Let’s talk about hoarding

[Isaac]

Which option would you take, and why?
Lets say 10lbs is your goal for a blend you like.

do you buy 10lbs up front, or 3lbs up front and the. The remaining 7lbs over subsequent years?

 

[Riff Raff]

"Hoarding" has such a negative connotation associated with it. Let's call it....tobacco investing.

I would buy a bit each year and jar it up. That way when you deem that particular blend ready to smoke (from an ageing aspect) you are left with many years of smoking pleasure. Also, if you try the blend at 3 years and like it better than the 5 year, then you can enjoy more of it at the 3 year mark. And if you did it right, will be able to enjoy the 3 year aged blend for many years to come.

Just my $0.02.

 

[nortac]

I'd go the incremental route if for no other reason than that I'm too lazy to jar up 10 lbs. at one time. I'd be hard pressed to jar up more than a pound at a time, unless it was flakes.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Everyone's needs are different. Mine are quite minimal, both in terms of variety and quantity.

Bowls per week x 52 / 20(ish) = tins per year (@2.5g per bowl).

Tins/year x years supply needed = total requirement

Total requirement / Number of blends needed for variety = Number of tins per blend.

Collection rate subject to the individual's disposable income.

I'm only aiming for 5 or 6 tins (max) per year, some aged 5 years, some aged 1 year, for a forward duration of five years. Roughly 1kg total. Not so much hoarding/cellaring, as minimised strategic purchasing. I got off lightly

 

[Kentos]

Depends, but I went incremental, but the bulk was bought in 2018 and 2019, so by 2020 all my stuff has at least 2 years on it.

One theory is Va’s benefit the most with the first year of aging, after which each year adds only a little improvement. So fresh to 1 year shows loads if improvement. After that 5 year, then 10 year, then 20 yadda yadda.

From a money standpoint, you would save the most buying all 10 pounds at one time, during a sale if possible. Usually SP has 15% sales, and 10# at 6.00 an ounce tinned is quite a savings, around 144 bucks.

 

[radrick96]

Hoarding? Isn’t it cellaring?

I have yet to buy 1lb. but if I was deciding, I would buy the 10lbs. Like @Kentos said, wait for a sale and you will save a lot!

 

[steveclarkus]

Hoarding? Isn’t it cellaring?

I have yet to buy 1lb. but if I was deciding, I would buy the 10lbs. Like @Kentos said, wait for a sale and you will save a lot!

I have a pound of Elibethan (Now named “Victoria”) on order - a delicious un-topped Va/Per. And I will choose a Burley for a pound shortly. Cellering? Depends on how quickly I smoke it.

 

[Hirsute]

Assuming you have the space and the money and it’s a blend you know you like and will age well...

I can’t think of any reason not to buy 10 pounds at once. Your whole stash will start aging and have more age on it when you open it down the road. Plus, you’ll be protected from inflation, higher taxes, and having your favorite blend get regulated out of existence.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

While I appreciate Bill's approach, I have to agree with Micah. I went all out in the first couple of years. I have a few blends that I didn't need to stock up on as much as I did, but I also have quite a few blends that are amazing and unobtainium. Plus, the aged stuff can always be traded or sold. A small part of me wouldn't mind trying some of my aged blends fresh, but that's purely from a comparison standpoint.

 

[RookieGuy]

Those are three very big assumptions, @Hirsute.

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

Those are three very big assumptions, @Hirsute.

On the contrary, they are three examples of what we've seen in the past few years. McClelland closed shop, Dunhill closed shop (I know, I know... Peterson took over some of their blends), prices are higher than they once were, taxes are greater, and inflation is a given.

 

[Isaac]

Don’t forget about laws banning sales that seem to be popping up

 

[RookieGuy]

I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, @Hirsute. I meant the money, space, and knowledge of what will age nicely were the three big assumptions.

The amount of money I'm willing to throw at this, not more than a pound of bulk a month. That's assuming no pipes, stands, lighters (beyond the basic Bic), et. al. And I share my house with 5 other people, all with stuff that needs storing. Including a 2 year old (and that's why I like my pipes!) so storage will require a solution for a 2+ year plan. And knowledge, well, can be acquired.

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

If you don't mind, what blends are you thinking of sticking up on, @Isaac ? Or is this just hypothetical?

 

[Hirsute]

I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, @Hirsute. I meant the money, space, and knowledge of what will age nicely were the three big assumptions.

