I've got to agree with all the posters who say that McClelland flakes should air out a bit. I also think that most other brands don't need that and it may, indeed, by detrimental. For instance, my experience is that flakes from Rattrays, GLP, C&D, Sam Gawith and GH just dry out and lose much of their character if left to "air out" for more than, say, a month. On the other hand, McClellands can stay in an opened tin for several months and do nothing but improve (provided you keep the plastic lid on, of course). McClellands supposedly doesn't use PG and the like on their flakes, but there are times I've wondered if there wasn't some kind of humectant involved (or perhaps the processing somehow locks moisture into their blends). This observation is even more pronounced in some of their non-flake blends, especially their English blends. Heck, I've accidentally left Frog Morton uncovered for over a year and it was only beginning to flirt with the idea of becoming too dry LOL.
I'm also under the impression flakes do well in a narrow bored pipe?
