Rookie Question About Aging

[Cotton1]

Simple query: If a blend is left alone in it's sealed tin does it age?
Not sure if I should be jarring some or if I leave it tinned should I expect a year or so once I jar it before the majic?

TIA,
Cotton1

 

[verporchting]

It should age fine depending on the type of blend. Virginias age beautifully, while aromatics generally don’t change much. Latakia blends might mellow a bit and lose some smokiness but some people enjoy that mellowing and find the aging improves the flavor while others dislike the changes. Generally speaking I think tins age okay so long as the seals don’t deteriorate.

Not sure if one year will get you magic or not - 10 years will for sure on good Virginia blends.

 

[shaneireland]

Yes. Tobacco will age however you store it, as long as it's not in a container that isn't air-tight (like a plastic baggie).

The tobacco will age differently depending on how much oxygen is in the container to start, and whether or not you dip into the container on occasion. Some folks prefer to move stuff from tins to jars simply because the jars are technically more reliable. Most tins, particularly the round, EU-style "coin" tins and the pop-top Amercian style tins are very reliable long-term. Some of the square ones can have their seals fail, but that's pretty rare.

For most tobaccos, you'll notice a change after a year or two, with drastic changes after 5-10 years. I've also noticed that tobaccos I've moved to mason jars tend to "darken" and taste more mature, more quickly than if the same blend is left in a tin where some of the oxygen has been removed before sealing. I also don't boil my mason jars, just tighten the lid and let it be.

My personal opinion: as long as the tobacco is sealed somehow (not drying out), it'll age just fine.

 

[Cotton1]

I'm having a new love for a Va blend that I have a few tins coming in of and have some sealed tins from early to mid 2010's.. reason for my question.

I may transfer some to jars and leave some be then.

 

[shaneireland]

I'm having a new love for a Va blend that I have a few tins coming in of and have some sealed tins from early to mid 2010's.. reason for my question.

I may transfer some to jars and leave some be then.

I move what I intend to smoke sooner, to a jar. It'll keep aging/changing once it's in the jar, even if you dip into it every now and again. 2010 tins will definitely be ready to smoke!

 

[sablebrush52]

I'm having a new love for a Va blend that I have a few tins coming in of and have some sealed tins from early to mid 2010's.. reason for my question.

I may transfer some to jars and leave some be then.

Tins are pretty reliable, especially the round tins, for the first 10 to 20 years. Some of the square and rectangular tins may fail. As they get older the percentage that lose their seal increases. Greg Pease used to recommend keeping the tobacco in it's original tin. A couple of years afo he changed his mind due to the number of "disappointments" that developed in his cellar. He now recommends jarring as soon as possible if you're planning to age for a long time.

 

[Cotton1]

I move what I intend to smoke sooner, to a jar. It'll keep aging/changing once it's in the jar, even if you dip into it every now and again. 2010 tins will definitely be ready to smoke!

Tins are pretty reliable, especially the round tins, for the first 10 to 20 years. Some of the square and rectangular tins may fail. As they get older the percentage that lose their seal increases. Greg Pease used to recommend keeping the tobacco in it's original tin. A couple of years afo he changed his mind due to the number of "disappointments" that developed in his cellar. He now recommends jarring as soon as possible if you're planning to age for a long time.

Excellent info guys, thank you!

 

[PipeDad33]

I can't wait to get my cellar going. That way I don't have to worry about having anything to smoke and also to taste aged tobacco. I just hope I have the patience to do it. ?

 

[Cotton1]

I can't wait to get my cellar going. That way I don't have to worry about having anything to smoke and also to taste aged tobacco. I just hope I have the patience to do it. ?

I'm starting to think said patience is part of the art of piping. I question myself in this regard as well.

 

[PipeDad33]

I'm starting to think said patience is part of the art of piping. I question myself in this regard as well.

Yep, patience is not my strong point either. I'll get bored of a blend and probably dip into stuff I swore I wouldn't for 5 years. Hopefully 1 year will suffice.?

That's a long time for me.

 

[anotherbob]

patience is a huge part of the pipe experience. Wait for the tin to arrive wait for it to dry out wait till you realize you smoked it all.

 

[stokesdale]

Simple query: If a blend is left alone in it's sealed tin does it age?
Not sure if I should be jarring some or if I leave it tinned should I expect a year or so once I jar it before the majic?