The amount of money I'm willing to throw at this, not more than a pound of bulk a month. That's assuming no pipes, stands, lighters (beyond the basic Bic), et. al. And I share my house with 5 other people, all with stuff that needs storing. Including a 2 year old (and that's why I like my pipes!) so storage will require a solution for a 2+ year plan. And knowledge, well, can be acquired.

It's all good, and I totally get your point. Everyone is in a different position. I wanted to make it clear that my answer included those assumptions because I agree they're big assumptions. If the question was "I have X dollars to spend each year and limited space and don't know what I like but want to start building a cellar, how should I do it?" I'd have a different answer. Or several different answers depending on the combination of factors.

The pipe thing is a journey, and if you enjoy it, it's a journey that will take us our whole lifetime. You don't need to be in a rush to figure everything out, because tastes change, tobacco changes, availability of blends changes, and well, it's a journey not a destination. There's not just one right way to build a cellar; there are a lot of right ways to do it; and there are a few wrong ways, depending on your goals. Some forums have a bunch of opinionated folks who will tell you there's only one right way to do things. But most pipe smokers aren't like that, and the group that hangs around here isn't like that. Those of us who have been travelling this path for a while offer advice only to give information and maybe save you from repeating some of our missteps along the way. But the path is wide and there's room for everyone to do it their own way. And we welcome everyone and all questions here.

 

[RookieGuy]

Ok. We're saying the same thing I think. My wires got crossed. GENTLY place dust on your screen for bump.

 

[Alacrity59]

I kind do the math thing too, like ~al~m.

If you smoked 3 bowls a day 10 lbs is about a year's worth.

So where do you want to be in 5 years? Let's say you always want to have tobacco 5 years old at that point. . .

Maybe you buy 20 lbs a year and smoke 10 lbs fresh each year up to that point so at year 5 you have 50 lbs in your cellar. . . 10 lbs of 5 year old 10 lbs of 4 . . . 10 lbs of 1. From there on you buy only 10 lbs per year and always have some 5 year old on hand for the next year.

Ah you say . . . I like a pipe just at night . . .

There you go . . . 1/3 of the above.

Nothing ever works out to plan but maybe that puts some reasonable numbers in place.

 

[Isaac]

If you don't mind, what blends are you thinking of sticking up on, @Isaac ? Or is this just hypothetical?

well the thread wasfor discussion. But i am loading up heavily as I can now. incan say that in my first year I have three pounds of best brown flake/ luxury bullseye and navy flake. Im waiting for decent sales and I’ll load up in another three pounds again.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

One can never have enough FVF YMMV

I have an unknown amount of pipe weedbstashed away. I know I am good for years. I could probably not buy a cigar for a year and be able to smoke 3 a week... But that will never happen once the guys can hang out in the shop again.

As to tobacco. I started out hot four years ago and have some decent stuff aged. I've also gotten some nicely aged tins from members here be it a contest of BK Secret Santa. I think what I gave out was mostly slightly aged tins.

I like my hoard. I'll keep adding to it but not as often as I did a few years ago.

 

[brandaves]

Assuming you have the space and the money and it’s a blend you know you like and will age well...

I can’t think of any reason not to buy 10 pounds at once. Your whole stash will start aging and have more age on it when you open it down the road. Plus, you’ll be protected from inflation, higher taxes, and having your favorite blend get regulated out of existence.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Adding to that, your investment will be spread out over several containers which means spoilage/mold or any other potential problem you can think of is not likely

It's all good, and I totally get your point. Everyone is in a different position. I wanted to make it clear that my answer included those assumptions because I agree they're big assumptions. If the question was "I have X dollars to spend each year and limited space and don't know what I like but want to start building a cellar, how should I do it?" I'd have a different answer. Or several different answers depending on the combination of factors.

The pipe thing is a journey, and if you enjoy it, it's a journey that will take us our whole lifetime. You don't need to be in a rush to figure everything out, because tastes change, tobacco changes, availability of blends changes, and well, it's a journey not a destination. There's not just one right way to build a cellar; there are a lot of right ways to do it; and there are a few wrong ways, depending on your goals. Some forums have a bunch of opinionated folks who will tell you there's only one right way to do things. But most pipe smokers aren't like that, and the group that hangs around here isn't like that. Those of us who have been travelling this path for a while offer advice only to give information and maybe save you from repeating some of our missteps along the way. But the path is wide and there's room for everyone to do it their own way. And we welcome everyone and all questions here.

Very well said and I couldn't agree more about this community!