When To Stop Adding To Cellar

[--dante--]

I don't buy tobacco anymore. It can become addictive to want to add new blends, and at a certain point (most people must feel this if they really think hard about why they keep buying more in mass quantities), you're just wasting spending money on a shopping addiction. For some people, if they weren't smoking pipes, it would be some other consumer product. It is just uncomfortable to confront this and get to the reasons why.

Some of the scare about pipe tobacco disappearing because of what the United States is doing is responsible for some of this uptick in buying habits we've seen over the past few years. There should be no doubt about that. But only to a logical point.
Even if the United States banned the sale of tobacco tomorrow, you would still have access to many great blends in quantities and prices where you would have more than enough to smoke in a lifetime. And I don't believe the sky is falling. Even if I'm wrong, I know there are still plenty of places to get tobacco that is very good.

A lot of members here only have exposure to the U.S. market; they don't tend to realize that there is a huge amount of pipe tobacco available in other countries that is largely not even talked about here, aside from a few limited trends that we see with some brands.

To anyone who is not a U.S. member, they know that getting tobacco across international borders is not such a big deal. It's been the norm for well over a decade now.

I think Cosmic nailed it. The whole "cellar" thing is great marketing. I think some people just ran with it, on gut instinct. It sort of made sense on the surface, but really, it's impossible to say what is going to be better, what will be riddled with mold, or what will just flat out taste awful because it is well past the prime. There are few data points available for an objective response. Some swear up and down that it is 10x better at 5 years, 15x better at 10 years, and -1,000 points at 20 years because it's basically sawdust. And still others can't even tell a difference.

I don't know about anyone else, but I've got shit for brains in my gut. The reality is a bit out of line with the perception, in my opinion.

Of course, there will be people who disagree with this. I just have a different experience.

My main blend of choice is Haddo's. I have stockpiled some of this just in case. And it's probably irrational. Still, I find it much better fresh!

It's all a mixed bag. I think the main reason to cellar is because blends may go away. But then I had a look at which blends I smoke the most (aside from Haddo's) and they're not even made in the United States. So what's the point?

Well said. I have been primarily stocking up only on a few commonly available domestic US blends that are staples of mine, just guarding against some sudden legislation out of left field here in the US. One exception is Salty Dogs. I often toss one of them in an order, fearing they will become even more expensive, and you can fit a lot of them in a mason jar.

 

[--dante--]

People can do whatever they want with their spare cash. If someone wants to have a stash that would potentially last them 400 years, more power to them. At that point, however, it is like @unadoptedlamp mentioned, more than likely a shopping addiction/hoarding problem. I'm not ragging on those in that boat though! Like I said, pile away! Let's call a spade a spade though.

We're like survivalists, only working under the assumption that tobacco is all we need to survive :p

 

[Worknman]

Ive stopped for now at 30 lbs, which should be enough for 15-20 years.

 

[PipesRock]

We're like survivalists, only working under the assumption that tobacco is all we need to survive :p

That and coffee are in my go bag, is there more?

 

[Casual]

That and coffee are in my go bag, is there more?

Pipe cleaners double as stir sticks. If my projections are correct, they’ll also be used as money after ragnarok.

 

[seanv]

Just do what you want. Just don't post your techniques.

Agreed ?

 

[CoffeeAndBourbon]

That and coffee are in my go bag, is there more?

Bourbon too

 

[Elric]

That and coffee are in my go bag, is there more?

A tarp shelter overhead, a sharp object to collect firewood and a lighter for both fire and pipe. That's about it!

 

[hawky454]

Exactly, Everytime I hear people complain about this or that laws, I just laugh, because a real American just does what he wants.
In my state, there has been a long-standing law against being able to ship or receive wines. If you go to any online wine seller, when you check out it will show that "We do not deliver to...." and there's my state... because, you know... all of the trailer park kids getting junked up on their online Pinot Grigios. But, I make a phone call... and I just sliced open my fifth case of verbotten Albariño. There is absolutely no one at the post office going through your boxes. Hell, a buddy of mine found out his teenage son had been making online pot orders to Colorado and just getting the shit in the mail like an Amazon order for over a year. He just happen to come home one day and open his box by mistake.

Just do what you want. Just don't post your techniques. That would be a forum violation... because... well... some rules/laws are worth following, ha ha.

Hell, I probably break six laws every morning before breakfast.

Even back in 2005 when I joined the post office, people were getting their pot by mail. I could always tell, one package would stink up my entire vehicle until I dropped off the parcel. I had a lot of happy customers on my route, I never was one to call the authorities over weed, however, if it landed on the wrong route, a lot of carriers would call the postal inspectors in. One guy came to the post office in his jammies accusing me of stealing his “model car”, the next day it arrived and the package was badly damaged, I held it up and a huge bag of weed fell out! I delivered it to this guys front door at his sec8 apartment complex to explain to him how complaining that I stole his package is not cool! Especially if your “model car” is actually a big bag of weed. He was extremely nervous but happy to take the parcel. I never got a complaint from him again. It was amazing how many times I’ve been accused of stealing people’s mail, be it a model car or a government check. Albeit it does happen all the time. Several coworkers were fired for stealing Netflix cds and just random stupid shite but I’m not a thief and it sucks being accused of being one but that was just part of the job.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Even back in 2005 when I joined the post office, people were getting their pot by mail. I could always tell, one package would stink up my entire vehicle until I dropped off the parcel. I had a lot of happy customers on my route, I never was one to call the authorities over weed, however, if it landed on the wrong route, a lot of carriers would call the postal inspectors in. One guy came to the post office in his jammies accusing me of stealing his “model car”, the next day it arrived and the package was badly damaged, I held it up and a huge bag of weed fell out! I delivered it to this guys front door at his sec8 apartment complex to explain to him how complaining that I stole his package is not cool! Especially if your “model car” is actually a big bag of weed. He was extremely nervous but happy to take the parcel. I never got a complaint from him again. It was amazing how many times I’ve been accused of stealing people’s mail, be it a model car or a government check. Albeit it does happen all the time. Several coworkers were fired for stealing Netflix cds and just random stupid shite but I’m not a thief and it sucks being accused of being one but that was just part of the job.