TIA,
Cotton1

Once you become sophisticated and experienced like the rest of us, you can post the question "if someone opens a tin in the forest, does it make a sound", then you will see about 2 dozen armchair philosophers go at it for about 80 posts, finally resulting in a raging debate about using water to flush your pipe.

 

[Cotton1]

Once you become sophisticated and experienced like the rest of us, you can post the question "if someone opens a tin in the forest, does it make a sound", then you will see about 2 dozen armchair philosophers go at it for about 80 posts, finally resulting in a raging debate about using water to flush your pipe.

Well, I found out just recently that I have to be listed as "Starting Out" for some 35 more years. ?

I am more likely to expire before I get my chance to make such a glorious post. If I do live to be old enough and experienced enough to achieve sophisticated status I may kick it all off with your suggested thread!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I'm starting to think said patience is part of the art of piping. I question myself in this regard as well.

At first, it takes a lot of patience. I remember wringing my hands, and reluctantly waiting while stacking tins in boxes to squirrel away. The second year, you'll probably pop a few, with no real results, then after four years, you lose track of what you have and don't have. Now, I am smoking 10 year old tins left and right, sometimes popping a 10 year old at the same time I pop a 5 year old, just to compare. Pretty soon you'll enjoy the same luxury.
But, be ready, aging is not going to be the Shangri-La I thought it would be. Aging doesn't magically turn a humdrum into a sparkler. And, some blends that you'd expect to improve, just don't.

My biggest problem now is trying to decide if I like these crystals or not. Some say it is mold, some say sugar, but all I know is that if I smoke too many blends with crystals all over it, they tend to aggravate my cough, and these crystals definitely DO NOT smoke sweeter.
Sometimes, I just prefer a fresh blend over the old stuff. YMMV

I have found the same with wines. The alcohol content is reduced with age, and with some, the drinkability is not improved at all. I popped a 15 year old bottle the other day that the essence of the grape had turned to a slight anise-like taste, blech. With tobacco and wine, it's a roll of the dice.

 

[Annaresti Red]

Once you become sophisticated and experienced like the rest of us, you can post the question "if someone opens a tin in the forest, does it make a sound", then you will see about 2 dozen armchair philosophers go at it for about 80 posts, finally resulting in a raging debate about using water to flush your pipe.

This post sobered me up from the rabbit hole i was falling into with the aging questions. I was in Amazon looking at vacuum sealers and stuff.

Thank you.

 

[mso489]

Aging is hell! Oh, tobacco. Carry on.

 

[stokesdale]

This post sobered me up from the rabbit hole i was falling into with the aging questions. I was in Amazon looking at vacuum sealers and stuff.

Thank you.

I've never "aged" anything in the nearly 40 years I've been smoking a pipe. The longest anything lasts on my shelf is Carolina Red Flake for roughly a year and that's only because I have to buy a year's worth because of it's limited availability every fall.

 

[tom12]

Had a read though this the other day and decided to check my tins, sure enough a fairly recent tin of Bothy flake had popped. Quickly did a check through my other tins but found that ones going back six years were still fine, although I have learnt my lesson and as I had a few extra jars knocking about decided to decant into them.

I don't really have a problem with aging stuff but that's because I buy more than I smoke, only between 1 - 7 bowls a week, although I always dedicate a bit of my monthly budget to tobacco. I did go a bit mad a few years back and was buying £200 a month from the USA, calmed that down a bit but glad that I did it.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

This post sobered me up from the rabbit hole i was falling into with the aging questions. I was in Amazon looking at vacuum sealers and stuff.

Thank you.

We've all been there. I had to explain to the little ol' lady why I spent $500 on mason jars and mylar bags... "Are you starting some kind of business I didn't know about?" Yeah babe, I'm prepping to open a B&M pipe store when the Great Tobaccrobation comes.

- - -

Like @shaneireland already said, aging is at it's core an oxidation process in a closed environment.

Theoretically speaking, this would mean that mason jars ages "better" than just leaving it in the tin.

In practice, I move a lot of my SG, GH&Co stuff in those square tins into mason jars/mylar bags because I've had a few tins "leak" and spoil by the time I get around to them.

 

[bent1]

With tobacco and wine, it's a roll of the dice.

So true. I’ve had some latakia blends I really enjoyed fresh, but aged changed to something else.

I will have aged blends due to market pressures (deeming regs, limited runs, etc) & future shortages. Hope all turns out ok.