recommended tobaccos

[mw306]

I am trying to get my tobacco supply built up. What would be a good top five to have in my cabinet.

 

[raf66]

Boy this post should get you some responses all over the map. :lol!:

Why don't you tell us what you like to smoke-Va, VaPer, Balkan, Lat, Burley, Cavendish, Aromatic, etc.-and tell us what form your favorite tobacco is in-flake, ribbon, plug, etc. It's my understanding that Va and VaPers age quite nicely and really take to cellaring. Don't know as much about the others.

I'm certainly not a pro at this but there are some very experienced pipers on here. My guess is that you'd like to get various opinions.

Narrow it down for us and we'll try to help out.

 

[mw306]

I am purchasing ribbon cut at the moment. The blends with lat in them I enjoy.
The aromatics that I've tried I haven't cared much for. The burly blends have produced an enjoyable smoke. I haven't tried any other cut, so I don't know that much about them. Advice on them would be appreciated.

 

[old_salt]

Sticking to the basics

Something with lat in it; GLP's Westminster. 2 or 3 pounds

VaPers; McConnell's Scottish Cake, GLP's Fillmore several lbs. of each.

Supporting Players, at least 1 lb. of each

Rattray's Old Gowerie & Hal O' The Wynd

McClelland's Beacon, St. James Woods, & 5100


When you are ready to venture into Flakes

There's Escudo
GLP's Union Square; S.G. FVF & Rattray's Marlin Flake

 

[mw306]

Thanks Old Salt, I had been looking at Hal O' The Wynd and GLP's Westminster.
I have been considering Escudo also, since that seems to be a top seller at
most shops. I haven't had experience with flake though.

 

[gandalfpc]

You should try a spread of the better companies blends before stocking up


Not in any particular order...

G.L. Pease - tops for English blends
Rattrays - for great Virginias
Gawith and Hoggarth - for Virginia based flakes, plugs, and twists
Samuel Gawith - many great Virginias and Englishes with some ropes and plugs to boot
Peretti's or Uhels - for Burley Blends

McClelland has some fine choices, as does C&D but the list above is a better place to start.


Other notes:

Non aromatic blends are best for the cellar - I have a few pounds of aromatics I love though...

English blends of quality will peak around 20 years

Virginia tobacco will continue to improve to 100 years

 

[gandalfpc]

You should try a spread of the better companies blends before stocking up


Not in any particular order...

G.L. Pease - tops for English blends
Rattrays - for great Virginias
Gawith and Hoggarth - for Virginia based flakes, plugs, and twists
Samuel Gawith - many great Virginias and Englishes with some ropes and plugs to boot
Peretti's or Uhels - for Burley Blends

McClelland has some fine choices, as does C&D but the list above is a better place to start.


Other notes:

Non aromatic blends are best for the cellar - I have a few pounds of aromatics I love though...

English blends of quality will peak around 20 years

Virginia tobacco will continue to improve to 100 years

 

[babysinister]

I am trying to get my tobacco supply built up. What would be a good top five to have in my cabinet.

Since you're just starting out with plans for cellaring, I would suggest some good bulk blends that will put less of a dent in your pocketbook, as long as you're not averse from ordering from some online e-tailers.

Knightsbridge by Park-Lane Tobacconist
Peter Stokkebye's Balkan Supreme, which you can get at 4noggins.com and other places I think
Iwan Ries's Gourmet English, although I haven't kept up with the price on this one.

For Virginia/Perique blends in bulk, Hearth&Home's Louisiana Red at pipescigars.com is a good one to buy in some quantity. C&D's Bayou Morning is one of my favorite non-flake VaPers but I don't remember if the non-flake version of this blend is offered in bulk or just in a tin, which is how I buy it.

 

[gandalfpc]

I'll second the Louisiana Red, although a bit premature as I only obtained it a few days ago and have had but two bowls - it is a standout

Also of note for bulks:
Pipeworks and Wilkes Oriental #10
Stokkebye Proper English
Several McClellands - Ill leave others to fill in their faves but I'll start with red cake and old world classic cake

Also many Gawiths are great bulk buys...

 

[Anonymous]

Caveat : not a few have found that English/Balkan mixtures start becoming shadows of their former selves past the ten year mark. The latakia fades and the other balances change.

That said, FWIW, I think you're going about it excellently -- identifying the best of the best, so that the team of tobacs you end up with will be more like the Red Sox or the Wankees and less like the Pirates.

