Best Bulk Tobaccos for Aging

[Old_Newby]

I am around my 3 year mark in piping and obvious still learning. After watching PeacePipeMan I realized I need to start thinking longer term. He cellars and ages so much tobacco he waits 10 years before smoking it. My issue is I cannot afford to buy 10 tins a year of all my favorites tin tobaccos considering my favorite Straight Virginia’s seem to always be higher priced or hard to get. I have tried most of the bulks like Sutliff, PS, MB, and they all seem similar and none blow me away. So I thought I would ask my fellow pipers for their advice. I want to buy a pound of a few straight Virginia bulks to let sit for 5+ years and age.

Has anyone found that bulk tobacco that seemed average when new, but miraculously after 5+ years it becomes amazing?

Also don’t limit it to straight Virginia. Please share any blends that age stupendously.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Someone will recommend C&D Yorktown.
Other bulk staples are the Stokkebye Bullseye and Luxury Twist.
Sutliff 507C is a popular one too.

 

[ParkitoATL]

I am around my 3 year mark in piping and obvious still learning. After watching PeacePipeMan I realized I need to start thinking longer term. He cellars and ages so much tobacco he waits 10 years before smoking it.

Laying down some stock to age is mostly because I buy so much more than I smoke that it just ages naturally. You see these people who spend thousands of dollars on Cuban cigars and then claim they won't touch them for 20 years. Pfffft!! I just think that's ridiculous.

 

[MattRVA]

C&D Virginia Flake is one that I’m starting to like. When I bought it on sale I was disappointed but now a few years later it’s really coming along.

https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipe-tobacco/cornell-diehl/virginia-flake/product_id/79409

 

[ParkitoATL]

Someone will recommend C&D Yorktown.
Other bulk staples are the Stokkebye Bullseye and Luxury Twist.
Sutliff 507C is a popular one too.

Virginias have finally started to hit really nicely for me and the Stokkebye Bullseye would be right at the top of the list for me to stock up on. Although I smoked one coin last night (probably 6 months old) and the dang thing burned for 75 minutes and was so smooth and delicious that I can't imagine needing 5-10 years before I smoke it!

 

[minerLuke]

I think Mac Barens HH Virginia would have a good aging potential and is available at reasonable prices.

DTM's Hamborger Veermaster is a really nice VA as well and is available if you look around in 250g bulk bags. I managed to score 3 bags on a sale last year. I doubt I'll wait 10 years to smoke it, since it's pretty good straight out of the bag!

 

[Peterson314]

Most of my cellar was built because I spend faster than I smoke. It wasn't necessarily a conscious thing.

That said, I've cellared Newminster 400 without trying it. Whenever I get around to opening it, I'll buy some new stuff and try them side-by-side.

In general, I would suggest cellaring stuff you like. My favorite tobacco is H&H's Ten to Midnight, and it's the only blend I've cellared by the pound.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Aging only happens in my cellar due to not getting around to smoking it yet. I bought up my collection to stay ahead of rising cost and to protect against discontinued favorites. I would never buy large amount of tobacco that I've never tried.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Has anyone found that bulk tobacco that seemed average when new, but miraculously after 5+ years it becomes amazing?

Maybe slightly different but nothing miraculous.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

NM-400 and LNF to keep it simple. Many more, but bulk could be anything from WCC, LJP or CS all the way to C&D or PS.

 

[tfdickson]

Sutliff Victorian Match and Watch City Old Dominion are very good fresh but become amazing after 3 years in the Jar. Both are VaPers, not straight VA, but they “age stupendously“ as you say.

 

[mingc]

I am around my 3 year mark in piping and obvious still learning. After watching PeacePipeMan I realized I need to start thinking longer term. He cellars and ages so much tobacco he waits 10 years before smoking it. My issue is I cannot afford to buy 10 tins a year of all my favorites tin tobaccos considering my favorite Straight Virginia’s seem to always be higher priced or hard to get. I have tried most of the bulks like Sutliff, PS, MB, and they all seem similar and none blow me away. So I thought I would ask my fellow pipers for their advice. I want to buy a pound of a few straight Virginia bulks to let sit for 5+ years and age.

Has anyone found that bulk tobacco that seemed average when new, but miraculously after 5+ years it becomes amazing?

Also don’t limit it to straight Virginia. Please share any blends that age stupendously.

've blends from back when I started in the early 2000s not because I planned to aged them but because I simply bought too much and haven't gotten back to them, trying other things. Are there any that went from meh to wow? No. To be honest, I can't remember what they specifically tasted like when new. What I do remember are the generalities: whether I liked a blend, did it bite, was it bitter, did it have enjoyable toppings, latakia, etc. Buy and keep what you like today is my advice.

 

[telescopes]

It's been beaten to death, but tobacco manufacturers do not formulate their tobaccos to be aged. That said, I have found that Red Virginias such as Sutliff 515 and Virginia Slices do in fact taste better with a bit of aging on them. I have a reaction to Reds so aging tames that down for me. This is a real and observable phenomenon and one that is easily reproduced by anyone aging those two tobaccos.

My philosophy is this. If you like a tobacco and you are concerned that it may be harder to get over time, buy some to celler. But beware, it might not age as well as you thought.

 

[Auxsender]

In my opinion, buying baccy just to age is hella overrated. My oldest tobacco is a 22 year old tin of McClelland Virginia Woods. Guess what. It tastes like some good, Virginia ribbon pipe tobacco. The end. In a nutshell, buy what you love. Don’t know what you love? Buy a wide variety and figure it out.

 

[JOHN72]

In a way, I agree with Telescopes. I imagine that everything has a point of initial degradation, and I don't think it's to get better. But it's just a personal thought. I have no idea how it could be for example, a mix of Virginias, from 20 0 30 years ago. If they are better than 5 or 8 years of aging, it would be a good investment.

 

[Peter Turbo]

I would never buy large amount of tobacco that I've never tried.

And yet I see oh so many people do this, it boggles my mind.

 

[judcole]

Something that you like. Buying a large amount of something that you haven't tried is a mug's game. One of my faves for aging is MacBaren Mixture (Scottish Blend),that I find simply superb with five to ten years on it - but that's me.
Telescopes is right on the money.

 

[Old_Newby]

Thanks Everyone. I am happy to hear I am not missing out on the aging game. That could become an expensive game.

The takeaway is buy what I like to keep my cellar stocked, but buying something just for aging does not necessarily make a blend that much better.

I am going to buy me about 4 ounces of a few of my favorites and then when some tins drop grab me about 5 each if I can. rinse, repeat..

 

[RookieGuy80]

That's a smart play, @Old_Newby. That's how I built/am building my cellar. Hey, this ounce of Sutliff Virginia Flake is pretty good! Next order, I get a half pound or more for me. I don't have a cellar for aging specifically. I do however have an old piece of furniture that holds my tobacco until my current rotation has space for the next jar or tin. Sometimes those jars have been waiting patiently for months or years. But it was never to age them, it's because I'm simply not ready for that next jar of LBF just yet.

 

[kcghost]

Threads that start with the word "the Best" are difficult. The word you are looking for is "favorite". But that I guess is a quibble.