The Psychology Of Cellaring

[warren]

Cosmic, et al:

There are people who think cellaring is crazy.

There are people who think NOT cellaring is crazy.
Who is right, and who is wrong? Well, that comes down to the individual concerned. There is NO universally correct approach.

The gist of the post is contained in the quote. All that follows is simply verbiage with a lot of "justifying."
As Foghorn Leghorn might observe, "Lotta a justifyin' goin on out there. Lotta justifyin. Ya heah!"
My observation is, there are really three camps as opposed to only two. The third being a large group of members (a majority?) who give the "to cellar/not to cellar" debate no consideration at all.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"Has there ever been anyone who has done that Jay? I can't recall anyone ever boasting of doing that on here."
Michael, on more than one occasion I have seen a post where someone has flagged up X supplier having (say) thirty tins of Y blend left only for the next post (say) an hour later to say "they have none left now" often followed with a smiley emoticon. That you have never seen such a post astonishes me!
Regards,
Jay.

 

[mistersea]

I smoke pipes, I buy tobacco, I cellar tobacco. Why? Well when you start paying my bills then I'll answer you, just kidding. There is no deep underlying psychological reason for my actions, just simple enjoyment.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

We have at least 4 million pipe smokers in the US alone, thousands of actual registered forum users, and about a million watchers, just in the US, and we have an international worldwide following. If someone posts anything about a favorite blend, they generally sell out quickly, and not necessarily from just one person. This is why I would discourage anyone from posting what their favorite blend is. Have you ever heard Brian Levine tell what his favorite blend is on the radioshow? Nope, because he knows there would be a mad rush to buy it up. And, I would also discourage anyone from posting a link to a pipe that they want to buy, or may buy, or is saving up to buy. Out of the thousands of millions of eyes on each post, someone might buy it up immediately, just to watch everyone squirm. It has happened many, many times since I have been here. Even the other day, a $1500 Savinelli, ha ha, sold while we were in the midst of discussing how ridiculous it was.
If anything, it makes way more sense to bash your favorites, like that dead grandma, soapy tasting lakeland dripping FVF. :wink: ::

 

[didache]

I was reading this thread and sadly wondering at the psychology of someone who could stash away 100 kilos of tobacco ... and then I remembered the more than 30 bottles of single malt I have stored in my dining room ...

 

[ashdigger]

Interesting discussion. Yes, I am fortunate to have a nice cellar, but I also think if your a pouch or two on the shelves kind of human then that's good too. I know one thing I don't do. I don't examine mentally why someone has a deep or shallow cellar. But I also don't examine mentally why one person has 3 pipes and another has 300.
Jay, I still don't understand why people buying tobacco in large quantities bothers you. When there was an "arms" race between a few Forum members in respect to certain blends I just thought it was entertaining. I didn't thing they were greedy.

 

[toobfreak]

I cannot imagine a company ever limiting how much someone can buy online.

Really? I'm certain I've seen blends with a limit of two or five per purchase in the past! Maybe Balkan Sobranie at P&C?

That you have never seen such a post astonishes me!

I've seen those posts. But keep in mind that there are (hundreds?) of people here, many with very specific likes who purposely get on here for an early heads up. What is 30 tins if ten people each buy three? And only 6 people if they buy 5.
You don't know who is buying what or why, nor what the person with the emoticon meant. They might just be laughing because all the stuff is gone so quick. Maybe they didn't even buy any themselves!
I've seen people actually LOOKING for stuff and get it bought right out from under their nose. It is a big world.
There isn't enough stuff to go around, but people differ in how they deal with it. Me, I look elsewhere for stuff I can get if something is OOS, but some people really want certain specific things either chronically or due to the latest fad (such as Esoterica or Rattay's Exotic Orange) and when a few parcels come up for sale they will jump on it fast as the only way they can get it. That's why many companies offer email notification.

