Too Many Open Jars/Tins In Rotation?

[Manawydan]

I have 36 jars on the go at any given time (started as 12... then 24... then 36...) I'm holding steady on not moving to 48.
My solution to this, as opposed to buying new jars, is when I tire of a blend and know I won't want to smoke it for a long while, is that I transfer it to mylar, seal it, and throw it in a box. Now I have just free'd up a jar to open a new tin.

I have started doing this myself. I recently transferred 13 blends out of jars and to mylar with intent to trade/sell at some point. I have discovered that trading tobacco is more gratifying to me than buying it. I now have a grocery bag full of mylar bags ready for trading opportunities.

I still currently have 53 jars of 'open' tobacco, of which 23 are what I consider my 'rotation'. I really enjoying the variety and rarely smoke the same thing the next day. But I am finding that having so many options is a bit overwhelming at times. I get into an 'analysis paralysis' mode where there are so many options that sound great I don't know what to choose. I guess that's a good problem to have. Here's my current stash... the bottom tub is completely packed full of my 'cellar' (unopened tins and sealed mylar bags); about 35 pounds total.

 

[Mike N]

My dad's brother whom I greatly loved and admired, was born in 1922. A WW II combat veteran, he was not to be seen without his Falcon pipe and can/leather zippered pouch of Half and Half. One year I bought him a large can of Prince Albert for Christmas. It sat on his shelf for years unsmoked until he passed away. He wasn't hoarding or waiting for it to go up in value. He was just from that generation that enjoyed and was entirely satisfied with his burley and bright with a little topping of Cardamon. I often wonder what he would think of my tobacco cellar...

 

[woodsroad]

Anyone else have this problem? You open a tin or jar, smoke a couple pipes with that blend, and then you want to change it up a bit with another blend. So you open a second tin and switch between the two for a while. Somehow a third blends enters the fold, and then a fourth. And then more..... yeah. I uh... have several blends going now. What can I say? I like variety. However, how do you stop yourself from unnecessarily opening too many only to have to waste more jars, in an effort to keep your tinned tobacco from drying out. I've long had this problem. I need discipline, my friends! Advise me, please.

I fail to see the problem.

 

[Servant King]

Anyone else have this problem?

Yep!

Advise me, please.

Nope!

 

[rectifythis]

When I went crazy in my sampling and evaluating phase, I opened every tin to try. Ergo, technically I have around 500 open jars, with about 50 in regular rotation. My wife says I have a problem.

 

[Peterson314]

I, too, have Jar Acquisition Disorder. It's incurable.

Here's a picture from when I thought I had a lot.

 

[sardonicus87]

Problem isn't too many open at once, it's not enough time to smoke them all.

I have a bunch of tins I haven't popped yet that I want to try. I still have two left from the K&K Caribbean Blue line I haven't got to, and I bought all 6 of them when they were first released.

It's not hard for me to stay disciplined though, I only have a few blends open out of over 140 in the cabinet. I tend to stick with a blend for a bit when I open one, smoking it every day for a month, only occasionally dipping into something else. I usually keep 1-2 open each of a VA blend, burley, aro and English.

Though it's been several months that I haven't even wanted anything other than burley based blends.

 

[Elric]

I, too, have Jar Acquisition Disorder. It's incurable.

Here's a picture from when I thought I had a lot.

View attachment 374402

I covet your labels!

 

[BayouGhost]

I keep a running spreadsheet. I have bought 99 blends, usually 1-2 tins only. There are 33 I have yet to pop and try. The ones I tried and did not particularly care for as much, I keep in a separate box that I have revisited later and sometimes changed my mind. The ones I have opened and want to save for later, I jar with metal tape around the lid or mylar rather than having 60+ open tins slowly drying out. Anything I thought was "Five Star", I have loaded up on 5-10 tins worth in case of any more discontinuations.

I only keep an "active" rotation of 9 blends in the tiny ball jars as I responded on a similar thread. I recently told myself that I need to smoke through all of those before replacing them with 9 more, but if there is something I really want to try, I will pop the tin and then seal it away. One day, long in the future, I will work my way through the current stash and probably settle on far fewer blends to stock up on, but I will probably be adding some more new names here and there as we go.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Problem isn't too many open at once, it's not enough time to smoke them all.

