What Is The Most Dramatically Changed, Best Tasting Aged Blend You've Had...Ever

[uperepik]

I recently had some 2005 Christmas cheer (thanks to doctorthoss). Did not realize it would have a vinegar taste, but was enjoyable and just plain interesting. So I'm now wondering what out there is just amazingly changed when aged and for how long? Would like to hear the flavor change description as well.
Not that I could ever have the patience to actually cellar anything, I'm still curious.

 

[ashdigger]

I recently had some Rattray's Black Mallory that was aged for over 50 years and it left me speechless. So today I had some fresh, I hope I live to 104 to enjoy it with 50 years. Not even close how different they taste.

 

[pagan]

A fellow member gifted me some aged Bengal Slices a while back, absolutely grand smoke it was :puffpipe:

 

[mso489]

Frog Morton Cellar is good fresh, I've heard, but as it happens, I let a gift tin age for about two years, and I believe it had been in a cellar (appropriately) for a while. When I finally opened it, it was somewhat spectacular. Unlike some Lat blends, the Lat hadn't faded. It retained its moisture nicely. It burns evenly down to the bottom of the bowl mostly, and the flavor is complex and brilliant.
The other one was a pouch of Iwan Ries Three Star Blue, a sort of English blend aro, and when I smoked it fresh, it was a little edgy and harsh. I passed over it for maybe a year, but when I got back, it had really come alive, much smoother and interesting.
There have been others, but those stand out for me.

 

[jpmcwjr]

A fellow member gifted me some aged Bengal Slices a while back, absolutely grand smoke it was :puffpipe:

How aged? Who Made? I just opened a one year jarred batch and it was supreme. (Std. Tobacco of PA)

 

[aldecaker]

I just finished a pouch of Prince Albert that had at least seven weeks of age on it, and it was DIVINE!

 

[ashdigger]

Aldecaker, no one likes a show off.

 

[aldecaker]

How's it look from the cheap seats, suckers? :nana:

 

[cortezattic]

Peter Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake: when fresh, it's just another economy Danish flake -- good, but no great shakes.

With a couple of years in a jar it becomes a top contender. Buy it in quantity and it's only $1.98/oz. ::

 

[weezell]

Smoking some PS Bullseye with 6 years on it right now and it's very good...

 

[ophiuchus]

Mac Baren Club Blend transmogrifies to rich, spicy, sweet yumminess with about ten years of aging. :mrgreen:

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Gawith Best Brown from ~2003-4.

I won the tin for a pittance in a silent auction and compared to fresh Best Brown it looked alien.

The flavor was salty sweet, and it smoked as mild and mellow as any tobacco I've tried.

I nearly shed a tear when I smoked the last of it.

 

[hawky454]

I've had Balkan Sobranie from the late 70's (in perfect condition), Bengal Slices from the early 80's, Escudo from 1999 and Krumble Kake from 2007 and while they were still good, they weren't any better than a fresh tin and a couple of them were definitely inferior. I think there is definitely a mental aspect at play here.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Last year forum member Andrew (aka Drennan) kindly sold me two tins of Sam Gawith's 'Aged Limited Edition Full Virginia Flake'. This flake was tinned in 2014 after being aged at the factory for two years in uncut slabs.
I am a huge fan of FVF and have at least one bowl a day so I'm pretty familiar with the blend. The aged limited edition tobacco was much darker in colour in the tin than it is fresh and the smoke itself was quite sublime. The flavours seemed much more complex and it was just so creamy. And that was after only six years total ageing time so goodness knows how it would be with say ten or fifteen years on it.
If I'm patient enough and still alive I will find out ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[kanse]

10 year old FVF. It had thinned out and turned nearly black.
The taste and burning characteristics were all superior to the fresh kind.

 

[fitzy]

I can say Luxury Bullseye Flake is a huge improvement after 3 or 4 years of age on it. I'm not a big fan of it fresh.
It really darkens up and I find it sweeter.
I have to say though that I've had Escudo fresh as well as 20+ years of age on it and I'm not crazy about either one. I find it rather bland.

 

[papipeguy]

In 2012 I found this tin that I had left in my parents basement when I moved out in 1977. 35 years worked wonders.

 

[clickklick]

At least a decade of age,

Samuel Gawith FVF

Orlik Golden Sliced

Rattray's Marlin Flake

McClelland Christmas Cheer

McCranie's Red Ribbon or Red Flake
And I have to say the most dramatic change I've tried was when I was able to do a direct comparison of Rattray's Black Mallory. From a fresh tin to the middle range blending house change (K&K?) to the original from 1950s. That 1950s Black Mallory is absolutely sublime! So I'm with ashdigger.

 

[newbroom]

I've got tins of Marlin Flake, JKP, and Escudo aging.

I've already smoked my one tin (ya, these are just single tins) of OGS that I'd aged for comparison, and it was only for about 2 years...

I did buy a pound and a half of LNF that I left in the box as I smoked it off and it seemed to improve, but, more likely, I grew accustomed.

The OGS seemed to be less 'bitey' in the sense of a VA sharpness.

I did smoke a 3 yr old tin of Escudo too, but, I thought I had enjoyed it more the first time, fresh.

My favorite, though, thus far, is the Marlin Flake. I'm leaving it there, but it calls me regularly.

As long as I have these on the shelf, I don't feel as compelled to scratch my TAD.

I'm guessing the JKP will age the best of the bunch.

 

[hawky454]

In 2012 I found this tin that I had left in my parents basement when I moved out in 1977. 35 years worked wonders.

I really love that blend! How did the top dressing fare after all those years?