The tough part is, good tobacco starts coming into its own at around the two-year (tin time) mark, and starts to really shine at five. So unless you live next door to a guy with a deeper stash of tobac than he can ever smoke himself, you want to kind of ease your way in, rather that getting pounds of stuff you may not like down the road. (Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks).

English/Balkan : consider getting three tins of Blackpoint, three of Odyssey and three of any other GLP E/B (Westminster, maybe. And/or Chelsea Morning). Smoke one tin of each now. If you like these, replace them, and you've got tins of them in the works for two years, five years and adding more for days to come. If not, try some others, but come back to the first bunch at the 2Y & 5Y marks. You'll be amazed when you do.

Virginia : the only straight Virginia out there is Union Square. FVF is good from two years on and great past five, but it's mostly Virginia with a (discrete) Burley foundation. Which the Rattrays are as well, with Perique added. Same deal with time, except forget new FVF. It really does need to age. Otherwise it can taste like a cigarette.

FWIW

:face:

 

[mw306]

Looks like I am going to have to do a lot of sampling, but that is the fun part.

 

[Anonymous]

You will be offered alot of advice here mainly based on personal preferences.
This is on my cellar hit list at the moment.........maybe it can be of help. I find VA's tend to age very well.
SG FVF, Squadron Leader & St James Flake
Orlik Golden Sliced
GLP Chelsea Morning, Laurel Heights & Ciaro
McClleland Christmas cheer.
Pete Uni flake

A mixed bunch of stuff really.
I discover blends that I like by sampling and sharing with friends. A local pipe club may be a good place to delve into various samples. For example, I smoked a sample of Pete Sherlock Holmes. It is a VA base but an aro. I do not like aro much but was pleasantly surprised at the young sample I partook in. I have since Put 4 tins into cellar. Others are just hit and miss going on what the other experienced brothers recommend on the review postings. Good luck, once you get going you will find great pleasure in collecting!
Once your stash has aged a bit and you start to smoke some of it you may find some of them not suiting your taste as you may have moved on. These can be sold or traded..... either way you win big time!

ENJOY!

 

[mw306]

Following some of the recommendations, I ordered some Escudo Navy Deluxe,
GLP: Westminster, Chelsea Morning, McClelland: Frog Morton, SPS: Man's Best
Friend and CD Blend as these last two were on sale for 1/3 of what it would cost
at my local tobacconist. Now just waiting for delivery from smoking pipes.

 

[scottbtdmb]

Following some of the recommendations, I ordered some Escudo Navy Deluxe,
GLP: Westminster, Chelsea Morning, McClelland: Frog Morton, SPS: Man's Best
Friend and CD Blend as these last two were on sale for 1/3 of what it would cost
at my local tobacconist. Now just waiting for delivery from smoking pipes.

That's a nice start man! Just wanted to add my two cents to this thread. For short term cellaring, another words if you don't have much patience (lol), try that Pipeworks & Wilke #10 that gandalf recommended. Oriental leaf ages more rapidly than any other leaf and you will notice amazing changes in the 6-18 month period. #10 is my go to Oriental blend so if you are ever so inclined, visit vtpipes.com and order some from Carole. I have about a pound and a half of it in my cellar and plan to add another couple pounds before taxes get out of hand eventually. Otherwise, I echo comments that others have made about cellaring. Concentrate on Virginias and Orientals, cellar your favorite English/Balkan blends to enjoy in 5-10 years (up to 20 for some perhaps), and smoke your Burley and Aromatic blends now. Burleys have no sugar and will not age necessarily, though blends with different cuts may meld together and improve. Aromatics generally contain low quality tobaccos used merely to soak up the casing/topping. There is also significant evidence that shows that the casings/toppings used can kill the microbes responsible for fermenting tobacco. Hope this helps and congrats again on your order!

-Scott

 

[Anonymous]

Agreed, good start!

 

[mw306]

The one tobacco that I was really looking for, seems to be everyone's fave also.
SG FVF. I was going to purchase a couple of tins to store as everyone recommended
but seems like everyone else already had that idea!

 

[mw306]

Just finished first bowl of Chelsea Morning, wish I had purchased more.

 

[Anonymous]

Just finished first bowl of Chelsea Morning, wish I had purchased more.

you said it brother...... top of my list too!

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

I'm intrigued about Hearth and Home's Louisiana Red but can't find find H&H's website. Can anyone help?

 

[gandalfpc]

They can be found here