Modern Tobacco Classics

Sitting here with my last night of peace before my baby son comes home i have been thinking. In 20 years what will we, who still smoke out dead wood, look back and view as the lost classic blends of our age. What do you think will be our times Craven's Mixture, Balkan Sobranie, Edgeworth sliced, etc.. will be? What will we greatly lament the passing of?

I want to know what the jungle thinks and to see if we could come to close to a consensus for each style.

So take some time and think about this one, as this is one of those long thought questions i can't even answer right now, alot of tobacco to judge.

[IHT]

well, there's so many to choose from. and i don't want to start the debate on why some of those are even considered "classics" (okay, just one comment - probably because some classics can no longer be made due to the lack of syrian latakia).

having had aged latakia blends (they taste the same, only smoother, to me), and aged VA blends, my choice would be, BY FAR, a VA based blend, or Va/Per. if the one 18-ish yr old sample i had of a va/per is any indication, PS bullseye flake will be like heaven on earth in 18 yrs. i've only had two and half bowlsful of that stuff, and it happened to be from the mid-80s. wow.

maybe Xmas Cheer from '07, seein as your boy was born in Decemeber of 07. then again, maybe he won't like ketcup as he grows up?
some Full VA Flake? Escudo? Solani 633? tough choice.

i know when i bought a box of cigars for this very reason, i found some very nice Vegas Robaina Don Alejendro's from Apr 00... then i stopped smoking cigars and sold them (my wife was pissed at me). they were great cigars at that time, with 4 years age...

whatever you get, get a handful of tins - then you two can share a bowl whenever he comes home from college, or brings the wife/kids by... you two can crack open a tin and smoke YOUR BLEND together.

edit: for me, it would have to be a kick ass tobacco now, as you know it'll get better. and it would be either a VA or Va/Per.
i'd probably roll with some Full Virginia Flake and let it age. Rattrays OG or HoTW or Marlin Flake may also be in the pipeline.

[Bruce]

Maybey some of the single/small batch PCCA tobaccos that are blended with ageing in mind. Their new special release tobaccos, Tudor and Orient 996 sounds like they will be very special a few years down the road. Especially the 996.....rare yenidjie, samsun, Syrian latakia with aged red Virginias sounds really tasty to me!

Also, the McClelland Orientals might be very special in years to come. These blends use tobaccos that are very rare and in limited quantities. These are blends that may not be reproduced in the future due to the scarcity of the orientals.

What about tobaccos that are becoming hard to find now? Blend such as McCranies 1983 Red Ribbon will definitely be highly regarded collectors items years from now.

Just thinking out loud..............

[paperairplane]

It seems to me that what makes a "classic" is non-availability - either due to a change in component or a change in blender / producer.

So, it would seem that a GL Pease or Two Friends product is going to have less availability over time than a Dunhill. However, from current trends, if Dunhill or another major would change again, the current today would become the classic of the future.

Also, much like music, in the future the Beatles will still be a classic -so even if your 2007 tin of Escudo is special in 2032, a tin of Nightcap from the 80's may be even more so....

[EnyafanJT]

Bufflehead Canvasback, Bufflehead and King Eider.

[DubintheDam]

Erinmore...will it be no more in 20yrs time?

[Mister Moo]

Those things that are most punchy and piercing (and good) today will probably mellow and meld over the years to be spectacular 20 years down the road. I consider:

Escudo
Orlik Golden Sliced
Old Gowry
Haddos
Christmas Cheer (2006, etc.)

PCCA 996
Penzance

While I enjoy several balkan/orientals they somehow seem like sad, lonesome droopy-eyed re-interpretations of the old-old Sobranie. I'm sorry I ever tasted that stuff, James - it burned into my brain. PCCA 996 (2007) and Penzance might have the special punch that will improve and be recognized down the road.

As for Virginias... I speculate there are many that may tame from super-sweet tongue-testers to super-smooth killers over a dozen years or so.

[croatan]

Originally Posted by IHT

my choice would be, BY FAR, a VA based blend, or Va/Per.

You don't say...

--

Recently discontinued blends that I know I'm going to miss and, in twenty years, will really wish I had are some of the Dunhill hand-blended tobaccos (particularly No. 10) and Ashton Celebrated Sovereign.

The McClelland Orientals would probably fit in there, too.

[JohnnyFlake]

Momoyama and Edgeworth Slices will no doubt be considered missing classics in a very short time! Also any on the great blends using Syrian Latakia. Most of them will be considered classics in time.

[Secret Pipe Santa]

Originally Posted by croatan

You don't say...

--

Recently discontinued blends that I know I'm going to miss and, in twenty years, will really wish I had are some of the Dunhill hand-blended tobaccos (particularly No. 10) and Ashton Celebrated Sovereign.

The McClelland Orientals would probably fit in there, too.

And what makes this Celebrated Sovereign so special to you Mister Croatan? Should Santa bring a bit for you? I might just have some sitting in a drawer somewhere around here in the workshop...

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Secret Pipe Santa

And what makes this Celebrated Sovereign so special to you Mister Croatan? Should Santa bring a bit for you? I might just have some sitting in a drawer somewhere around here in the workshop...

Dag. He don't a bit like sound like MY Santa.

[croatan]

Originally Posted by Secret Pipe Santa

And what makes this Celebrated Sovereign so special to you Mister Croatan? Should Santa bring a bit for you? I might just have some sitting in a drawer somewhere around here in the workshop...

Your elves have good taste

Something about that blend just always struck a chord with me.