisin and fig flavors from the mostly Virginia's in the blends. Vapers get creamier and Vaburs smooth out the edges of the Burley and Kentucky. I have not found a blend that I liked better fresh than one that has a good ten years.

Do you notice older tobacco losing its flavor faster than fresh?

How do you store a portion when you open it? I have been transferring immediately from tin to small mason jars, and the tobacco seems to stay fresh a long time (have some bullseye coins that have been in the jar for 3-4 years, and still good but have always done that from a brand new tin (or bag)....