 

[bigpond]

I don't have a cellar but I do actively buy the entire allotment of Stonehaven and Penzance for several local suppliers (well, all in my State, actually). I don't smoke these. I turn and resell them at 500-600% markup online. This is the American way and I consider this my duty as a Patriot.

 

[framitz]

Being 78 life is limited the question is buy more just replace or only try new.

However I remember when dunhill disappeared for years when I had no reserve

Macbaren stopped producing certain blends like London burley. I want what I want the excess tobacco can be sold or gifted after my

I worked hard so I can do what I want and am able to do in my retirement. Shel

 

[crashthegrey]

Bigpond, not sure if troll...

 

[cosmicfolklore]

No Crash, lots of guys intentionally do what Bigpond is doing. They used to be more vocal about it on here. He may be joking, but there are lots of guys who make big bucks turning the Esoterica trick. Easy money.

 

[crashthegrey]

Cosmic, I know people do it. I'm surprised that they would be vocal about it. To each their own, I suppose.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I'm Irish. I only cellar because it pisses off the Brits, and that brings me great joy.

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

All you guys that cellar should really be more fair about it. :rofl:
C'mon. Cellar or no cellar, the availability of blends is what it is? I have email notifications set-up all over the internet for my favorite blends that have limited distribution. This is an option available to anyone with a computer, that is hooked up to the internet, and has an email. That should include every forum member here, with exception to those who don't have an email. I frequent the forum for a number of reasons and one of them is that I may see a 'head's up' about a blend's availability here and there. That's the way I finally got a couple bags of Stonehaven last year. I just happened to be on here one day when another forum member posted that it was in stock at an online retailer. I was lucky enough to grab a couple bags and I guarantee you that the member who posted that 'head's up' bought what he wanted before he posted it on here.
I cellar and cellar as deep as my funds allow. I do this because I am a straight Virginia smoker, and aged Virginia is one of my favorite things in the world. It's up there with prime rib, sex, football, and greasy Mexican food. The concept of fairness does not factor into my buying habits. How could it? Again, like Cosmic already stated, 'There are millions of pipe smokers". It's a dog eat dog world whether we like it or not, and not even pipe smokers can change this because there are millions of us all sharing the same shipment of 200 tins or whatever. I buy as I can based on personal funds and availability, and if this leaves someone else high and dry I'm sorry. The reason you're not getting yours is because you're not trying hard enough, not because of me or anyone else. The market is what it is and either you get on board or you don't, but please stop whining about it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yep, the world's inaccessibility to Mixture 79 has Peck to blame.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Mixture 79 has Peck to blame.

Love the stuff. Next to Mixture 69, it is my go to blend.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

And we all know that the cellaring paranoia is because of Russian meddling. Let's be clear on that.

 

[zitotczito]

I'm Irish. I only cellar because it pisses off the Brits, and that brings me great joy.

:clap:

 

[toobfreak]

And we all know that the cellaring paranoia is because of Russian meddling.

:rofl:

there are lots of guys who make big bucks turning the Esoterica trick

I'm a terrible consumer, Michael. And cheap. If I wanted the stuff that bad, before I laid out the big bucks for it I would simply find a source where I too could get it at the original price. I wouldn't flip it for profit, but I'd buy enough to meet my needs. Probably figure out what the flavor or process was and make my own clone.

 

[loneredtree]

I did not mean to cellar. It just happened. It is all this forum's fault. You see, when I joined up I had 8 pipes collected over 50 years and a couple of tins of tobacco in stock as I found EMP was not available so purchased 3 tins from Vancouver BC.

That's all! I don't smoke much but so many interesting blends are discussed here that I picked up one to try and then another new one etc. Now I have more than I will ever smoke. ( I will be 75 soon) Some in bins in our crawl space under the house and some in a cabinet in the office. And, 40+ pipes. Its nuts. I still look at pipes and read about the "new " blends but I stop and think NO! you do not need any more. I don't I don't I don't I don't I don't............ :puffpipe: :mrgreen: :puffpipe: