RE: Aged Tobacco

[ED_X]

Since I really like Magnum Blend I want to buy a large quantity to age, but having never smoked an "aged" version of Magnum blend I'm wondering whether I'll even like an "aged" version. Has anyone ever allowed a favorite tobacco to age and then find they no longer like it?

I want to buy one pound of magnum blend and dividing it up into four containers to cellar for different lengths of time. I'm thinking 6 months, 1 year, 18 months and 2 years. Any thoughts on that idea? Or lengths of time?

Thanks,
Ed

 

[ED_X]

REALLY! 63 views and no body has an opinion they'd like to share...

 

[MisterE]

Might be worth a try.

I've never found that age in itself has caused me not to like a blend. Aging tends to enhance what is already there to begin with. Smooth out the rough edges, if you will, and meld it. Most will agree that Virginia tobacco shows the most promise for transformation with age. If Magnum Blend (I don't know it) has Virginia, it'll change over time. Perhaps radically. The time frame which most start to notice major changes are at 2, 5, and 10 years.

That said, my tastes can change over time. Something I was fond of a few years ago might not be so great upon revisiting it. Age just makes something I don't really care for an older version of something I don't really care for. :|

 

[Slow Puffs]

I was just in the process of responding with essentially the same experience of MisterE. The main challenge with cellars are changing "tastes". But I have had no experience with Manum Blend.

 

[HCraven]

I've smoked some Magnum Blend, and I've aged other English/Balkan blends, but I've never smoked aged Magnum Blend. What I've noticed with most Balkans is that over time, the Latakia will mellow, while the Virginia grows richer, and I think the Orientals are more noticable. I will say that I think Boswell's English blends rely more heavily on flavored Cavendish for their taste than they do the VA/Lat/Oriental components (I'm not sure there are Orientals in them, to be honest). Magnum strikes me as more natural tasting than Northwoods did, but there is certainly an aromatic element that helps define the flavor, and those are notoriously volatile and not known to age with any particular grace, if they survive the process at all.

FWIW

 

[docwatson]

I've never had a tobacco that didn't get better with age on it, be it Latakia, Virginia, or Burley. We all know that Burley doesn't change very much with age but it certainly doesn't hurt it either. I've found that 5 years of aging is perfect for most blends. So why not buy a couple pounds, put one away for a long time and surprise yourself down the road. I don't think you'll be disappointed and maybe you'll be sorry that you didn't add more of this to your cellar. I'm not familiar with Magnum blend, but like I always say, buy it NOW because it will never be less expensive than today.

 

[Ozzywozywoz]

Silly question from a new pipe'er... but do you just let it mature in the tin? or do you put it in to a sealed jar to mature?

 

[pepesdad1]

Silly question from a new pipe'er... but do you just let it mature in the tin? or do you put it in to a sealed jar to mature?

Either as long as the "tin" isn't paper.  My only experience with aging tobacco was with some Lane 1-Q which I left in a humidor for 3 years...was wonderful when I smoked it.  Didn't think an aro would improve that much but it did.  Compared it with fresh 1-Q and could tell the difference.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[RDPipes]

Age just makes something I don't really care for an older version of something I don't really care for.  :|

I like this! I think this can be used concerning most things.

 

[Thomas Tkach]

Silly question from a new pipe'er... but do you just let it mature in the tin? or do you put it in to a sealed jar to mature?

It needs to be sealed. A sealed tin will do, an opened tin or loose bulk will need to be jarred.

 

[monbla256]

The most extensive experience I have had with "aged" blends has been with two Dunhill blends and one Sobranie I stocked up on back in '82 and lost track of ( couple of divorces and moves the cause) till about three years ago. All were in un-opened tins which "held" all these years and opened with their carachtaristic WHOOSH when opened. They were Dunhill (Murray era) blends, Nightcap, 965, and BS 759. All three are Va based and ALL of the sifferent types of leaf went through a SIGNIFICANT mellowing out over this amount of time. The Nightcap and 965 were NOWHERE near as sharp and distinct with the Latakia ad perique each had in them, rather they had mellowed to a much more nuanced and "softer" feel and aroma than when "fresh".The same went for the 759, which always was Latakia forward, now it was on equal terms so to speak with it's Va base.
So if you like a blend/mixture when "fresh", depending on how long you "age" it, it WILL be somewhat different. It's one of those things only YOU can judge and time will tell  :twisted: Me I STILL smoke most of my 'baccy "fresh"  :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Thomas Tkach]

Greg Pease has some good thoughts on this as his blends are meant to be aged. He's a huge proponent of aging, but notes how the Latakia won't be as sharp, things will mellow, etc. He also gives some timelines about aging--Latakai blends peak after X years, Virginias after Y, etc. Here is a start. Or here.

Edit: Another good one: http://glpease.com/BriarAndLeaf/?p=28#more-28