It is a win/win. You have a solid method to not over purchase, while keeping sufficient stock on hand for some aging. Plus, if something goes sideways, the world will not stop turning, given you've a reasonable accumulation.
Ageing without hoarding
- Thread starter AimlessWanderer
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- #442
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Indeed! This has been a big thread so far, so such a low planned consumption, but it's been fun. So long as it keeps on being fun, I'm winning.
It still feels weird, buying stuff I don't need now, but the ageing completely justifies that. I understand that now. It's still a fairly minimal commitment too, both in terms of expenditure and duration. It will be interesting to see if the interest depletes, over the winter months for example, when sitting in the garden for an hour is less enjoyable, or whether I continue to smoth more in the warmer months
One thing's for sure, this is a beginning, not an end.
Being outside in a warm coat smoking a good pipeful is a joy. The cold adds a whole new dimension.
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- #445
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Cheers fellers. I've had notification that my order has been despatched, so no turning back now 
Today's bowl has been Charatan Black Flake in a Rob Roy Legend cob. Nice smoke, but a little rough around the edges, particularly the first half. Yet another reassurance that I'm doing the right thing. No Dunhill clones in this order though, but they'll all benefit from some ageing, I'm sure.
Today's bowl has been Charatan Black Flake in a Rob Roy Legend cob. Nice smoke, but a little rough around the edges, particularly the first half. Yet another reassurance that I'm doing the right thing. No Dunhill clones in this order though, but they'll all benefit from some ageing, I'm sure.
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- #446
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Wallace Flake from Rattray's was out of stock, and will follow later. Only three of these blends were in the earlier clutch of samples, but I'm confident the rest should age well, based on the write ups and ingredients. That's the tobacco drawer officially full, so now it's just a matter of waiting for time to do its thing.
Woohoo! Nice looking stash there. I love Rattray's Marlin Flake and Howl O' the Wind. Both of those should age nicely. I have no experience with the others.
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- #448
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Hal O'the Wynd, Uni Flake, and Irish Cask are the only three I've tried so far. All will certainly be better for the passing of time, and I know I'll enjoy them.
I've heard great things about HotW and University Flake. On my short list to try. So aging will benefit those? Hmm, I might have to grab a few tins and find out.
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- #450
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
They both tasted to me like they'd benefit from ageing, and I'm fairly sure Hal O'the Wynd gets mentioned quite frequently in respect of ageing. However, many of the samples I've been trying have tasted like that. Too many.
If this little project works as I hope, I'm going to try to predominantly only smoke tobaccos, which have been in my drawer for at least a year. The few exceptions to that being Cavendish laden aromatics, and any loose blends I get which smoke OK from the tub.
One task I still have to do, is put a date sticker on all the tins, and put a little note/code on the sticker, telling me what the blend is made up from (VaPer, VaBur, English etc) so I don't leave the wrong tins stewing too long, and don't open tins similar to whatever else I currently have open.
You should set up a Tobacco cellar account. Its a great way to keep track of things...although I suppose that might be overkill for the size of cellar you're maintaining. It is a great way to keep track though.
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- #452
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Oh no, I don't use stuff like that.
I try not to keep my digital footprint fairly compact, and steer clear of apps, stalker media, cloud storage, anything owned by Gargoyle and Amazon, and pretty much anything else that wants more data off me than I justifiably need to share. That's why you won't be seeing me on the Zoom meets, I'm afraid. My days of trusting the digital realm are long gone. It's just a few select forums, and a bit of online shopping for me.
If I want to know what I have left, I just need to open one drawer
Once all the odds and sods are used up, I'll have just three tins/pouches open at any point, (with some of that transerred to small jars) and up to 20 sealed tins. No stalker tech needed 
In the FWIW department, I use a simple spreadsheet to keep track of my pipe and tobacco purchases. I keep two cellar tabs, one by date, the other by brand/blend. It is likely over kill in your situation, but the time to start an inventory system is when the inventory is small! I wish I would have done that when I started down the fountain pen rabbit hole!
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- #454
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
In my case, the "what" and "when" is being recorded on the tin itself. For example, here's the sticker on the base of a tin of Chieftain Stormy Skye...