Back in college, I had a night job for just a little while working in a video store. Now, this was still late 80's and pot was not acceptable anywhere. My first time seeing pot, was when I was rewinding returned videos from the drop box, a bag fell out of a video box. There was a police officer in the store, so I asked him to verify it, and asked him what to do. I was afraid to touch it in case they thought it was mine or something. He said to just throw it away. He wasn't too concerned... he probably wanted to get to the donut shop next door which had really good donuts. So, I just flushed it down the toilet.

But, then this guy comes in a few hours later, and he is all pissed. He asked me if I found anything in any of the video boxes. I just shrugged and kept rewinding. He asked to go through the whole return box, I just pointed to it. He asked where the video was that he had returned. I knew what he wanted, but acknowledging it put me in cahoots with this guys, and acknowledging his crime implicated him in the crime, to my college boy thinking. He was very preppy frat boy, all the world owes me, because I'm rich... Members Only, lawyer hair, and Izod slacks kinda thing... after he put his finger in my face accusing me of stealing his illegal drug, I just pointed to the donut shop and told him that Officer Smitherman was just in here asking about who had put illegal drugs in the drop box, he was welcome to go ask him where it might have gone. He just stamped his feet like the entitled scum he was and left.
I guess some folks just eat up what common sense they might have had with this stuff.

 

[sablebrush52]

While I still buy the occasional tin or two, the heap is essentially complete and I've been smoking down what I've accumulated. I figure I've got a 10 to 15 year supply and that's plenty.

 

[krizzose]

I used to have some serious FOMO with respect to pipe tobacco, both for cellaring purposes and simply trying new blends. After identifying a number of blends I really liked, that just faded away.

As for my cellar, I'm at a point where I'm not quite done, but I'm damned close. And certainly to the point where my current stash will last me most of my life at my current modest smoking rate ( about avg. 3.5 bowls / week ) if online ordering is suddenly cut off. Now I'm just jumping on sales when they pop up on things I like, filling holes here and there, and trying the occasional new blend. I started cellaring in earnest before McClelland went away, so I even have a decent stash of their blends that I really liked. I'll always wish I had more Navy Cavendish and Classic Samsun than I do, but I consider myself lucky for what I managed to get before the lights went out. And since, as I mentioned, my FOMO is basically gone, I'm not gonna chase any unicorns. I'm sure Stonehaven is great, but I don't need to find out; I've got plenty of stock of blends I love, and the great majority of those are still available.

My peace of mind does make me pity the newcomers who are trying to build up their stock. I hope they get the chance before it all gets shut down.

 

[saltedplug]

You should NEVER stop adding to your cellar. For a pipe smoker his cellar is the measure of the man. There is in fact an informal committee for pipe prestige that before they bring you into the enormous glory available only to this inner circle, will visit you with one objective: to measure the girth of your cellar!

 

[saltedplug]

I've reached my goal and had a number of "my cellar is finally complete" moments probably a half dozen times.

My current cellaring emphasis is G.L. Pease. I took a look at my inventory last year and realized I was woefully lacking in GLP and made it a goal to stock up over time to ensure I've got a good selection to choose from in the future. There are about 5-6 blends I need to stock and then I'll be done for good this time (again).

GLP is a great candidate for cellaring, both by quality and price.

 

[seanv]

By my math and smoke rate I have a 13 year supply. I will continue adding but I will usually wait for sales at this point

 

[cshubhra]

I will stop ? buying when I reach 50 lbs which is about 8 years worth. It will also mean that tobaccos I smoke will have an average age of 5+ years.
I will resume buying when it falls below 45 lb. The 5 lb gap is to account for limited edition blends, etc...

 

[Perique]

To me, cellaring tobacco is like cellaring wine: the point is not to target your depletion rate to your death and smoke it all, nor is it to leave it to your heirs necessarily. Rather, the point is to have what you want available to smoke (or drink) when you want to smoke (or drink) it.

 

[Ebarber]

Since only officially starting pipe smoking a couple of years ago I have a decent cellar but not nearly enough.
Although proud of what I have I need to keep searching and building.

 

[nukesimi]

I'm done. I have no idea how many pounds I have, but I figure it will take ten days to finish off a tin if I smoke two bowls a day. Since lockdown it seems that P&C has stopped offering weekly ten percent off deals. This has helped ease the addiction, but every time I see a new blend, or feel my cellar needs more of a particular variety, I feel an itch. No one but us seems to appreciate the hundreds of pounds of tobacco that must be purchased on a regular basis.

 

[Gecko]

Being somewhat new to pipe smoking I'm cellaring wide and shallow, going for the highly recommended blends. I want my cellar to be like the B&M of my dreams with a large selection of whatever might tickle my fancy next. The plan is to keep doing this till I've got around 22 pounds or 10 kg. Which should be in about one year. Then I'll revisit my strategy and probably go deep on a few select blends.