A Call For Tobacco Tin Date Stamps

monty55 · Jun 6, 2014

Hey all,
Would it be possible to Lobby all pipe tobacco blenders (manufacturers) to use a simple ink date stamp to apply on the bottom of all pipe tobacco tins (only) that indicate when they were tinned? I realize that some already do this, but most I have bought do not. I also realize that this is an after-thought in the industry with respect to history, but I think today, in this world where so many of us collect and cellar pipe tobacco, that it would be something that us end-users, the primary consumer, would VERY much appreciate. With respect to extra costs, I would say that the simplest and least expensive method of applying the date stamp with ink directly on the tin bottom would be the best, and if they wanted to start charging an extra 3-5 cents per tin for ink, I for one would pay that to have all my tins dated in this fashion.

monty55 · Jun 6, 2014

Yes, of course. That is our only option. But I am buying a tin that was made months ago, sometimes up to 6 months ago probably. I would appreciate the date it was tinned, not the date I bought it and stuck it in my cellar.

escioe · Jun 6, 2014

If the craft beer industry won't do this to ensure that we're not buying old, flavorless IPAs, the pipe tobacco industry is never going to do it to make our cellar spreadsheets a little more accurate.

monty55 · Jun 6, 2014

Ok, it was simply a thought that I felt might help (me, i guess). My mistake.

monty55 · Jun 6, 2014

Michael, Thank you for your thoughts, I understand all that, but I'm afraid if I thought about all of that, I would definitely be over thinking this.
Some "base" date would be nice. For now, if there is a date already on a tin we are lucky, if not, then we put our own. I suppose this is the way it will stay.

cosmicfolklore · Jun 6, 2014

Many pipe men that I've talked to take the "aging" of tobacco as a bunch of hooey. This is all a relatively new American idea, and many here still would prefer a newer tin of tobacco. The B&M that I go to the most has a closet of old tins that he lets me go through, but he said that for decades now, pipe guys would ask for the freshest tins. Many, many, many pipe guys that just smoke and don't do forums would probably be put off by dates with older dates on them. One guy who has a B&M told me that he threw away a truckload of old out of date tins when he bought out the Tinder Box. I just laughed at how stupid that was, but he was serious.
In all of the pipe smokers that I know, I don't know anyone on the forums from life. But, the only place that I have ever heard of aging tobacco on purpose, (except in the industry before the tobacco is tinned) was here on the forums. Aging may be popular for us on here, but I don't know how far stretched into the outside real world of pipers this reaches. I have my cellar, and the guys at my pipe club think that doing what I'm doing is something crazy apocalypse bunker hoarders do, ha ha.

phil67 · Jun 6, 2014

I just don't put much weight into this whole 'aged tins' thing. By all means, after opening a tin place the contents in a Mason jar if that's your thing (something I also do) to keep it fresh as it were. It certainly wasn't something done years ago and I certainly don't see the need for it now. Buy a tin, open it up and smoke the freaking crap as it was meant to be. Then again, at my age I'm in no way concerned about how some tin of tobacco will taste, or 'possibly' change for the better 20 years from now. As cosmic pointed out, I also never heard of such a thing until getting on this forum.

monty55 · Jun 6, 2014

I realize now that this is only important to a few people in the scheme of things, and would not be something most of the manufacturers would be interested in even talking about.
So, nvm.
For the life of me I cannot figure out how to delete a thread I started.. any help?

apatim · Jun 6, 2014

No, it's a good thread... I've wondered. The same thing Monty.

phil67 · Jun 6, 2014

Nothing wrong with the thread whatsoever monty. Actually, I was curious about the same thing seeing that some tobacco blends have a tinning date and others do not. I can't for the life of me remember which ones as I'd have to look, but HH ODF comes to mind. I bought a tin about a month ago and it was dated Aug 2013. I only know that because I have the tin in front of me and smoking a bowl of it as I type this. :wink:

faust · Jun 6, 2014

I have been wondering the exact same thing, it would be very useful and I doubt it would be too much extra hassle on the manufacturers part. Good suggestion :D

cosmicfolklore · Jun 6, 2014

Yeh, the thread is great. These are just our assumptions and opinions. GLP and C&D date their tins. I assumed because Pease may have had a large impact on the "aging" concept. Sure, tins that got lost or were a part of estates of long dead pipe men, were the main fuel for aged tins. GLP has blogged about it extensively, probably fueling the idea the most, and GLP is tied to C&D. However, I've found that there are some blends that just get crappy with age. Tilsbury comes to mind first. It was like smoking dirt after five years of age, blah. However, I have had some GLP and C&D blends that were astronomically better with a few years on them. I guess that is why they like the dates on their tins.

monty55 · Jun 6, 2014

Cosmic, I agree. And if there was a date on the tin, like in the case of Tilsbury for instance, then you could be assured that you were getting something fresh, and had not been sitting on the shelf. Much like expiration dates on food now, except some would use them to make sure they were fresh, and some would use them to cellar with.

cosmicfolklore · Jun 6, 2014

Good point, Monty. But, then that would be bad for Tilsbury's overstock. So... Hmmm...

derfargin · Jun 6, 2014

Makes sense to me to throw a date the weed was put in the can. Perhaps with C&D coming out with the recent line that are intended to be aged, there will be others that will follow suit.
Whatever, I'll smoke it date or no date. I'll just cellar if I'm keeping long term with the date I purchased. If I find a date on there I'll update my records.

troutface · Jun 6, 2014

I do notice a difference in aged tins. The other day I smoked a bowl of Penzance that was 1.5 years old, followed by a bowl that was .5 years old. To my taste buds the older tin was slightly but noticeably better. Smoother, creamier and the Orientals were starting to push forward. Last week I had a bowl of '96 McC No.24, followed by a bowl from '02. Again there was a difference in the flavor, though I wouldn't say one was better than the other, just different and I liked them both. I would welcome date stamps from all blenders as it's just another piece of the puzzle. As in all things, do what brings you joy.

peckinpahhombre · Jun 6, 2014

Not sure what Tilsbury is but if you mean Tilbury I had an old tin of that given to me and I thought it was delicious. Please, send me all your old tins of dirt-like Tilbury.

cobguy · Jun 6, 2014

I had a bowl of '96 McC No.24, followed by a bowl from'02

Another variable here is the actual leaf used in a blend.

They most likely did not have the same blending stock 6 years later.
It may taste different / better but is that the aging or a different / better leaf they used on the earlier tins?
Just thinking out loud, so to speak.

troutface · Jun 7, 2014

They most likely did not have the same blending stock 6 years later.

Great point. With the stocks someone like McC has it is actually possible, though probably not likely.

andrew · Jun 7, 2014

If the craft beer industry won't do this to ensure that we're not buying old, flavorless IPAs,

In Canada it's pretty much a law to have a best before date, never seen a beer that didn't have one, import craft or domestic.

A Call For Tobacco Tin Date Stamps

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