The only additional note keeping is on a single sheet of paper, which lists the contents of the small 120ml jars.
This saves me relabelling the jars every time the contents change, and I just have them labelled A to J.
The less peripheral stuff the better, as far as I'm concerned. No notes to lose or spill coffee on, no databases to corrupt, or data to be lost. I don't want "managing a collection" to be a hobby/chore in itself. One drawer, minimal notes, keeping things as simple as possible, while still enjoying tobacco that's woken up and smoothed out.
The same applies with the pipes. One briar per blend type, plus the Mini Meers and Missouri Meerschaum pipes for smoking anything in.
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- #455
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
The dopamine hit from the new purchase has already worn off.
I think I can now better understand why this avid collector aspect, forms its own separate hobby. As I was stashing all the tins back away again earlier, after adding all the labels on the back, the reality hit me that I've just bought all that stuff, but cant get any enjoyment from any of it for at least a year.
Yes, when I do smoke it, there will be the benefit of having bought it when I did, and letting it stew in a drawer, but until then, there is a cavernous void of not feeling like I'm getting anything for all that cash I just parted with. Had it been plants for the garden, I could tend to them, and watch them grow. Were it a holiday abroad, I could book the time off, plan what to see and do whilst there, start thinking about wardrobe items, taxis vs long term parking, etc etc. This, in comparison, has a sorry nothingness about it. Order it, get it, and then do absolutely nothing with it, and get zero enjoyment, or tangible immediate benefit from it, unless the benefit is actually the collection itself.
Cue compulsive shopping behaviour.
No, don't cue compulsive shopping behaviour!
I don't want the "reward" to be seeing the accumulation grow (which is what I assume happens with others). I want the rewards of purchasing to be smoking it. That's what I bought it for! So now that my stocks are "full", that's exactly what I'll strive to do in future.
With new purchases, I should buy the replacements before I use anything. Therefore if I buy three new tins, then three can come out of the stash for use. So I buy three new tins, and I actually have three new tins to enjoy. OK, they're not the same tins, but it then does feel like I've got something for my money.
Does that make sense?
I do need to "get over" this latest purchase, and try to essentially write it off in my mind, and that should be made easier knowing I'll never have this hollow feeling again. In future, I buy three (new) tins, and get three (aged) tins to open and smoke. If I need to order five for free shipping, then five go in, and five come out. If I'm short on cash, and can only afford a single tin at that moment, I only get to take one out.
It's like going back to the immediate gratification of "pay as you go" smoking, but with a fixed buffer, and I actually get to smoke whatever quantity I've just paid for... and they'll all be nicely aged too.
I think I can now better understand why this avid collector aspect, forms its own separate hobby. As I was stashing all the tins back away again earlier, after adding all the labels on the back, the reality hit me that I've just bought all that stuff, but cant get any enjoyment from any of it for at least a year.
Yes, when I do smoke it, there will be the benefit of having bought it when I did, and letting it stew in a drawer, but until then, there is a cavernous void of not feeling like I'm getting anything for all that cash I just parted with. Had it been plants for the garden, I could tend to them, and watch them grow. Were it a holiday abroad, I could book the time off, plan what to see and do whilst there, start thinking about wardrobe items, taxis vs long term parking, etc etc. This, in comparison, has a sorry nothingness about it. Order it, get it, and then do absolutely nothing with it, and get zero enjoyment, or tangible immediate benefit from it, unless the benefit is actually the collection itself.
Cue compulsive shopping behaviour.
No, don't cue compulsive shopping behaviour!
I don't want the "reward" to be seeing the accumulation grow (which is what I assume happens with others). I want the rewards of purchasing to be smoking it. That's what I bought it for! So now that my stocks are "full", that's exactly what I'll strive to do in future.
With new purchases, I should buy the replacements before I use anything. Therefore if I buy three new tins, then three can come out of the stash for use. So I buy three new tins, and I actually have three new tins to enjoy. OK, they're not the same tins, but it then does feel like I've got something for my money.
Does that make sense?
