Like you Beags, I find that the black stuff does indeed keep fairly well if kept away from excessive cold and damp. It might take a little extra encouragement to light after long periods of storage, but, on the whole does sufficiently well if emergency grillage is requried in the closed season or as a starter for the new.
However, with the current met for the weekend, are you sure there's not one last burn left in your trusty blackfellow?