Starting a Cellar

[smokingcricket]

In my few months of smoking I have already gotten at least 20 different blends.I have decided to focus on my five favorites to really bulk up on.I am only buying these until I get 3 lb.s of one before I try anything else.Thisbway I stay focused.I would appreciate any ideas from pipe smokers with large cellars that may help me avoid mistakes and help me cellar correctly.

 

[morgansteele]

My advice is: slow down. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of a new hobby. But, if you can sit back and evaluate as you go rather than acting on impulse then I think you'll be more satisfied in the long run. There are a lot of great tobaccos out there. Buy more 1 oz. samples and less 1 lb. bulks for cellaring. Take your time and explore. (Unless you want McClelland or Dunhill, then go crazy. :D )

 

[saltedplug]

Given that you are very young in the habit, you might want to wait 6-12 mos, to find more surely those blends/tobacco mixtures that you like. But if you're going to do it now, then don't cellar anything that is not best in your class.
There are all manner of lunkheads that debate whether this or that packaging is suitable for aging. My answer to them, and to you, is jars, jars, jars, always jars, or the tins the tobacco came in.

 

[tarak]

So, I am actually getting out of the hobby- selling most of my cellar. So, I'm probably not posting much more.
BUT I will tell you this- when I was a brand new pipe smoker I thought I had favorites and went wild buying them- I bought a ton of HH ODF, and a light of Dunhill Flake and OGS. And you know what? As I kept smoking my tastes changed and as I found what I really loved I discovered....I bought the wrong stuff! I sold all that ODF. Ended up love love loving McClellands but it took me a couple years to know that.

 

[artificialme]

Yeah, taste buds do change from time to time as well as your palate. So keep trying new blends and make decision in a years or two :D

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

IMHO, three is no problem in cellaring now with this caveat. Make sure the tobacco is main stream popular. If you're cellaring SG FVF or SJF for example, and decide you don't care for it in two years, you should have no problem recovering your investment via selling or trading. If you're buying cherry pistachio latakia plug, your available market to sell to or trade with is pretty small. I would agree not to go hog wild. I also agree your tastes are likely to evolve.
Tobacco is highly unlikely to get cheaper. One major manufacturer has already closed, another has announced they are. Internet laws, FDA regulations and legislating doesn't look favorable. I'd rather have a few thousand dollars worth of aged inventory in hand that I may not be in love with any longer than find my choices very limited two years from now.

 

[smokingcricket]

The dark fired Kentucky reminds me of a mix between a fallen angel by a.j.f and an Alec Bradley coyol and I've liked them for awhile now so darkfired Kentucky will definitely go in.I will just break it up between gawith Kendal Kentucky and old dark fired.Also other than c@d dreams of kadath I buy everything in bulk and Mason jar it.Thank you guys for your input.

 

[morgansteele]

Tell us what your 5 favorites are.

 

[npod]

I have decided to focus on my five favorites

That is wise!

I buy everything in bulk and Mason jar it.

Make sure to use smaller mason jars and spread the bulk in smaller batches for long term cellar. Avoid jarring one pound in a big jar.

 

[saltedplug]

When I would jar multiple pounds of a blend I used 8 oz jars with somewhere about 8 ozs. per jar as that way I could only open one jar at a time, leaving the others humming away in the bliss of anaerobic fermentation. The examples that we have of splendid aging results are tins, brought to that point by anaerobic aging. To my mind opening and shutting a jar that you say you are aging is hardly that. You open a jar when ready to smoke it.

 

[sablebrush52]

One major manufacturer has already closed, another has announced they are.

Who announced they were closing? Or are you referring to Dunhill?
Good advice on cellaring. Find out what you like, then stock up on it. If you're a bit impatient, stock up on market favorites so that you can trade them or sell them if your tastes change. Also you may find that your tastes change and then change back, or change in yet a different direction. Part of the fun is that it's a process of exploration.
For long term storage, jars are good. Tins can be okay depending on the type of tin. Some types are not great for long term storage.
Keep reading, trying out different blends, and asking questions.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

McClelland has closed, Dunhill has announced.

 

[smokingcricket]

5 favorites so far in no particular order finely shaved pieces of gawith dark plug,1792,dreams of kadath,crooner,Kendal Kentucky,brown boogie,mm965.Really does anyone only have five favs?And crooner can be replaced by University flake.Truthfully I love it all.I have only bought one high price pound which was the 965 and plan on another plus some nightcap if I like the tin on the way.This isnt the best time for a new smoker starting a cellar,but I'm sure it is better now than it will be in a year.

 

[mikethompson]

Lots of good advice here already, but I will throw in my 2 cents. Another thing to factor in is how much money you want wrapped up in your cellar. Buy what you like, and what you can afford.
As Jesse mentioned above, your tastes will change over time too.

 

[smokingcricket]

About $100-200 for the first couple months.That way I can stock up on the few I know I like be plus try a few I know aren't gonna be around later.After I get like 2 main blends that I like at a couple lb.s I'll drop to like $60 a month.

 

[smokingcricket]

Because I smoke a couple bowls a day I went ahead and bought 2 lb.s each of boneYard and double down from smoking pipes.They are pretty good as is but I think by adding some dark fired to them they can get better,but I got enough to tinker with

 

[mikethompson]

Also remember its not a competition, there will always be someone with a deeper cellar. I have maybe 10 or 12 tins stacked away, some have hundreds.

 

[smokingcricket]

Also I was curious on how many pounds do you guys feel is really needed to honestly feel comfortable with if the government said ok that's it.No more production or importing tobacco.A reasonable amount the average smoker could save up and stretch out for the rest of his smoking career.

 

[smokingcricket]

Oh yeah for sure.Im only worried about mine.Its the only one I'm smoking out of
.

 

[smokingcricket]

I Do you plan to just keep it at 10-12 tins or do you think with the gov. cracking down on the leaf you'll cellar more.And what blends are in the ten tins.