I do need to "get over" this latest purchase, and try to essentially write it off in my mind, and that should be made easier knowing I'll never have this hollow feeling again. In future, I buy three (new) tins, and get three (aged) tins to open and smoke. If I need to order five for free shipping, then five go in, and five come out. If I'm short on cash, and can only afford a single tin at that moment, I only get to take one out.
It's like going back to the immediate gratification of "pay as you go" smoking, but with a fixed buffer, and I actually get to smoke whatever quantity I've just paid for... and they'll all be nicely aged too.
HOTW is great with even a year of aging. Marlin Flake is even better if you like your flake with a bit of cavendish.
Dont sweat the thresholds too much. The blends you got sitting there are getting better. Even half a years time stewing will provide its rewards. Enjoy it as you want it I say. This whole thing is about enjoying your investment in my opinion. Don't drive yourself crazy pushing towards some arbitrary date.
At least that's how I look at it. Sure, my cellar is absurd compared to what you're working with...but if I want to open something, I do. I certainly have boxes set aside with the intention to hold back but no "set date" is on them. I know when I cellared them and I'll know when I want to open them.
At least that's how I look at it. Sure, my cellar is absurd compared to what you're working with...but if I want to open something, I do. I certainly have boxes set aside with the intention to hold back but no "set date" is on them. I know when I cellared them and I'll know when I want to open them.
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- #458
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Yeah, I do agree with that, to a point. I have aborted the earlier idea of labelling the tins with when to open (which I did on the earlier ones), and once they've all been sat a while, I'll leave myself free to pick and choose. I'll probably still limit myself as to how many are open at the same time though.
My post yeasterday was more about the general notion of buying something to intentionally not use for a while. For whatever reason, it feels uncomfortable, and while a necessary step to take to be smoking aged tobaccos later, a large part of my brain is still screaming "What the hell have you just done, you moron?" I'm stuggling to come up with an analogy, but I suppose it would be like intending to lose weight, and buying clothes that don't fit yet. It's not about when they will, just that they don't fit now. It's just a bit of an alien concept to me, and taking some getting used to, I suppose.
Honestly, I admire your frugal mindset and wish I were built the same. I've always been impulsive when it comes to purchases but also with the thought that we only have a limited amount of time and we need to enjoy it while we can. That can be good and bad. Good in the short term, because there is little delayed gratification. Bad in the long term because although I would love to do things like travel, I don't have the funds to do any real travel because I've spent it towards immediate gratification! I keep telling myself that eventually my cellar will be "finished" and I won't feel the need to stockpile tobacco in the fear of the oft spoken of "Tobaccopolypse"...but I'm not sure that is realistic in the near term. I'm already planning for the release of Sun Bear on Wednesday. I don't regret most of my cellar. There are several aromatic blends that I feel I over bought simply due to sales that drew me in. I don't smoke them often enough to justify their prominence in my cellar, but they will get smoked eventually or traded for something I'm more keen on so I don't view those as a total loss. There are several blends in my cellar that I haven't smoked at all and don't plan to crack until they've aged. I figure the chance I'll dislike aged Comoy's Cask 4 and Newminster 400 (to name two I haven't yet sampled) are pretty low given my tastes and their reviews so I'm fairly confident in them. I'm pleased that 10 and 20 years down the road I will be smoking some wonderfully aged stuff and have no shortage of it. As @Hirsute says, its my 401T...I want to be smoking the best when I get to retirement and I've earned my spot on the porch with my loyal dog and a well seasoned pipe.
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- #460
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I googled 401T, and the top results were a tenor recorder, and a deep fat fryer
Health issues stop me planning longer, to be honest. One side of the family all checked out early, and the other side were all long lived. Either set of genes could be dominant in me, but I'm certainly going to be directing my funds towards shorter term returns.
I've never been one for the long term. Never bought a house, nor had a pension plan. I only ever look as far as the horizon. If something's not in view, I'll not worry about it until it is. Who knows which way the wind will blow tomorrow?I thought aromatics were generally unwise for long term storage? I think cased/topped Virginias should be fine, but I wasn't planning on keeping anything with Cavendish for longer than two to three years