I have a bunch of tins I haven't popped yet that I want to try. I still have two left from the K&K Caribbean Blue line I haven't got to, and I bought all 6 of them when they were first released.

It's not hard for me to stay disciplined though, I only have a few blends open out of over 140 in the cabinet. I tend to stick with a blend for a bit when I open one, smoking it every day for a month, only occasionally dipping into something else. I usually keep 1-2 open each of a VA blend, burley, aro and English.

Though it's been several months that I haven't even wanted anything other than burley based blends.

I've only ever tried Bellamy and Drake and I just received a few more tins of each. I'd love to know what you think of the rest of the Caribbean Blue line.

 

[GreatWhiteNorthPiper]

I have probably 40 jars that I try to rotate, but I just can't stop buying more new tobacco. It's a real problem (ha ha ha!). Given that I live in Canada, I'm trying to just stock up on as much leaf as I can while I still can!

 

[mingc]

I've about 100 1/2 pint jars in rotation, some about 20 years old. Not sure of the exact number. Life is good.

 

[sardonicus87]

I've only ever tried Bellamy and Drake and I just received a few more tins of each. I'd love to know what you think of the rest of the Caribbean Blue line.

I don't remember what I think or which 2 I have left. I know the last one I had is the one that has latakia in it and that was my least favorite of the 4 I did try. Though I didn't dislike it by any means, just my least favorite.

I wasn't wow'ed by any of them though, they're all kust kind of OK to me.

 

[coming to_falling too]

Do what brings you the most enjoyment.

My situation is different to yours in that it is very unlikely I can restock a blend once I have opened it. For my stash of single tins/jarred 2oz, I smoke through it and then bid it farewell. While I tend to have a couple of things open at any given time, I’ve found that I get to know a blend better when smoking it pretty much exclusively.

This is pretty much where I'm at. I try my best to open something and smoke through it.

My problem is all the previously opened jars I have. I'm trying my best to smoke through them and hopefully get those taken care of. Too messy for me otherwise.

 

[Peterson314]

I covet your labels!

Thanks! I love opening my pipe drawer and seeing all of my labels. I wrote a post about how I make them.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I don't remember what I think or which 2 I have left. I know the last one I had is the one that has latakia in it and that was my least favorite of the 4 I did try. Though I didn't dislike it by any means, just my least favorite.

I wasn't wow'ed by any of them though, they're all kust kind of OK to me.

Oh wow! Which one has latakia? I enjoy it.

 

[Ctbill]

I keep about 2 dozen open, in jars and available. Half of those have multiple back up tins for replacement. 1/3 aromatic, 1/3 English-ish, 1/3 VA and Burly blends, give or take…. Not a heavy smoker tho, never more than a bowl a day, and frequently less.
Works for me!. Enjoy whatever you’re doing!

 

[damacene]

After about two weeks, if I haven't been smoking a blend that much; I jar it and it goes in the closet. I've found my favorites and most new stuff I try is just kinda "meh."

I have about a 5-6 blend roster that pretty much follows the old Dunhill lineup and move different blends into those slots: Light English(EMP), Medium English(Standard), Sweeter English(965), VA/Per(Elizabethan), Heavy English(Nightcap), and a virgina or burley flake...you get the idea

Right now I have Presbyterian, Standard, Sutliff Match 965, Dorchester, Gaslight, and Mac Baren Navy Flake in those slots. When one tin is gone, I'll replace it with another in that profile.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

I don't have means nor do I have time to enjoy more than 3 tins / pouches open at any moment

 

[LongIslandPiper]

I am a mood piper so yeah that requires at least 10-12 🫙 jarred baccy available when starting. Now I am up to 36 open jars and many blends in mylar waiting for an available jar. I only change out the jar lid and I’m good to go. J.A.D. Is definitely a thing. A good buddy of mine keeps the jar cardboard and cellars the blends in the jars and stacked cases onto one another. Very organized