Many drinks are aged to bring out their best flavours, including whiskey and wine, but the ageing of tobacco is less universal and it is in fact a topic that tobacco users often disagree about.  Tobacco is a plant after all, with some smokers preferring that it is consumed fresh. On the other hand, there are many smokers that like to age their tobacco and believe that it brings out new flavours and aromas when smoked. 

Why do we age drinks and tobacco products? 

It is common for people to age their products simply because, as already mentioned, they enjoy the flavour of the matured product. Ageing can be a process of finding the optimum amount of time required to get the best flavours from a certain tobacco type. 

Ageing of drinks and tobacco is often done as a financial investment and connoisseurs look to buy limited edition products in the hope of selling them for a profit in years to come. 

Which types of tobacco age best?

Some tobaccos react better than others to the ageing process. Virginia Tobacco ages well due to the natural sugar content and can be aged for any period of time. The same applies to Burley Tobacco. 

Oriental Tobacco needs a long time to age and over time they develop fruity notes. Ageing Latakia Tobacco will mellow the taste so if you like the harsh tobacco flavour, it is best to smoke Latakia fresh. 

Here are some suggestions on how to make a start with your tobacco ageing. 

1. Keep notes 

Firstly, different pipe tobacco blends age best at different lengths of time so store numerous collections and keep detailed notes on each batch so that you can track what works best for each one. Some tobaccos don’t age well whilst others vastly improve. Remember, it is all down to personal preference.

2. Temperature and Humidity

Temperature and humidity is extremely important in the ageing process. Temperature is usually required to be between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is too high, the tobacco can spoil. If it is too low, the ageing process won’t be activated. Humidity also has to be at the right level and definitely shouldn’t be too high. 

3. Keep moisture out

If moisture gets into the tobacco, it could cause mould to grow which will ruin the batch. Mason jars are an ideal dry and airtight container for tobacco but be sure to avoid plastic containers because the chemicals on the plastic can react with the tobacco. 

4. Store tobacco in a dark place

Light exposure can cause tobacco to ruin. One option is to invest in a high-quality ageing container that blocks out light or alternatively, you can use a cardboard box as this also absorbs humidity.
If you’d like to try ageing tobacco, tobacconistonline has a full range of tobaccos to purchase so that you can make a start with your experimenting.