The Wisdom of Cellaring

[Elric]

So I went to put a couple of mylar bags into the cellar (LTF for those interested) and decided to pull out an aged tin.

I see I neglected to write a date on this one. Hmmm. I looked into my spreadsheet but don't see an entry for this tin that aligns with the price.

All those voices saying it will never be cheaper than now...are right.

 

[jvnshr]

Nice one. I have never heard of these.

 

[dd57chevy]

Can you tell the date from the bar code ?
I don't know , just curious.....

 

[AcesAndEights]

Prices have jumped even in the 3.5 years that I’ve been buying. I even “splurged” on some lots sold here by various forum members, and even those purchases are looking like steals now.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I have some that I have cellared that I have no idea what the date is, but it doesn't worry me one bit. It's not a scientific endeavor, if I have it, and I want to smoke it, I smoke it. The beauty of cellaring is that you "have it."
No reason to give yourself stress and a headache worrying about when it was bought or added to the cellar.

 

[sablebrush52]

I'm glad that I listened to others on the topic of stocking up. My one regret is that I didn't do it sooner, especially when I see what those who started stocking up in the '90's have.
It never gets cheaper, and the selection isn't likely to expand.
If you have reason to believe that you will be enjoying a pipe for some years to come, start stocking up if you aren't already.

 

[sablebrush52]

The beauty of cellaring is that you "have it."

100%. When I want a favorite, it's there to be enjoyed.

 

[Snook]

$8 for a tin? Crazy. I'll join others in saying that I, too, wish I would have started cellaring earlier. At least for now, prices aren't so bad as to prevent me from doing so.

 

[sablebrush52]

$8 for a tin? Crazy. I'll join others in saying that I, too, wish I would have started cellaring earlier. At least for now, prices aren't so bad as to prevent me from doing so.

I used to buy Balkan Sobranie, the real stuff made by Sobranie Ltd, for $1.40 a tin, the stuff that people will drop $$$$$ to buy on the aftermarket. Never thought about the possibility that someday it could not be on the shelf.
It took a lot of things disappearing off of shelves before I got wise and began stocking up on blends I enjoyed smoking.
Considering inflation, $8 a tin is dirt cheap.

 

[Chasing Embers]

$8 for a tin? Crazy. I'll join others in saying that I, too, wish I would have started cellaring earlier. At least for now, prices aren't so bad as to prevent me from doing so.

That's how much the majority of the tins in my cellar cost. I've never paid more than $38 for pound boxes of McClelland and Gawith and I bought the last of those just seven years ago.

 

[tschiraldi]

So I went to put a couple of mylar bags into the cellar (LTF for those interested) and decided to pull out an aged tin.
View attachment 361601
I see I neglected to write a date on this one. Hmmm. I looked into my spreadsheet but don't see an entry for this tin that aligns with the price.
View attachment 361602
All those voices saying it will never be cheaper than now...are right.

That’s a great blend!

 

[tschiraldi]

I started cellaring years ago, but I made the mistake of cellaring wide, not deep. Now I am solely focused on stockpiling my 3 or 4 favorites. Even pipes are on hold now. It’s all about the leaf!

 

[LeafErikson]

I'm glad that I listened to others on the topic of stocking up. My one regret is that I didn't do it sooner, especially when I see what those who started stocking up in the '90's have.
It never gets cheaper, and the selection isn't likely to expand.
If you have reason to believe that you will be enjoying a pipe for some years to come, start stocking up if you aren't already.

Shakespeare has now told me to buy more tobacco. I’m going to listen.

 

[Chasing Embers]

McClelland

I meant Mac Baren. My autocorrect needs therapy. Though a pound of McClelland was about the same price.

 

[wyfbane]

I started cellaring years ago, but I made the mistake of cellaring wide, not deep. Now I am solely focused on stockpiling my 3 or 4 favorites. Even pipes are on hold now. It’s all about the leaf!

I went wide versus deep as well, but I am now poor, lol. I still have a lot to smoke though. I bought so my kid could choose to start with pipes and explore everything, like I did. I have enough for both of our lifetimes and likely his future kid as well if we keep to moderate consumption.

 

[wyfbane]

I meant Mac Baren. My autocorrect needs therapy. Though a pound of McClelland was about the same price.

WIsh I'd have gotten more of my favorites when it was at the $38/ range. meh.

 

[Chasing Embers]

WIsh I'd have gotten more of my favorites when it was at the $38/ range. meh.

What's really sad is that was only 8 years ago. Mac Baren doubled their prices overnight in November 2017.

 

[LeafErikson]

What's really sad is that was only 8 years ago. Mac Baren doubled their prices overnight in November 2017.

I wait for 20% off C&D bulk and pay $35/lb. I usually smoke right around 4 lbs a year so I get a year’s worth of tobacco every time there’s a bulk sale and I pay $140.

I have no doubt that in 5-10 years time, people will be wishing they had those prices back.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I have no doubt that in 5-10 years time, people will be wishing they had those prices back.

Absolutely. I remember getting the one pound C&D bricks for $28. Glad I'm where I'm at, tins are at a place that I can no longer justify the cost and bulk is nearly there. On some brands it's already past what I'll pay.

 

[litup]

I started cellaring accidentally. I'd buy more than one tin of pretty much everything I was trying in the beginning and ultimately ended up buying faster than I could smoke. The consequence was a wide and shallow cellar. But I've corrected that over the past decade by focusing more on about a dozen of my favorites.

The only regret I have is that I have a lot of tins of blends that no longer match my palate. That, and I've had particularly bad luck with mold in several of the 8 ounce tins I have purchased so now I focus on 50 and 100 gram tins. If they go bad for whatever reason, I decrease my economic loss and disappointment.