Resurrect Dead Tobacco

rdavid · Mar 14, 2019

Well, I received a tip here about a B/M near my sister in TN that had some bulk Nightcap left so she went and scored me a couple of ounces. Not sure how it was stored at the shop but it was definitely bulk as she received it in a ziploc baggie with the shop label on it. She said it "really stunk" and smelled her whole car up so I'm going to guess it was fresh or nearly so when she bought it. I asked her to double bag it and send it to me asap.
Which she did NOT... She (and I) kinda got busy and forgot about it. So a month later I remembered to ask her about it and she finally got it in the mail to me. As I expected, it was dead on arrival with hardly any aroma and a ghost of the original flavor left when smoked. It is not really dry at all but tastes completely dead.
Is there any way to resurrect this much loved blend? I considered mixing it with Quiet Nights and jarring it for awhile in a desperate attempt to at least avoid throwing out the Nightcap since Quiet Nights is the closest blend to Nightcap that I have found yet.
Again, it was not dry at all but just seemed to have lost all the Nightcap goodness. Please advise. Thanks.

cosmicfolklore · Mar 14, 2019

I would have to smell it myself before I would suggest anything for you to do. But, really, I will bet that store just keeps their bulk in a single bag in the floor or a shelf, until they need it to refill a jar in the store. I have been into enough B&Ms to know that almost all tobacconists are not as anal retentive, treating their tobaccos like a fragile soufflé that will break if you look at it too hard. I buy Stokkebyes bulks all the time that comes in a an unsealed bag in a box. It has arrived here from thousands of miles of oceans and sea creatures, with no issues.
I will bet that the tobacco smokes just fine, but as I have said, I'd have to smell and feel the stuff myself to know for sure. But, I don't always immediately jar my bulks up when they arrive. Sometimes leaving it in a bin for a month before taking care of it.
Did your sister leave it in the car for a month or something?

hawky454 · Mar 14, 2019

Are you positive that it is Nightcap and not some weak attempt of a B&M trying to match it? If it’s not dried out I can’t imagine if it were indeed Nightcap that it wouldn’t taste like Nightcap.

rdavid · Mar 14, 2019

Cosmic. I did smoke some and it’s almost completely flavorless. Also, I can smell the ghost of Nightcap that once was in the pouch (baggie) aroma. Also the moisture and “feel” are right on. There is a very good possibility it did spend that month in her vehicle but it’s been fairly cool/cold in TN. Also, I have zero knowledge of the shop’s storage techniques however I’m inclined to believe it’s probably not great.
Hawky454. I honestly thought of this at first but it is a very reputable shop however, like most other shops, they cater more to the cigar crowd. I’m just not getting the impression it’s a fake as the faint aroma of Nightcap is definitely there. Also, the Nightcap flavor is there also but just barely. I’m still fairly inexperienced but I’m confident this was the real deal.
At this stage, it’s just too far gone to enjoy smoking so I’m considering mixing it with something to avoid throwing it out.

jpmcwjr · Mar 14, 2019

Good shops also make errors. My reaction was exactly what hawky wrote.

hawky454 · Mar 14, 2019

Mixing it with a blend that is close is a good idear. I’ve had some Condor from the 70’s that came in a small cardboard container, totally gone but I mixed it with some modern Condor and it definitely brought it back to life. It’s worth a shot. If not, Tobacco makes good fertilizer, I always put stuff that can’t be saved in my planted pots that way it can still serve some kind of purpose.

Good shops also make errors. My reaction was exactly what hawky wrote.

Agreed, it’s most likely an error and I’m not a big Nightcap guy but I imagine it smells like a whole lot of other English/Latakia blends.

sablebrush52 · Mar 14, 2019

Just toss it.

rdavid · Mar 14, 2019

OK Gents.
Thanks for the replies. Going to mix it with a tin of Quiet Nights and press it hard into a jar to see if the flavors will "wake up". More of an experiment than anything.
If that doesn't work, then Sable's advice will be taken.
I'll post results in a few weeks.

bent1 · Mar 14, 2019

I’ve had some success by re-hydrating blends. Had a tin of VA Woods that sat for 4 years with just the plastic lid, still had some spring to the leaf, took well to rehydration. Sometimes it’s just too far gone. With a shot though.
Had a humidor that ran dry prematurely when a failed digital thermometer defaulted to 85 degrees F in mid Feb. Left town for a week, found the house hot & dry. My box of Tatuajie Rubostos had passed oils to the cellophane, but the Padron’s were spared, though dry. Rehydration worked on the Padron, but the Tat’s were never the same.

btp79 · Mar 14, 2019

Nightcap is one of my all time favorites. I had a friend who transitioned from pipes to cigars (opposite of what I did lol). Anyhow, he gave me about 8 oz. of night cap he stored in a ziplock for about 7 years and it was bone dry also, definitely lost some of its punch, but the aroma was still there. I wonder if it was a match blend the B&M had also? But if it's lost all flavor, not much to do. I'd go with Sable's recommendation as well.

aldecaker · Mar 14, 2019

Dry it the rest of the way and grind it into snuff, Guv'nor!

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